CVS Health Announces $750K in New Funding for California Harm Reduction Coalition

OAKLAND, Calif., Dec. 12, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of its commitment to building healthier communities, CVS Health (NYSE: CVS) today announced it will be providing $750,000 over the next three years to the national Harm Reduction Coalition to improve the health and wellness of California residents impacted by prescription opioid misuse and abuse.

Harm Reduction Coalition, or HRC, is a national capacity-building and advocacy organization that promotes the health and dignity of individuals and communities affected by drug abuse and drug-related policies and provides a critical voice for those in the most vulnerable communities. The new funding from CVS Health will help support HRC as they tackle critical health issues faced by the California community related to prescription opioid misuse and abuse.

"We can help improve the health outcomes of our communities by strengthening our local support and empowering local organizations that are developing innovative solutions," said Kristen Miranda, California Market President for Aetna, a CVS Health company. "We know that so many communities across the country – including in California – have been impacted by widespread prescription opioid misuse and abuse. Our work with the HRC will support their efforts to address several elements of this significant public health issue in California and help local residents on their path to better health."

The funding will support HRC's Community Engagement Network to Expand Resources (CENTER) Initiative – a three-year, state-wide effort designed to expand, develop and deepen harm reduction services throughout California. CENTER will be focused on convening diverse stakeholders to address drug-related stigmas, supporting syringe services programs with training and technical assistance, hosting state and national conferences and developing culturally relevant resources as a means to be better equipped to respond to the needs of people who misuse and abuse prescription drugs, their families, and impacted communities in California.

The CVS Health grant will be highlighted  at a Harm Reduction Coalition training event and discussion taking place December 11 and 12 at the University of California, Fresno Center. The event is open to community members and service providers in the Central Valley that are focused on evidence-based strategies to address issues related to prescription opioid misuse and abuse.

"We have over 25 years of experience preventing overdose and drug-related harms through resources and education that are rooted in evidence and compassion," said Dr. Taeko Frost, Senior Director of Innovation and Strategy for Harm Reduction Coalition. "We know that harm reduction programs have been operating on shoestring budgets for years, only reaching the people most at risk of overdose. The CENTER Initiative will allow us to strengthen those programs through training and capacity-building, to build partnerships with other local programs, including health care providers and drug treatment access points, and to create a comprehensive statewide network for providers who can meaningfully engage with at-risk community members."

Building Healthier Communities by Addressing Prescription Opioid Misuse and Abuse
The grant is part of CVS Health's Building Healthier Communities initiative, which is a commitment to making community health and wellness central to the newly combined company's charge for a better world. Through Building Healthier Communities, CVS Health and its charitable foundations will support a range of initiatives and non-profit organizations across three categories: improving local access to affordable quality care; impacting public health challenges; and partnering with local communities.

One of the primary public health issues the company is addressing is the impact of the misuse and abuse of prescription opioids in communities around the country. CVS Health and Aetna's expansive reach, expertise and access to local communities position us to help fight prescription opioid abuse for the people we serve. Our comprehensive strategy focused on prevention, intervention and support, builds on years of innovative programs and allows us to identify new opportunities for impact. The company has made an enterprise-wide commitment to help address the inappropriate use of prescription opioids by designing programs that increase access to safe medication disposal, encourage appropriate utilization, educate patients at the pharmacy and teens and parents in communities, expand access to life-saving antidotes, work with providers to ensure they are following evidence-based opioid prescribing guidelines, and support local recovery programs.

This grant is part of CVS Health's commitment to investing in California's health care delivery system, reflected in the November 2018 agreement between CVS Health and California's Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC).

About Harm Reduction Coalition
Harm Reduction Coalition is a national advocacy and capacity-building organization that promotes the health and dignity of individuals and communities impacted by drug use. Our efforts advance harm reduction policies, practices and programs that address the adverse effects of drug use including overdose, HIV, hepatitis C, addiction, and incarceration. Recognizing that social inequality and injustice magnify drug-related harm and limit the voice of our most vulnerable communities, we work to uphold every individual's right to health and well-being and their competence to participate in the public policy dialogue.

About CVS Health
CVS Health is the nation's premier health innovation company helping people on their path to better health. Whether in one of its pharmacies or through its health services and plans, CVS Health is pioneering a bold new approach to total health by making quality care more affordable, accessible, simple and seamless. CVS Health is community-based and locally focused, engaging consumers with the care they need when and where they need it. The company has approximately 9,900 retail locations, approximately 1,100 walk-in medical clinics, a leading pharmacy benefits manager with more than 102 million plan members, a dedicated senior pharmacy care business serving more than one million patients per year and expanding specialty pharmacy services. CVS Health also serves an estimated 38 million people through traditional, voluntary and consumer-directed health insurance products and related services, including rapidly expanding Medicare Advantage offerings and a leading standalone Medicare Part D prescription drug plan. The company believes its innovative health care model increases access to quality care, delivers better health outcomes and lowers overall health care costs. Find more information about how CVS Health is shaping the future of health at https://www.cvshealth.com.

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Ethan Slavin
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SOURCE CVS Health

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