Pubdate: Thu, 05 May 2005 Source: Allston-Brighton Tab (MA) Copyright: 2005 Allston-Brighton Tab Contact: http://www2.townonline.com/allston/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3611 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/oxycontin.htm (Oxycontin/Oxycodone) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/rehab.htm (Treatment) DPH CHIEF PROMISES NEW ANTI-DRUG DETAILS SOON Under pressure from lawmakers reacting to widening alcohol and drug abuse epidemics, a top Romney administration official on Monday pledged to present the administration's strategic plan to a legislative committee in two weeks. Interim Public Health Commissioner Paul Cote agreed to make the May 16 presentation to the Legislature's new Committee on Mental Health and Substance Abuse during an informational hearing that lasted more than six hours, at which there was general agreement that abuse is spreading faster than government's ability to successfully respond to it. Cote said the administration began work on its plan last fall. In the ensuing months, administration officials have talked with treatment providers and experts, as well as court, corrections and parole officials. According to Department of Public Health data submitted to the committee this week, Massachusetts ranks as one of the states with the highest unmet need for treatment, has higher rates of adult binge drinking than the nation as a whole and is seeing rising rates of opiate-related fatal overdoses and hospitalizations. Many ideas to address the problem surfaced at the hearing, including increased education and awareness, tougher prosecution of drug dealers, additional funding for treatment programs, mandatory reporting to help detail addiction problems, and a larger role for parents in both listening to their children and responding to their needs. The hearing also featured a new warning about potential federal funding penalties and one lawmaker storming out after the administration confirmed the closing of a Boston Harbor halfway house known as Project Rebound. Department of Public Health officials confirmed that Project Rebound is scheduled to close, sparking protests from South Boston lawmakers whose districts have been slammed by the impact of young people addicted to heroin and Oxycontin. Rep. Brian Wallace, D-South Boston, unhappy about the confirmation, got up and left the hearing. Before leaving, Wallace said young addicts he knows call short-term detox programs "five-day spin cycles" and he said the 90 beds at Project Rebound on Long Island, offering 90-day residential stays, are more effective. Rep. Martin Walsh, D-South Boston, said the Democrat-controlled Legislature bears responsibility for cutting substance abuse programs. "We've cut the hell out of them," Walsh said. "Detox beds are our first line of defense." Department officials said their budgets include enough money to support about 450 to 500 publicly funded detox beds, down from 900 beds during better budgetary times. Cote explained after the hearing that Project Rebound did not make the cut during a recent round of procurement. But he assured the committee he'd look into it personally. Committee co-chairman Sen. Steven Tolman, D-Brighton, indicated he intends to address Project Rebound in the upcoming Senate budget proposal and urged Cote to discuss the issue with lawmakers "sooner rather than later." Tolman said there's a need for more vigorous education campaigns about the dangers of Oxycontin and heroin. "I think we have to be more effective at getting the message out to kids that you can't try it, it's a suicide pact." Rep. David Sullivan, D-Fall River, suggested another way of delivering substance abuse treatment. Sullivan said treatment coverage was not included in a mental health parity law approved in 2000 because business and insurance industry leaders objected to it. Now, Sullivan said, lawmakers should revisit the topic. He said he hopes business leaders would be interested in such supporting coverage because more addicts with jobs are missing workdays. Lawmakers used the word "epidemic" repeatedly to describe the problem in Massachusetts, particularly among young people. Norfolk County District Attorney William Keating said heroin overdoses account for five deaths per month in that county. With drugs harming everyone from National Honor Society members to the sons and daughters of school and law enforcement officials, Keating said, a Web site he launched - www.learn2cope.org - is attracting more and more parents to weekly meetings where they share stories and information. Keating said parents must be more involved. He said he has also listened to many students, including middle schoolers. "They're telling me that their parents don't even want to know what they're doing," he said. Wallace said some parents sanction marijuana and beer consumption by saying, "it's only marijuana or it's only beer." Keating concurred. "'It's only marijuana' is a generic term now," he said. Rep. John Scibak, D-South Hadley, said the problem was once associated mostly with the "dregs of society," and may get more attention from decision makers now that it's causing problems throughout society. Cote also urged lawmakers to approve a $9.1 million substance abuse treatment funding request made by Gov. Romney in January by the end of this fiscal year (June 30), to both expand services and avoid being hit with a $5.4 million "maintenance of effort" penalty in fiscal 2006. "That's a price that we just can't afford to pay," said Cote. Committee co-chairwoman Rep. Ruth Balser, D-Newton, said that based on talks with House budget writers, she is confident funding will be approved. Cote said the $9.1 million appropriation would address some, but far from all of the nearly 40,000 people who Brandeis University researchers recently determined are seeking treatment at a specialty substance abuse treatment facility, but can't access it, often to due financial reasons. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth