Concord Monitor Opinion Column: Sheriff Doug Dutile: Hassan bill offers solution to opioid crisis

Concord Monitor: Sheriff Doug Dutile: Hassan bill offers solution to opioid crisis

These days, you can’t pick up a newspaper or turn on the TV without seeing something about the opioid epidemic.

… Numerous treatments have proven effective in helping people who are struggling with addiction. Sadly, patients are not always educated on the full range of available treatments. This problem stems from the fact that many providers offer only one form of treatment, instead of putting every evidence-based option on the table. This one-size-fits-all approach can be detrimental and discouraging for patients and their families.

Sen. Maggie Hassan has introduced bipartisan legislation – the Comprehensive Opioid Recovery Centers Act – to address this problem and give patients access to the full range of evidence-based treatment services, including all three medications approved by the FDA to treat opioid addiction and counseling.

While dozens of bills are aimed at ending the opioid crisis, the CORCs Act is unique in that it creates a nationwide model for comprehensive, patient-focused treatment and recovery. When a patient walks into a certified health care facility, whether it be in Manchester or North Haverhill, they should be offered all evidence-based treatment options. Sen. Hassan’s legislation will help ensure this is the case.

My colleagues in law enforcement and the criminal justice system have an important role to play in combating drug abuse, and Sen. Hassan has been an unwavering supporter of our efforts. We’ve seen how successful medication-assisted treatment can be for incarcerated individuals. But Granite Staters shouldn’t have to go to jail to get clean, and the opioid crisis cannot be solved by law enforcement alone.