HARTDORD –  U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and U.S. Representatives John Larson (D-1), Joe Courtney (D-2), Rosa DeLauro (D-3), Jim Himes (D-4), and Elizabeth Esty (D-5) today applauded the U.S Department of Health and Human Services National Center for Injury Prevention and Control’s $1,340,996 grant to the Connecticut Department of Public Health for strengthening prescription drug overdose prevention efforts in Connecticut.

“Today’s funding is an important down payment— a small yet critical step toward combatting this growing epidemic,” said the delegation. “Prevention and educational efforts are essential to stopping accidental prescription drug overdoses. The Connecticut Department of Public Health has been a leader in addressing prescription drug abuse by working directly with prescribers and launching a public awareness and prevention campaign across the state. We will continue to fight to ensure that Connecticut receives the funding and support it needs to end this crisis.”

With this funding, the Connecticut Department of Public Health, in consultation with the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, will partner with the Yale School of Medicine to achieve its overall goal and focus its efforts in enhancing and maximizing Connecticut’s prescription drug monitoring program. In addition, CTDPH, in collaboration with at least three local health departments situated in Hartford, New Haven and Fairfield counties, will implement community health system interventions aimed at building capacity necessary to prevent prescription drug overdose and abuse.