NORTHWESTERN DISTRICT ATTORNEY DAVID SULLIVAN AND MAR I
SAHEBBLE, DIRECTOR OF THE TASK FORCE FOR FRANKLIN COUNTY AND
THE NORTH QUABBIN REGION DISCUSS ALL THE EFFORTS BEING MADE TO
ITEM THE FLOOD OF OPIOID ADDICTION AND OVERDOSE DEATHS IN
THE REGION.
>> IT WAS ALWAYS HERE, BUT IT WAS BELOW THE SERVICE.
WE IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS HAVE DIED FROM THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE.
I THINK WE'RE MAKING A LOT OF PROGRESS WITH PRESCRIBERS, WE'RE
GETTING THE WORD OUT TO GOVERNOR BAKER.
BUT TO TURN THIS SHIP AROUND IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LONG TIME.
WE REALLY STARTED WITH ALL THESE OPIOIDS BEING PLENTIFUL, THAT'S
PAINKILLERS BEING LIBERALLY SUPPLIED.
WE'RE AT THE POINT WHERE WE'RE WORKING TO TURN THE SHIP AROUND
AND GET PEOPLE TO THE MODE WHERE WE DON'T GIVE PEOPLE OPIOIDS
THEY WANT TO BE PRESCRIBED OR NEED IT.
>> WE SEEM TO HAVE A PROBLEM IN WESTERN MASS.
IT'S PARTICULARLY ACUTE.
IS IT JUST BECAUSE IT'S THE MEDIA, IS IT JUST BECAUSE WE'RE
PAYING A LITTLE MORE ATTENTION?
YOU REPRESENT COMMUNITIES, SMALLER COMMUNITIES.
IS THERE A PROBLEM, SOMETHING MORE INTENSE, IS THERE SOMETHING
ELSE GOING ON?
>> IT'S REAL.
THE STEREOTYPE IS IT ONLY HAPPENS IN CERTAIN CITIES.
IT'S GONE BEYOND THAT.
IN THE NORTHEAST YOU'VE SEEN IT HIT EVERY AGE GROUP, GEOGRAPHIC
GROUP AND GENDER GROUP.
WE'RE SEEING THIS CORRESPONDING WITH HOW MANY OVERDOSES THERE
ARE.
FOR EVERY DEATH THERE'S PROBABLY NINE OR 10 OVERDOSE INCIDENTS
WHERE PEOPLE LIVE SO WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT A REAL
TSUNAMI.
IT'S NOT AN EXTRA ACKNOWLEDGE RACING WHEN WE LOSE THAT MANY
FOLKS IN THE NORTHWEST.
WE HAVE A SERIOUS EPIDEMIC ON OUR HANDS.
>> YOU TALKED TO ME BEFORE WE STARTED THE TAPE ROLLING.
YOU'RE DIRECTING OPIOID TASK FORCE, BUT THE WAY YOU GOT THERE
IS -- THE BIGGEST COMMUNITY YOU GOT THERE IS GREENFIELD, ABOUT
1,000 PEOPLE.
WHEN YOU HAVE A COMMUNITY WITH ONE OR 2,000 PEOPLE, EVERYBODY
IS FAMILY SO WHEN THIS HAPPENS, IT REALLY HITS HOME, DOESN'T
IT.
>> IT DOES.
ESPECIALLY IN A RURAL COMMUNITY, LIKE FRANKLIN COUNTY, WE'RE THE
SECOND POOREST COUNTY IN THE STATE.
WE'RE DEALING WITH THE OPIOID CRISIS THE WAY ALL THE OTHER
COMMUNITIES ARE IN THE COMMONWEALTH, BUT WITH LESS
RESOURCES.
IT'S CHALLENGING, BOTH ON THE PREVENTION SIDE, MAKING SURE
PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO PRIMARY CARE, THERE'S PROBLEMS THERE
WITH TRANSPORTATION, BUT ALSO THE RECOVERING SIDE, PEOPLE
AFTER TREATMENT, AFTER BEING INCARCERATED, THEY DID SOMETHING
RELATED TO THEIR ADDICTION, THAT DOES SOMETHING TO THEIR RECOVERY
AND SUPPORT.
AND WHEN YOU ADD IN TWO PEOPLE DIE IN A RURAL COMMUNITY
EVERYBODY IS CONNECTED.
THE RUN HE WILL EFFECTIVE IS QUITE SIGNIFICANT THROUGH A
RURAL REGION AND THAT'S OUR COMMUNITIES ALL ACROSS THE
COMMONWEALTH IS DEALING WITH THIS.
>> I WANT TO TALK MORE ABOUT THAT SUPPORT SYSTEM IN A
MINUTE.
LET ME ASK YOU SOMETHING.
THE THING THAT STRIKES ME, YOU TOUCHED ON THIS IN YOUR FIRST
ANSWERS.
THIS ISN'T AN UNUSUAL PROBLEM SEEMS TO ME BECAUSE THE VAST
MAJORITY OF THESE PEOPLE WERE ON LEGALLY PRESCRIBED MEDICATION,
PAIN PILL FOR AN INJURY OR ILLNESS, WHATEVER IT MIGHT HAVE
BEEN AND THEN WHEN THEY GET PAST THAT ILLNESS, FULL, THAT'S VERY
STRONG DRUGS HAVE TAKEN HOLD OF THEM AND THEY NEED TO GET THAT
DRUG WHEREVER THEY CAN GET IT.
THAT'S WHERE THE TROUBLE COMES IN.
THIS IS SO DIFFERENT.
IT'S A PROBLEM OUR SEATTLE CREATED REALLY THROUGH SCIENCE
AND MEDICAL ADVANCES.
>>, WELL PERFECT -- PURDUE PHARMACEUTICAL WELCOME PRODUCES
OXY CONDONE.
WHEN IT CAME OUT 20 YEARS -- 30 YEARS AGO, IT WAS FOR PAIN.
-- [ INDISCERNIBLE ] -- NOT ONLY ARE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE
LEGALLY PRESCRIBED, BUT IT'S REALLY BEEN THAT DIVERSION, IT'S
THE REACH INTO THE MEDICINE CABINET BY A YOUNGER PERSON IN
THE HOME OR CRIMINAL CODE OF WISCONSIN BE A -- IT COULD BE A
CARETAKER THAT IS COMING INTO THE HOUSE AND THAT IS WHERE THAT
ABUSE IS COMING IN AS WELL, SO WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT AN
EPIDEMIC, REALLY LIBERAL OVERPRESCRIBING.
WE WANT TO COLLECT ALL THESE UNWANTED MEDICATIONS.
WE JUST HAD A DRUG TAKEBACK.
WE'VE COLLECTED ALMOST 25 POUNDS OF UNWANTED MEDICATIONS, SO JUST
GETTING THEM OUT OF THOSE MEDICINE CABINETS CAN REALLY
PREVENT THAT FROM HAPPENING.
>> WHAT ABOUT THE PHARMACEUTICAL PROFESSIONALS, GETTING IT TO
DOCTORS AND PHARMACIES.
THERE'S A PROBLEM HERE, WATCH THIS, WATCH WHO GETS THIS,
BECAUSE PEOPLE PHYSICIAN SHOP, PHARMACY SHOP.
ONE OR TWO IF YOU'RE DOING IT FIVE TIMES AROUND THE COUNTY,
YOU'VE GOT A PROBLEM ALL OF A SUDDEN.
>> WE'VE MADE LOTS OF PROGRESS WITH EDUCATION OF DOCTORS AND
PRESCRIBERS.
A DOCTOR WE KNOW HAS BEEN REALLY A CHAMPION FOR EDUCATION HAS
REALLY COME ON BOARD.
WE'VE TRAINED OVER 600 FARM ASSISTS -- PRESCRIBERS AND THEIR
DELEGATES.
WE'VE MADE STRIDES.
THE C ON HE IN THE HOSPITAL UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S A REAL
PROBLEM THAT SOMETIMES CARTS IN A HOSPITAL, BUT ALSO CAN BE
PREVENTED AT A HOSPITAL.
>> LET'S TALK ABOUT IT IN THE COMMUNITY LEVEL WHERE I THINK
YOU'RE WORKING IN FRANKLIN COUNTY IN NORTH QUABBIN.
THIS BECOMES A FAMILY IN A NEIGHBORHOOD, A COMMUNITY
PROBLEM PRETTY FAST.
>> THE RIPPLE EFFECTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY FROM THIS PARTICULAR
ADDICTION IS SIGNIFICANT AND THIS IS A COMPLICATED PROBLEM,
SO IT'S SIGNIFICANT THAT WE LOOK AT THIS IN TERMS OF PREVENTION,
INTERVENTION, TRADITION AND RECOVERY AND THAT EVERY SECTOR
OF THE COMMUNITY HAS A ROLE TO PLAY AND EVERY FACTOR OF THE
COMMUNITY MUST PLAY IT.
SO LAW ENFORCEMENT NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAN OUR
HOSPITALS DO, OUR SCHOOLS NEED TO DO SOMETHING THAN OUR PARENTS
PARENTS AND OTHERS SHOW.
IT'S SO COMPLICATED, THAT IF WE DON'T COME AT THIS WITH A
COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY WE'RE NOT GOING TO MAKE A REALLY
DIFFERENCE AS WE WANT TO IF EVERYBODY IS ON BOARD.
>> THE BEST STUDY WE STARTED WAS HEALTHCARE SOLUTIONS.
WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS AS A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS AND
TREATING THE ADDICTION FOR OPIOID IS AS IT IS, AN
ADDICTION.
IT'S NOT CRIME PREVENTION.
WE'RE TRYING TO CHANGE THE ATTITUDE TO IT'S A CHRONIC
ILLNESS.
JUST AS WE TREAT HEART DISEASE, FAMILIES THAT ARE SUFFERING WITH
THIS LOVED ONE WHO HAS THIS ADDICTION, THE FAMILIES CAN COME
FORWARD AND GET THE HELP THEY NEED.
THE BIGGEST THING IS THE STIGMA, WE ALWAYS CALL PEOPLE JUNKIES OR
ADDICTS.
WE LOOKED AT THEM AS A MORAL FAILING AS WHAT IT IS, IT'S A
DISEASE OR ADDICTION.
WE'RE TRYING TO CHANGE THAT AT TO DO ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE
COMMUNITY.
THAT'S WHY OUR OPIOID TASK FORCE GO THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY AND
LET PEOPLE KNOW YOU CAN GET TREATMENT, WE'LL WELCOME YOU
BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY, IT'S NOT A CRIME TO ADMIT THAT YOU
HAVE A DISEASE.
WE HAVE RECOGNIZED THROUGH THE GOOD SAMARITAN LAW, IF ANYBODY
EVER OVERDOSES AND YOU'RE IN THE PRESENCE OF THAT PERSON YOU CAN
CALL ONCE IT'S NOT A CRIME SO WE WANT PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT
HELP IS OUR OBJECTIVE, GETTING THEM INTO TREATMENT AND
LONG-TERM RECOVERY.
>> IF THERE ARE FAMILIES STRUGGLING, OTHER THINGS THAT
FAMILIES KNOW THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE NARCAN AT HOME.
JUST AS PEOPLE WITH DIABETES WITH RELAPSE WITH ICE CREAM.
SOMETHING WELCOME BACK OPIOID MAY OVERGOES.
WE NEED ALL FAMILIES KNOW THAT THEY NEED TO
HAVE NARCAN.
>> THAT IS THE MIRACLE OPIOID AN TAG JUST -- AN TAG CHRIS.
>> IT'S AMAZING HOW MANY OF THESE HAVE HAPPENED THROUGH THE
DISTRICT, FROM TAP INDUSTRY HEALTH TO POLICE, IT'S THE
MIRACLE DRUG THAT KNOCKS THE OPIOIDS OFF THE RECEPT FIRST IN
THE BRAIN AND ALLOWS THAT PERSON TO BREATHE AGAIN.
WE TRY TO GET IT IN THE HANDS OF EVERY FIRST RESPOND.
ANYBODY WHO HAS SOMEONE THAT IS HIGH RISK, WHO USED IN THE PAST
OR PRESENTED TO REALLY GO DOWN TO THE LOCAL WALGREEN'S OR CVS
AND JUST GO IN AND GET IT.
>> ATTORNEY SULLIVAN, BOTH OF YOU, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND
WHAT YOU'RE DOING FOR US.
>> THANK YOU.