Governor Hassan Outlines Comprehensive Approach to Combat Heroin and Opioid Crisis at Summit on Substance Misuse

Press Release

As part of her comprehensive approach to combat the heroin and substance misuse crisis facing New Hampshire, Governor Maggie Hassan, in coordination with the New Hampshire Department of Safety Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, the New Hampshire Departments of Justice and Education and the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services Bureau of Drug and Alcohol Services, today hosted the state's first Governor's Summit on Substance Misuse.

"The heroin and opioid crisis is the most urgent public health and public safety issue facing our state," Governor Hassan said. "It is devastating families, communities and businesses across New Hampshire, and it affects people from all walks of life in every corner of our state. We are in the midst of a challenge that requires all hands on deck, and this summit represents the kind of collective action that is needed to combat this horrible epidemic and help save lives. I want to thank everyone who participated in this summit for their commitment to the health and well-being of our people, the safety of our communities and the future of our state."

Governor Hassan has focused on a comprehensive approach that provides patients, providers, educators, parents and law enforcement better tools to combat the heroin and opioid crisis and help save lives, including increasing the safe and effective use of Narcan, expanding support for local law enforcement, increasing access to medication assisted treatment, and improving provider training and prescribing practices. The Governor also signed bipartisan legislation last month to reauthorize the New Hampshire Health Protection Program, which has provided substance misuse and behavioral health services to thousands of Granite Staters and is essential to increasing treatment capacity. The state will expand its substance abuse treatment benefit for the traditional Medicaid population on July 1.

The Governor has also proposed a comprehensive package of legislation to provide additional resources to combat the heroin and opioid crisis, including making further upgrades to New Hampshire's prescription drug monitoring program, establishing a statewide drug court program and providing additional support to law enforcement in the state's hardest-hit communities. The House is expected to vote on these important measures this week.

"The House will vote this week on providing an additional $5 million to increase funding for prevention, treatment and recovery programs, as well as to provide supportive housing for people in treatment and recovery. There is broad consensus on the need to act, and each of these measures has already received bipartisan support," Governor Hassan said. "We have the resources to take these steps, and we must do so now without delay."

More than 800 people registered to attend the first ever New Hampshire Governor's Summit on Substance Misuse, which was designed to inform and foster a continued collective response through prevention, intervention, treatment and recovery supports. The summit encouraged participants to work together to establish a strong network of resources for the individuals they serve. Attendees included law enforcement officials, members from the treatment, recovery, prevention and medical communities, educators and other key stakeholders committed to a comprehensive approach to combat the substance misuse crisis in the Granite State.

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