Issue Position: On the Opioid Crisis

Issue Position

I got my start in Social Work in New York City doing work around women and addiction and then in this region leading a crisis intervention outreach team. I have seen the devastating impact of trauma and addiction on individuals and families up close. It has opened my eyes and heart to what's needed now to meet the escalating opioid crisis in our region.

It is essential that the legislature deepen its support for our district in reducing opioid addiction and preventing overdose deaths. The Opioid Task Force of Franklin County and the North Quabbin Region and Hampshire HOPE have developed a comprehensive approach to addressing the opioid crisis that has become a blueprint for other towns and counties in the Commonwealth and beyond. I strongly support its model, which fights the crisis through targeted work in five areas:

Education and Prevention. Prevent opioid misuse through broad-based education and prevention efforts, including by focused work with children from a young age and through use of trauma-informed practices.
Treatment and Recovery. Advocate for the services necessary to support individuals at every step of recovery, from syringe exchange to recovery centers to ongoing support networks.

Health Care. Enhance trauma-informed training and practices at our health care centers, expand mental health resources, and reduce the overprescribing of opioids.

Law Enforcement. We must treat addiction as a disease rather than a criminal act. Provide training about the physiology of addiction to law enforcement and court officials, and build partnerships between behavioral health providers and law enforcement. Ensure that Narcan is widely available.

Employment and Housing. Lack of economic opportunity is a driver of drug misuse, and lack of safe housing prevents people in recovery from maintaining sobriety. We must expand sober housing options in our district, and provide training opportunities for people in recovery.

People in this district are falling victim to addiction at younger and younger ages. That's why we must prioritize intervention and the use of trauma-informed practices at high schools, middle schools, and even elementary schools. Recognizing the earliest signs of anxiety and depression as well as traumatic experiences in the lives of young people holds the greatest promise for steering the next generation away from opioid misuse.

Currently we are falling short when it comes to making treatment options available for those who have taken the enormous step of reaching out for help. I will fight for more detox beds and expanded resources for mental health counseling. I also strongly support the Family Drug Court model, and the underlying philosophy that recovery requires support from peers.

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