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Worcester public health officials outline youth‑prevention, diversion and Narcan efforts
Summary
At the June 29 Human Rights Commission meeting, Worcester Division of Public Health described three active behavioral‑health grants — youth prevention (MASSCAP), a diversion‑to‑care opioid/criminal‑justice program, and a prevention/early‑childhood grant — plus tobacco enforcement and a Narcan distribution network.
At its June 29 meeting the Worcester Human Rights Commission heard a detailed presentation from Jennifer Nashidova of the Worcester Division of Public Health and Nikki Nixon, the division's interim director, on the department's behavioral‑health grants and community partnerships.
Nashidova said the division does not provide direct behavioral‑health services but regularly wins state grants and subcontracts with community organizations to fund prevention, capacity building and wraparound supports. "As a public health department, we don't do direct service, but we do prevention," she said, describing the Division's role in grant management and evaluation.
The division highlighted three active grants. MASSCAP (Massachusetts Collaborative for Action and Leadership and Learning, BSAS‑funded) is a four‑year youth‑prevention program that uses the Strategic Prevention Framework and a HOPE model (relationships, environment, engagement, emotional/social growth) to delay or prevent first substance use among middle and high school students. Nashidova said the grant spends an initial year on local assessments — surveys and focus groups — to shape a three‑year implementation plan and partners closely with local schools and community organizations.
A second grant — described as a three‑year "diversion to care" program — focuses on people with co‑occurring mental‑health and substance‑use disorders who have contact with the criminal‑legal system. Nashidova said staff used the Sequential Intercept Model to map local resources, center lived experience in planning, and establish an advisory council. The division also described Narcan efforts: community Narcan boxes, an online Narcan locator on the city website, and ongoing training and distribution carried out with local partners.
A third grant centers on prevention for families with children 0–11 where a caregiver is in recovery or actively using; activities include trauma trainings, monthly support groups, training for incarcerated fathers and subcontracting to local organizations to deliver services.
Commissioners pressed presenters on vaping and tobacco enforcement. Nashidova said the division oversees tobacco enforcement for about 235 retailers using a three‑visit model (education, enforcement and youth compliance checks) and noted the city currently employs one tobacco coordinator plus seasonal youth compliance workers. "We do try to visit each retailer three times a year," she said. Presenters added that staff capacity limits enforcement intensity and that prevention work emphasizes engaging youth, ensuring protective factors and involving trusted community leaders.
On data, Nixon described the Worcester youth health survey (administered at the census level and modeled on the CDC Youth Risk Behavior Survey) and said cross‑tabulations show students with a trusted adult at home, participation in after‑school programs, or family dinners report lower rates of alcohol, marijuana and vaping use and better mental‑health indicators. The department intends to use survey findings to guide programming and will host a youth summit to share results.
Presenters listed local subcontract partners that provide direct services: AIDS Project Worcester (harm reduction, drug‑checking, Narcan training), Open Sky Community Health Services (sober housing), Peniel Family Health Services (reentry support) and organizations serving immigrant communities. Nashidova said the department often helps smaller organizations build capacity to meet contracting requirements.
The division told commissioners it is working to make resources more visible on the city website, use social media more effectively, and hire a communications specialist to improve outreach. Commissioners and community members praised the presentation and several offered to connect the division with neighborhood programs and places of worship to expand youth engagement.
The division said it has one year remaining on several grants and intends to reapply for funding next year. Staff also noted that CHL's transition in Worcester will require updates to public‑facing resource lists and partnerships.
