MADISON, Wis. — This past weekend, Safe Communities held a Recovery and Hope Town Hall Meeting.
Despite being after the fact, we want to take this opportunity to reflect on the extraordinary accomplishments Safe Communities has achieved in raising public awareness and effecting policy changes and health outcomes in opioid addiction. Communities around the country are struggling mightily with this issue and you’d be hard pressed to find a program as successful as this one.
Over 18 tons of unused medicines have been collected in six years. All Dane County EMS agencies and most police departments are equipped to administer life-saving naloxone. The Parent Addiction Network was founded to support families facing addiction.
The Comprehensive Community Services program was launched, as was the Madison Addiction Recovery Initiative. Ninety percent of people treated for overdose and connected with ED to Recovery are enrolling in treatment. There’s an online directory of landlords and employers welcoming people to recovery – and so much more.
Safe Communities is terrific and it works.
Original Article: https://www.channel3000.com/editorial-safe-communities-moving-the-needle-on-addiction/
By: Neil Heinen
