Alex Cohen is the Director of Learning and Evaluation for the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation. The opioid epidemic continues to take a devastating toll in Indianapolis and across the state. While there are no silver bullets, there are interventions that have strong evidence for impact. Chief among them is medication-assisted treatment, or MAT. MAT is often controversial because of the common misconception that it simply substitutes one drug for another (i.e., methadone for heroin). On the contrary, medications like buprenorphine and methadone provide a limited dosage to reduce cravings and withdrawal and help individuals with opioid use disorder on their path to recovery. Most importantly, it works. There is ample […]

Here’s how the new Charitable Grants program works. Each year, the Foundation identifies funding themes based on pressing needs in Indianapolis. These themes guide the selection of six Indianapolis organizations that are addressing these needs in our city. Organizations cannot apply to the Charitable Grants program, and the grants are awarded on a one-time basis.