NEW BEDFORD — Positive Action Against Chemical Addiction, or PAACA, is receiving a boost from the state in its efforts to help those recovering from drug addiction.

On Tuesday, Senator Mark Montigny of New Bedford announced that the Massachusetts Department of Public Health had awarded PAACA a $27,777 grant to combat the critical problem of substance abuse.

"We're very happy that the state is supporting this, especially in New Bedford," said Carl Alves, director of PAACA. "Because we could use some extra support. We look forward to helping more people get back on track."

Alves said the grant money will help PAACA do more outreach to help people find their road to recovery.

"People struggling with addiction have a variety of different needs," he said. "And so what this will provide is recovery support, recovery coaches, through outreach, perhaps some transportation to get people to treatment, and a variety of other kinds of programming that will support people in their journey to recovery."

The Department awarded a total of nine grants of $27,777 to each of the recovery support centers across the Commonwealth. The funding will help providers like PAACA provide essential services to clients in recovery, and offer recovery education and peer support to aid in relapse prevention.

"This funding provides critical resources to help our local partners in the fight against substance abuse and the opioid epidemic, caused in large part by corrupt pharmaceutical companies and a slow government response," said Senator Montigny. "While more resources are certainly required, I want to thank Carl Alves and his entire team at PAACA for their continued and sustained efforts towards helping those in need."

Alves in turn thanked Sen. Montigny, as well as State Representatives Antonio Cabral and Robert Koczera.

"We are very fortunate to have a great delegation that has been very supportive over the years," he said. "They recognize our community is only as strong as our weakest link, and unfortunately the drug crisis has taken its toll, but this will go a long way to try to change that."

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