Matzie: Nearly $400,000 awarded to educate, protect Beaver County kids from opioid risks

Additional $2.65 million awarded to Allegheny County programs

AMBRIDGE, Sept. 8 – More than $390,000 from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency will keep Beaver County students learning about the risks of opioids and help families develop the skills to keep kids safe, state Rep. Rob Matzie announced today.

Matzie, D-Beaver/Allegheny, said the funding includes $370,805 to Community Health Challenge of Southwestern Pennsylvania to continue the Beaver County Opioid Prevention Project – one of five pilot programs statewide that team counties with school districts, local nonprofits and the community.

“The Beaver County programs are teaching students in the Aliquippa, New Brighton and Rochester Area school districts how to recognize and avoid the dangers of opioid abuse,” Matzie said. “The programs are also helping families develop skills to protect kids from the risks of substance abuse and other factors that can lead them into trouble.

“The programs have already helped many students and families in our district over the past two years. Securing this funding will allow them to continue for another year.”

Matzie said that a second grant of $22,313 to The Prevention Network will fund the Project Towards No Drug Abuse, which supports at-risk youth.

Both grants were recommended by the PCCD’s Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Committee and come from federal State Opioid Response funds.

In addition to the Beaver County funding, Matzie said an additional $2.65 million was awarded to Allegheny County programs aimed at preventing and reducing violence and combating opioid abuse.

The grants are part of a package awarded to programs statewide. More about PCCD and the commission’s funding is available here.