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Opiate epidemic bumps Meridian case load three-fold since January
YOUNGSTOWN
David Ross of Youngstown, addicted to heroin since he was 15, says he is an example of the value of treatment for drug addicts that new federal legislation, supported by U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, would expand.
“I was afraid I was going to die an addict,” said Ross, 58, speaking Monday at a press conference at Meridian Community Care in Youngstown at which Brown touted the proposed Recovery Enhancement for Addiction Treatment Act.
The act will enable health care providers to treat, in an outpatient setting, larger numbers of patients struggling with addiction; and, for the first time, allow qualified nurse practitioners and physician’s assistants to treat addicted patients.
At present, federal law restricts the number of patients a health-care provider may treat for addiction, he said.
Brown said the nation has spent “billions and billions of dollars” trying to keep illegal drugs out of the country. Now, he said, it is time to put more resources into treatment of drug addiction, which he called a chronic disease.
He said there are an estimated 2.5 million Americans who abused or were dependent on opioids in 2012, fewer than 40 percent of whom received medication-assisted therapy for their condition.
With a record 1,914 Ohioans dying from drug overdose in 2012, and an average five a day dying, Brown said that nationally, drug abuse costs more American lives than car accidents.
Opioid overdose, including death from prescription pain relievers and heroin, has increased dramatically, due in part to a lack of treatment available to users and addicts, Brown said.
Joining Brown in support of the TREAT Act were Dr. Daniel T. Brown, medical director at Meridian and Larry Moliterno, Meridian president and chief executive officer.
Meridian offers a comprehensive approach to drug and alcohol abuse that includes alcohol and other drug treatment and prevention and addresses other needs, such as primary health care, both medical and psychiatric, housing and employment.
Ross said he has been “clean” since Sept. 1, 2013, when his treatment began.
“I’m a grateful, recovering addict,” he said.