Growing crisis requires collective action

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On the heels of recent news that 90 people in Rhode Island have died from drug overdoses so far in 2014 – a 45 percent increase over the same time period in 2012 – Rhode Islanders are rightfully concerned about the toll that drug addiction is taking on our communities. In addition to deaths from overdose, drug addiction breaks up families and contributes to an overcrowded, expensive prison system. Put simply, it ruins lives.

There is no easy answer to this growing crisis, but a recent event in Washington, D.C., left us feeling optimistic that a nationwide effort to address this important issue could be coming soon.

On April 29, we convened a group of Senators, Representatives, law enforcement officials, public health experts and recovering addicts for a daylong Addiction and Criminal Justice Forum at the U.S. Capitol. Throughout the day, Democrats sat side-by-side with Republicans, and law enforcement officials sat side-by-side with former inmates, and everyone was committed to fighting back against drug addiction. Together, we heard about advancements in treatment efforts for drug addicts, alternatives to incarceration, efforts to help former inmates avoid returning to prison, and the ongoing heroin and opiate crisis.

The message we came away with was clear: there are proven steps we can take to help drug addicts get clean and stay clean; these steps can actually reduce prison populations and lower costs; and there is a strong bipartisan interest in taking these steps.

Some states, including Rhode Island, are already moving forward with meaningful reforms. Our state legislature enacted a variety of changes to Rhode Island’s criminal justice system in 2008 aimed at reducing spending while better protecting the public. These changes include offering inmates the opportunity to earn earlier release from prison in exchange for completing courses proven to reduce the risk that they would commit future crimes, such as drug treatment programs and vocational training. Following the reforms the state’s prison population declined by 9 percent, and our crime rate decreased by 7 percent. Similar efforts have also proven effective in other states, including Ohio and Texas.

Rhode Island has also established specialized courts for drug addicts and veterans. These courts address the unique needs of these populations by steering them toward positive treatment solutions, rather than just locking them up.

Still, with 90 drug-related deaths already this year, we can and must do more. At the federal level, the U.S. Senate is currently considering legislation – the Recidivism Reduction and Public Safety Act – that would draw on the experience of states like Rhode Island to improve outcomes for offenders dealing with addiction and make communities safer across the country. Additional legislation will be introduced soon to help individuals in recovery by providing them with the tools they need to stay sober, and to help individuals with drug convictions to re-enter society after they have served their time. We hope the Senate will pass these important bills.

More locally, we applaud the recent announcement by the Rhode Island State Police that officers will begin carrying naloxone, which can be used to immediately treat individuals suffering from an opiate overdose.  At the Corrections Department, naloxone is also available in each facility and specialists from Miriam Hospital are conducting overdose prevention classes for inmates who are within 45 days of release.  Providing our first responders with this tool will save lives by ensuring that overdose victims can be treated on the scene, instead of waiting to be transported to a hospital.  

Lastly, it’s important for Rhode Islanders suffering from addiction to know that they’re not alone, and that help is available. Our state is fortunate to have strong voices in the recovery community – people like Tom Coderre, Chair of Rhode Island Communities for Addiction Recovery Efforts (RICAREs), who suffered from addiction as a young man but is now setting a positive example for other Rhode Islanders. People like Tom can be an inspiration for those in the depths of addiction – proof that a sober, productive life is really possible. But it’s also important for friends and family members to reach out to those in need. If you know someone addicted to drugs, tell them you care, and offer to connect them with professionals who can help. Rhode Island’s Drug and Alcohol Helpline is available 24 hours per day: 1-866-ALC-DRUG.

There is no silver bullet to eliminate the scourge of drug and alcohol addiction. But there are things we can do to give addicts a stake in their own recovery, prevent deaths from overdose, and eliminate the stigma associated with addiction. These are worthwhile goals, and we were glad to see such a diverse group of people come together last month in Washington to support them. Working together, we hope to continue making progress.

(Sheldon Whitehouse is a U.S. Senator for Rhode Island and the lead sponsor of the Recidivism Reduction and Public Safety Act.  A.T. Wall is the Director of the Rhode Island Department of Corrections.)

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