08/28/2026
Ahead of International Overdose Awareness Day, Hampden District Attorney’s Office Reaffirms Commitment to Prevention, Recovery, and Community Partnerships
August 28, 2026 – Springfield, Massachusetts – Ahead of International Overdose Awareness Day, recognized annually on August 31, the Hampden District Attorney’s Office is joining communities across Hampden County in remembering the lives lost to overdose and standing with individuals and families affected by substance use disorder.
Recently released state data show that Massachusetts recorded fewer than 1,000 opioid-related overdose deaths in 2025, the lowest annual total in more than a decade. Hampden District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni said the decline offers hope that efforts around prevention, treatment, recovery, harm reduction, and enforcement are making a difference, but stressed that every overdose death remains a devastating loss and there is still significant work to be done.
"These numbers offer hope, but they are not a finish line," said Gulluni. "Every life lost to addiction is someone’s child, parent, sibling or friend. While we’re encouraged by this progress, our responsibility remains the same — to work diligently alongside our community partners to educate, prevent, intervene and hold those accountable who profit from addiction."
Recognizing that substance use disorder cannot be addressed through enforcement alone, the Hampden District Attorney's Office has spent years investing in prevention initiatives, recovery support, public education, and community partnerships designed to reduce overdose deaths and connect individuals with resources before tragedy occurs.
Prevention Through Education
The Hampden District Attorney's Office continues to prioritize prevention by educating young people, families, and community members about the dangers of substance misuse and the resources available to those struggling with addiction.
Examples include:
•Hampden County Addiction Taskforce
o A collaborative initiative of the Hampden District Attorney's Office and the Hampden County Sheriff's Office, the Hampden County Addiction Taskforce (HCAT) has convened monthly since 2015, bringing together law enforcement, healthcare providers, recovery organizations, educators, community coalitions, and service providers to coordinate a countywide response to substance use, overdose prevention, and recovery.
o Today, HCAT meetings regularly draw 40 to 80 participants on a monthly basis, representing more than 50 agencies, providing a forum to share resources, strengthen partnerships and expand access to prevention, treatment, and recovery services throughout Hampden County.
o HCAT also distributes a monthly newsletter to more than 100 partner agencies, connecting organizations with educational opportunities, community resources, and upcoming initiatives across the region.
o Through the Hampden County Sheriff's Office's Rapid Response & Connection Team, HCAT helps connect individuals and families affected by substance use with treatment and recovery resources. Since 2020, the team has conducted more than 3,000 outreach attempts following overdoses or at-risk referrals, made contact with more than 2,000 individuals or family members, and successfully helped more than 520 people access treatment.
•School-based Substance Use Education Programs
o “Just Once” — a presentation targeted to students in grades 8 through 12 that addresses the dangers of experimenting with drugs and the risks of misusing prescription medications. Over the past three school years alone, the program has reached nearly 3,000 students across Hampden County.
•Youth Advisory Board Substance Use Committee
o The Hampden District Attorney's Youth Advisory Board (YAB) is a group of more than 60 high school students from across Hampden County who work alongside the office to identify issues affecting young people and develop peer-led education and prevention initiatives.
o The YAB’s substance use committee, established approximately six years ago, brings together about 14 students annually who choose to focus on substance use prevention because of its personal impact on their lives. Since its formation, approximately 84 students have participated.
o Students have led numerous prevention initiatives, most recently creating educational materials promoting Massachusetts' Good Samaritan Law to help ensure young people understand the lifesaving protections it provides. Committee members have also produced public service announcements addressing impaired driving, addiction and prescription drug misuse.
o In 2022, committee members were invited to present at the annual Drug Addiction & Recovery Team (DART) Convening, where they shared a youth perspective on how counterfeit pills and other drugs are marketed through social media, providing professionals with firsthand insight into the online environments young people navigate.
Investing in Recovery
The office also continues to support organizations providing treatment, recovery services and overdose prevention throughout Hampden County.
Through the Drug Diversion and Education Fund, the District Attorney's Office has annually awarded funding to organizations working on the front lines of addiction recovery and overdose prevention.
In 2026, the office awarded $45,450 through the fund to four Hampden County organizations:
•Michael J. Dias Foundation — $10,000 to support its recovery housing, peer support and recovery-focused programming for individuals and families affected by substance use disorder. With this year’s award, the District Attorney’s Office has invested a total of $75,000 in the Foundation through the fund.
•Power Forward — $15,000 to advance its work supporting individuals and families affected by substance use disorder through education, recovery resources, sober living scholarships, and other recovery-focused programs.
•Baystate Health — $11,450 to support the Hampden County Municipal First Responder Narcan Project, which provides Narcan to police and fire departments throughout Hampden County. Since partnering on the initiative, the District Attorney’s Office has awarded more than $264,000 through the fund to help ensure first responders have access to this lifesaving medication.
•Springfield Vietnamese Cultural Association — $9,000 to support its substance use prevention, youth engagement, and community safety initiatives. Through cultural events, workshops and community outreach, the organization promotes healthy lifestyles, strengthens families, and provides education about the risks of drug use. Its programs are multilingual, accessible, and designed to meet the needs of immigrant communities.
These investments help expand access to lifesaving resources, recovery programming, peer support services, and overdose prevention efforts across Hampden County.
Reinvesting Criminal Proceeds into the Community
The Hampden District Attorney's Office also reinvests forfeited criminal assets directly back into the community through its annual Community Forfeiture Support Program.
Each year, nonprofit organizations throughout Hampden County receive funding to strengthen youth programming, violence prevention efforts, mental health services, recovery initiatives, and other community-based programs that improve quality of life and help prevent future crime.
In 2026 alone, the District Attorney’s Office awarded $119,700 to 32 nonprofit organizations serving residents throughout Hampden County through the Forfeiture Community Support Program.
A Comprehensive Approach
While enforcement remains an important component of combating the opioid epidemic, the Hampden District Attorney's Office believes lasting progress requires collaboration among law enforcement, healthcare providers, schools, recovery organizations, local governments, and community leaders.
That philosophy continues to guide the office's work through strategic prosecutions targeting fentanyl trafficking, educational outreach, prevention initiatives, and investments that support individuals and families affected by addiction.
"No single agency can solve the opioid crisis alone," Gulluni said. "Meaningful progress happens when law enforcement, healthcare providers, educators, recovery organizations and community members work together toward the same goal. We are proud of those partnerships and remain committed to supporting the work that is saving lives throughout Hampden County."
Although the latest statewide data offers reason for optimism, the Hampden District Attorney's Office remains committed to expanding prevention efforts, supporting recovery programs, and investing in community partnerships that help build healthier, safer communities for years to come.
As International Overdose Awareness Day approaches, the office joins people throughout Hampden County in remembering the lives lost to overdose, standing with those still struggling and their loved ones, and recognizing the many individuals and organizations working every day to make recovery possible.
