RIZE is launched

RIZE is launched by corporate leaders, advocates, and elected officials with a mandate to end the opioid crisis and an aspirational goal: Zero stigma. Zero deaths.

“This effort holds promise because it is focused on the ongoing process of recovery. It is the only approach that will defeat this epidemic.” Founding Board Chair Dr. David Torchiana.

Inaugural grants awarded

RIZE focuses its inaugural grant program, Saving Lives, Improving Health: Redesigning Opioid Use Disorder Care, on improving treatment and recovery for people at greatest risk of opioid overdose. The grantees will collaborate with dozens of different agencies and organizations within their communities to provide a more comprehensive system of care.

Enabling Health: Enhancing Harm Reductions Services in Massachusetts

RIZE makes harm reduction a priority and invests over $1m in six organizations that are employing innovative practices to keep people safe and save lives.

RIZE commissions studies on the economy and workforce

To raise awareness about the negative impact of the epidemic, RIZE partners with leading research institutions to quantify the strain of the opioid crisis on the Massachusetts economy and its cost to employers, health care providers, and state and municipal budgets.

Read the listicle, economy report, and workforce report.

Strategic Framework created

To achieve its vision, RIZE believes it is crucial to adopt an approach that is both bold and nimble. Over 50 stakeholders participate in creating RIZE’s strategic framework to chart a course for the future.

Read the full report  →

RIZE commissions research on recovery coaches

Recovery coaches are part of an emerging transformation of systems and services addressing opioid use disorder. RIZE funds research that will identify opportunities and challenges related to the use of recovery coaches in different settings and will be useful to Massachusetts providers, payers, policymakers, state agencies, and researchers.

Together in Recovery: Supporting Informed Decisions statewide initiative

RIZE embarks on courageous conversations to bridge a philosophical divide and truly understand one another, find common ground, and move forward together. Together in Recovery: Supporting Informed Decisions is a statewide initiative that breaks down silos and promotes person-centered care. More on the outcome of this initiative will be released in late October 2020.

Read the Blueprint for Action →

Stigma Survey with GE Foundation, Shatterproof, and MA Medical Society

RIZE, the GE Foundation, and Shatterproof partner with the Massachusetts Medical Society to gather insights and reactions from healthcare professionals with the goal of addressing and reducing the stigma associated with opioid use disorder. Report identifies several opportunities to encourage healthcare professionals to screen and treat patients with OUD.

Read the white paper →

RIZE supports research to address the opioid crisis in Western Massachusetts

MA Health Policy Forum report details the unique challenges facing small and rural communities in the fight against opioids.

Read the report →

Insights and Solutions research grants awarded

Insights and Solutions: Massachusetts Opioid Crisis grant program supports research that contributes to the evidence-base and advances public policy by identifying system-level and behavior-change level interventions. First awards are to the Boston Public Health Commission, Brandeis University, and Tufts School of Dental Medicine.

RIZE hosts 4th Wave convening

Between 2017 and 2018, the rate of overdose deaths involving cocaine more than tripled and increased nearly five-fold for psychostimulants such as methamphetamine. In response to emerging trends, RIZE hosts a convening on the 4th Wave of the Opioid Crisis with experts and stakeholders.

Supporting the community during COVID-19

A recent study by the Addiction Policy Forum shows that 34% of the people with substance use disorder surveyed report changes or disruptions in accessing treatment or recovery support services since the onset of COVID-19. RIZE awards over $700,000 in rapid response grants to support addiction treatment organizations strained by the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 research grants awarded

Research papers from Boston Medical Center and Massachusetts General Hospital will outline successes, challenges, and important lessons about addiction treatment learned during the COVID-19 pandemic to inform the field and empower others to act.

Read Sarah Wakeman’s blog post →