CONCORD, NH – A USA Today article leans heavily on New Hampshire’s battle against the heroin crisis – and it’s “unconventional” Safe Station approach – to highlight a renewed strategy from the White House, which next week plans to up the ante by putting equal emphasis on prevention as well as treatment in the form of dollars and programs.
All 94 U.S. attorney offices around the country will be urged to share information across state lines about possible illegal practices by physicians in prescribing opioids as a way to identify dealers and trafficking routes more quickly.
The article highlights comments made by U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-NH, during a Justice Department hearing in Washington, D.C., earlier this year, attended by U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen and Manchester Chief Nick Willard, among others.
With 100 Americans dying daily due to heroin and/or opioid use, there is a push to get federal money flowing – including the $1.1 billion President Obama requested in July as part of a drug treatment strategy that was approved by Congress, but without the $181 million needed to actually fund the plan.
“The biggest area where we have fallen short is filling the gap between people who need treatment and those able to get it,” said U.S. Drug Czar Michael Botticelli, in order to keep people alive and get them into treatment, and that it’s time to match the need with more treatment.
Botticelli – who is himself in recovery from addiction – toured a hard-hit area of Manchester back in 2015 with Manchester Police and state and U.S. officials.
The story ends with a comment by Manchester Fire Chief Dan Goonan, who summarizes what it’s been like to fight the epidemic and operate Safe Station without state or federal money.
“I know it’s not a great financial model. I know that money isn’t going to be there forever, so our ability to sustain what we are doing is always going to be in question,’ Goonan said.
You can read the full story here.
