CONCORD, NH — In order to support state-level efforts in New Hampshire to combat the heroin and opioid crisis and help save lives, Governor Maggie Hassan called on the U.S. Congress to provide sufficient federal resources for states like New Hampshire to continue implementing a comprehensive approach to support law enforcement and strengthen prevention, treatment and recovery.
As Vice Chair of the National Governors Association (NGA) Health and Human Services Committee, Governor Hassan and Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker, who chairs the committee, sent a letter earlier this week to congressional leadership urging their support of federal resources for states to combat this epidemic, as well as another call for federal action on the Governors’ Priorities for Addressing the Nation’s Opioid Crisis that the NGA Health and Human Services Committee presented in February. Those recommendations included expanding medication-assisted treatment and access to in-patient treatment for Medicaid enrollees with substance use disorders.
“Governors have taken bold action, limiting opioid prescription amounts, putting life-saving Narcan in the hands of first responders, educating the public and doctors, and increasing access to treatment and recovery programs and enhanced support for those with addictions,” Governors Hassan and Baker wrote. “As proactive as states have been, this is a national epidemic that requires national solutions.”
“It is vital that Congress provide sufficient resources to states in order for them to continue the work that has begun,” Governors Hassan and Baker continued. “As you begin work to conference legislation, we urge Congress to incorporate state solutions and recommendations into any final bill that is sent to the President.”
To help stem — and reverse — the tide of the heroin and opioid epidemic in New Hampshire, Governor Hassan put forward a comprehensive proposal last fall to support law enforcement and strengthen prevention, treatment and recovery across the State. Governor Hassan has now signed numerous components of that comprehensive legislation. So far this year, the Governor has signed bipartisan legislation cracking down on fentanyl, limiting prior authorization requirements for treatment, making improvements to New Hampshire’s prescription drug monitoring program, requiring all prescribing boards to update prescribing rules for opioids and establishing a statewide drug court program.
On June 24 the Governor also intends to sign bipartisan measures providing an additional $5 million for prevention, treatment and recovery programs as well as supportive housing and upgrading the technology for the prescription drug monitoring program.
In addition, the Governor fought to reauthorize the bipartisan New Hampshire Health Protection Program, which has provided substance misuse and behavioral health services to thousands of Granite Staters, and she has revised licensing requirements to make it easier for providers to open treatment facilities, worked to increase the safe and effective use of Narcan, and launched a statewide substance misuse hotline to help connect individuals with resources 24 hours a day, seven days a week. She has also signed bipartisan bills allowing drug take-back programs at pharmacies and simplifying the licensing process for alcohol and drug abuse counselors who move to New Hampshire.
The full text of the letter from Governors Hassan and Baker to congressional leadership is below.
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