LOWELL — In a city that has seen thousands of overdoses and hundreds of deaths, the Lowell CO-OP Team is on the front lines of the opioid epidemic, offering resources and help to those struggling with substance use disorder and other challenges.
Starting ten years ago in 2016 amid the height of the Opioid Epidemic and local overdose deaths, the Community Outreach Opioid Program (CO-OP), has referred thousands of users to services and treatment, distributed NARCAN to save lives, and cleaned up hundreds of thousands of hypodermic needles from city parks and streets.
What began as a three-member team has grown to include 10 members, including a Lowell Police Officer, two Pridestar Trinity EMTs, and at times a Lowell Firefighter. The team also includes two clinical recovery specialists, a youth outreach specialist, a Lowell Health Department social worker, a housing specialist, a street outreach worker, and a member who is dedicated solely to cleaning up needles.
The latter member has picked up over 100,000 needles since 2018.
Connecting with those suffering from substance use disorder can be challenging, and team members like Clinical Recovery Specialist Garrett Casey say that, for many people, opioid abuse is just one of numerous issues. The American Medical Association recognizes substance use disorder as a disease.
To get someone into recovery and truly on a better path, team members like Casey also help individuals find housing, jobs, resources, and even help with things like transportation, state identification and food insecurity.
“The way I look at it, the CO-OP has become the default for whatever anybody needs,” said Casey. “The most important thing for a client is that they need to know we’re trying to help them, and that we’re doing our best. The most important thing is to meet them where they are at and help them find their way into recovery.”
The team’s work is done in a city that has experienced 7,886 opioid-related calls for service since 2011, according to data from Pridestar Trinity EMS, including 250 overdose deaths since 2020.
The CO-OP Team’s primary mission is to reach out within 48 hours to anyone in Lowell who has experienced an overdose or opioid-related emergency, to offer services, help, and a sympathetic ear.
The team attempts to locate individuals soon after an overdose, making multiple attempts to contact them. In instances where they can’t find someone, they leave information at their last known address.
The team, between August of 2025 and August of 2026, managed 423 individual cases in Lowell, contributed to 21 Section 35 commitments, made 171 referrals to substance use disorder treatment, assisted 160 people with transportation, eight with obtaining statement benefits, and made 480 other referrals for things like housing, food insecurity, and other issues.
The team is a cooperative effort, overseen by the Lowell Health and Human Services Department and Director of Health and Human Services Lisa Golden. They work closely with Lowell Police, the Lowell Transitional Living Center, and Community Teamwork Inc.
“The Co-op is out on the street every day no matter what the weather is. They dress for rain, snow, wind or heat. They will go down riverbanks, into empty houses and thru encampments to check on people and follow up on overdoses,” said Director of Health and Human Services Lisa Golden. “Some of the clients they work with have lost everything in life, but the CO-OP will take the time to meet with them and help with treatment or whatever they need.”
“This city is serious about providing a lifeline to every one who is struggling with substance use disorder, and the CO-OP is our front line effort to reach those who are most in need,” said City Manager Thomas A. Golden, Jr. “These dedicated team members provide support not just with detox, but with all of the details of life that can derail someone or keep them out of recovery. Their work, their compassion, and their dedication are saving lives.”
Casey and Joe Aniello both have decades of lived experience and outreach work experience, and both are true believers in the value and importance of those they are trying to help.
“There’s a fine line between the people I’m working with and where I could be, and I’m grateful for that,” he said. “Whether it’s mental health or addiction, I hate the disease but I love the person, because I truly believe in my heart that people don’t choose to live that way.”
To learn more about the CO-OP Team and the services they provide, visit: lowellma.gov/2055/Lowell-Community-Opioid-Outreach-Program.
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