Governor Hassan Signs NGA Compact with Fellow Governors to Combat Heroin and Opioid Crisis

Press Release

At the National Governors Association (NGA) Annual Meeting today, Governor Maggie Hassan continued collaborating with her fellow Governors from both parties on efforts to combat the heroin and opioid crisis and help save lives. As Vice Chair of the NGA Health and Human Services Committee, Governor Hassan helped lead a press conference and plenary session with Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker, the chair of the committee, focused on comprehensive strategies to combat the heroin and opioid crisis.

"Our states and our country are in the midst of a heroin and opioid crisis that is the most serious public health and safety issue of our time, and combating this crisis and saving lives requires all of us to work together every day," Governor Hassan said. "As a group, we have worked together as Governors to support each other's efforts in our individual states and to encourage additional federal action to support states, including much-needed emergency funding."

During today's events, Governor Hassan highlighted her bipartisan work through the NGA with Governors from both parties on comprehensive strategies to support law enforcement and strengthen prevention, treatment and recovery, including the opioid compact that more than 45 Governors signed earlier this week and the NGA's new opioid road map, which brings together the best thinking from national experts and state leaders -- including officials from New Hampshire -- to provide states with a comprehensive guide for tackling the opioid epidemic.

Governor Hassan also announced the NGA's new learning lab for states to share best practices and successful state strategies for combating heroin and illicit fentanyl, as well as a new partnership between the NGA and the National Academy of Medicine to strengthen collaboration between Governors and the medical community in addressing the heroin and opioid epidemic.

"I am proud of the work we've been able to do with our fellow governors, but our work is not finished," Governor Hassan said. "We must all continue working together across party lines and all levels of government on a comprehensive strategy to support law enforcement and strengthen prevention, treatment and recovery. The bravery of survivors and those in recovery needs to be marked by our constant vigilance and urgent action to stem -- and eventually reverse -- the tide of this horrible epidemic."

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