Local officials across state aim to curb heroin abuse

With heroin overdoses on the rise in Massachusetts, local, state and federal officials are working to come up with new approaches to address the problem.

On March 27, Gov. Deval Patrick declared a public health emergency, urging state officials to take immediate action to fight what he called the state’s opioid addiction epidemic.

A State Police report released in February indicated that 185 Massachusetts residents died from heroin overdoses in a recent four-month period. The review, however, did not include the state’s three largest cities – Boston, Worcester and Springfield – so the actual number of deaths was almost certainly higher.

A March 19 article in the Sun Chronicle newspaper in Attleboro reported that the extent of the problem can be seen in the increase in Section 35 petitions. Section 35 enables a doctor, a police officer, a spouse or a close relative to initiate the process of committing someone to treatment for their addiction.

Sen. Edward Markey has called for making greater use of information technology to identify beds for people who need treatment.

Speaking in Holyoke in early March, Markey, joined by Congressman Richard Neal, discussed his support for widening the use among first responders of the spray version of naloxone, a drug that can reverse the process of a life-threatening overdose. Markey has introduced a bill that would protect people who administer naloxone from liability. The proposal would remove “the fear of legal jeopardy for family members, friends and other bystanders” who administer the drug, Markey said in a statement.

At the local level, cities and towns are working together to make it less likely that people will become addicted to heroin or other drugs in the first place. The Patrick administration authorized $1.3 million in grant funding that was dispersed among 71 cities and towns. Thirteen of the municipalities are designated as lead communities in their region.

“The most important thing about these efforts is getting out in the community and starting a conversation,” said Lynn Public Health Director MaryAnn O’Connor.

Lynn is the lead community for its region, which includes Peabody and Salem.