Senate Task Force on Heroin and Opioid Addiction releases comprehensive report and recommendations

State Sen. Joseph Griffo, R-I-C-Rome, announced today that the New York State Senate Task Force on Heroin and Opioid Addiction, of which the Senator is a member, has issued a new and comprehensive report describing steps currently being taken to address the state’s opioid crisis. The report includes a series of 11 detailed recommendations to help build upon the progress being made to save lives and rebuild families.

“Over the last several years, the Senate has intensified its efforts to fight the opioid crisis by forming the Senate Task Force on Heroin and Opioid Addiction,” Sen. Griffo said. “As a result of these efforts, we have already passed numerous laws and secured critical funding in the budget to improve our strategies in prevention, treatment, education and law enforcement. This latest report examines current challenges facing individuals, institutions and communities and provides several proposals that will continue to build upon our efforts to get this crisis under control.”

The report details the Task Force’s continuation of a four-pronged approach – focusing on prevention, treatment, recovery and enforcement – in developing legislative and budgetary recommendations following extensive collaboration with stakeholders at forums and hearings. Among the many new state laws highlighted in the Task Force report and passed this session is a measure taking effect this week to prohibit “patient brokering” that aggressively targets people in need of substance use disorder treatment in exchange for a fee. Legislation spearheaded by the Task Force also has served as a national model for other states and in the creation of the federal Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act recently passed by Congress. 

Since the Senate Majority formed the Task Force in 2014, significant resources have been committed to examining the multi-faceted causes and effects of the heroin and opioid crisis and working to find innovative solutions. There has been extensive stakeholder outreach through dozens of hearings and forums over the last two years. State funding also has nearly doubled to a record $247 million in this year’s budget. 

To view the Task Force’s full report, which includes more information on the recommendations and details about the numerous state legislative victories spearheaded by the Task Force, go to www.nysenate.gov/committees/heroin-task-force.