Senator Gallivan Appointed to Heroin & Opioid Task Force

Senator Patrick M. Gallivan (R-C-I, Elma) has been appointed to the New York State Senate’s Joint Task Force on Heroin and Opioid Addiction. The Task Force, since being formed by Senate Republicans in 2014, has hosted a plethora of community-based forums, produced multiple reports, and guided crucial ideas and policies into law and statute, all in an effort to reduce drug abuse and end the heroin and opioid epidemic in New York.

Other members of the bi-partisan Task Force include Senators George Amedore, Betty Little, Jamaal Bailey, Brian Benjamin, Monica Martinez, Rachel May, Roxanne Persaud and Diane Savino.  Senators Gustavo Rivera, Pete Harckham and David Carlucci have been named Co-Chairs of the Task Force.

“I am honored to join my Senate colleagues in the ongoing effort to address the opioid crisis gripping every region of our state,” Senator Gallivan said.  “As a former state trooper and Sheriff of Erie County, I have witnessed the devastating impact that addiction can have on individuals and families. Serving as the ranking member of the Senate Committee on Health, I recognize that a unified effort is needed to address this public health threat. I look forward to working with my fellow Task Force members to identify policies and procedures that will increase public awareness, help those struggling with addiction, and hold those responsible for the spread of this epidemic accountable.” 

Since 2014, the Task Force on Heroin and Opioid addiction has helped lead the way against one of the most challenging public health crises in years. The Task Force aggressively pursued bipartisan solutions that address this epidemic head-on, including: creating a statewide drug take-back program, ending patient brokering, increasing support for jail-based substance use disorder treatment, establishing programs aimed at treating the specialized needs of infants and expectant mothers, and creating an opioid alternative project in emergency rooms.