Maggie Hassan first delayed funding for heroin prevention in her budget veto back in June. She then denied Manchester Mayor Ted Gatsas’ request to declare a state of emergency in the city and New Hampshire over the rising heroin use. In a letter to Gatsas, she also refused to use New Hampshire’s Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA) funds to create a drug court in Manchester.
While Hassan and her ‘drug czar’ have failed to take action in preventing heroin addiction, Kelly Ayotte urged the Department of Health and Human Services to fix their costly regulations on drug treatment centers, enabling the centers to provide help to more patients. The New Hampshire Public Radio explained:
[Ayotte] said recent reports indicate that stringent licensing requirements could force several centers to cut the number of available beds and reduce their ability to serve people dealing with substance abuse issues.
A day later, Hassan finally decided to take steps in order to prevent heroin use, following Ayotte’s lead. The Washington Times explained:
A working group led by state health officials is being tasked with finding ways to speed up licensing for new centers and must report its findings by Sept. 30. The state review follows a call from Republican U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte for the federal government to ease costly requirements from some residential treatment centers.
It took repeated pressure from the media to encourage Maggie Hassan to evaluate the red tape surrounding the treatment centers. The Union Leader reported that Maggie Hassan had created a multi-point plan a week before her call to fix the red tape. However:
Most of the points were already known to the public.
One was nearly laughable since it recommended expansion of drug courts even while Hassan was turning down flat a request from Manchester Mayor Ted Gatsas to help fund one here.
One recommendation was to “Expand Treatment Options.’’
No mention therein of the red tape that may be holding back that expansion. Just nice phrases about this being a “collaborative effort between the Bureau of Drug and Alcohol Services, treatment providers and others. Report by March 2016.’’
With Maggie Hassan’s lack of action, Kelly Ayotte has taken the initiative to lead the charge against heroin usage in New Hampshire. In addition to her call for easing treatment center red tape, she has also met with the men and women on the front lines of heroin battle. At the discussion, Ayotte said:
“What I’m hearing is this is a crisis in our state. I’m hearing we can’t arrest our way out of it.”
The WMUR article went on to say:
Ayotte said she is supporting legislation that will get money for treatment options and for law enforcement officers trying to fight the problem.
Maggie Hassan continues to lag New Hampshire’s need for heroin treatment reform. Kelly Ayotte is making the necessary changes to the system in order to reduce the growing usage in the Granite State.