Pubdate: Mon, 04 Apr 2016
Source: Buffalo News (NY)
Copyright: 2016 The Buffalo News
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/GXIzebQL
Website: http://www.buffalonews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/61
Author: Nathan Attard
Note: Nathan Attard is a research analyst at SUNY Buffalo State's 
Center for Health and Social Research.

CONGRESS LEAVES OPIOID CRISIS TO CITIES AND COUNTIES

Devolution is when the federal government relinquishes 
responsibility, intentionally or unintentionally, for something it 
was previously responsible for to local governments. An example of 
this can be seen in the way the heroin and opioid epidemic is being 
addressed in Erie County.

Gridlock in Congress prevents meaningful federal action, despite the 
efforts of our elected leaders. They include Sen. Charles Schumer's 
role in the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, which would 
provide communities additional funding for prevention efforts, and 
Rep. Brian Higgins' introduction of the Recovery Enhancement for 
Addiction Treatment Act, which would allow physicians to dispense 
maintenance medications to more patients.

At the state level, the institution of the I-STOP prescription 
monitoring registry allowed health care providers to view controlled 
substance prescription histories for their patients. This system has 
proven effective in reducing the number of prescription drugs 
obtained for misuse by legal means.

Sweeping policy actions can have unintended consequences; I-STOP is 
thought to have led those engaged in prescription drug misuse to 
migrate to heroin use.

In moving the opioid issue forward, Erie County Executive Mark 
Poloncarz created the Heroin and Opiate Epidemic Task Force. Created 
by executive action, the task force is unfunded, given the budgetary 
responsibility of the Legislature. Much of the work required for 
addressing the opioid epidemic requires the deployment of personnel 
resources from the Department of Health, law enforcement agencies and 
other already-overburdened components of local government.

The Legislature has the power to govern on this issue in the absence 
of action from federal and state authorities by supporting two 
community-based solutions to the opioid epidemic.

The first is through supporting the deployment of additional Narcan 
trainings. Anyone can administer the easy-to-use nasal spray, and the 
earlier it is administered, the more likely the person suffering the 
overdose will survive. The Department of Health has already trained 
thousands of people, and saved hundreds of lives through its 
comprehensive rollout. The second is through the provision of 
information to those dealing with a critical situation around 
addiction and substance use by creation of a 24/7 hotline to link 
people to resources.

Governance in metropolitan areas is changing, and such change allows 
the Legislature the unprecedented chance to make decisions that will 
shape our community for generations. In supporting community-based 
solutions to our toughest problems, the Legislature can save lives 
and support a healthier future for its constituents.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom