March 10, 2020

Rep. Lanoue, Miranda Mahoney of Griswold PRIDE Advocate for Expansion of CRISIS to Combat Addiction

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Since I became a state representative, my top priority has been addressing the opioid epidemic, which has disproportionately affected eastern Connecticut. Fortunately, there are programs, like the CRISIS Initiative, designed to help people battling addiction. Last year, I introduced a bill expanding CRISIS from Troop E (where it originated) into Troop D. Because of widespread support within the legislature, my proposal became a House Republican Caucus bill for the 2020 Session. Today, this important legislation (H.B. 5449) received a much-deserved public hearing. I testified in support alongside Miranda Mahoney of Griswold PRIDE, an organization devoted to building drug-free communities.

CRISIS (Connection to Recovery through Intervention, Support & Initiating Services), which has received support from the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS), is a collaborative effort between state and local law enforcement, mental health professionals, and local organizations to connect people battling addiction with treatment and rehabilitation centers. CRISIS began in Troop E, and has been very successful. In short, this program provides Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) to state troopers and assigns a Licenses Clinical Social Worker assigned to each troop. Calls relating to an overdose/substance abuse will most likely result in an intervention by a mental health professional as opposed to an arrest due to the risk of repeat offenses. The clinician/mental health professional responding to the situation will help streamline the process and create a long-term treatment plan to help the individual rehabilitate, recovery, and rebuild.

While the illegal manufacturing, distribution, possession, and use of drugs/controlled substances will never be tolerated, we realize that addiction is a disease and we want these individuals to know we are here to help. Connecting people with treatments centers and counseling is the solution we need, and it will help stop the proliferation of illegal drug throughout Connecticut.

I’d like to thank House Republican Leader Themis Klarides, Public Safety and Security Committee Ranking Member JP Sredzinski, the Connecticut State Police, our local leaders and law enforcement personnel, and everyone else who has supported this concept.

While is it easy to count the number of those we have lost to this epidemic, what is more difficult to quantify is the number of individuals we have saved through the great work of community organizations and initiatives like CRISIS, but there is some promising data. As of January, 2020, there have been over 500 clinician referrals and 474 follow ups out of Troop E as a result of this program. If expanding this program throughout the state saves just one life, it will be worth it, but all of us who support CRISIS know that number will be much higher. The investment in this program is worth it because the initial cost is small compared to the human cost that could result from doing nothing. Let’s get this legislation passed and signed into law so we can change the narrative in Connecticut.