The opioid crisis has had a widespread and destructive impact on our state and entire country, which is why we’re working together to fight back. State and local leaders are investing in prevention and treatment efforts while nonprofit organizations have mobilized with the same goal of delivering help and ending the cycle of addiction.
In rural states where people live far from treatment centers, accessibility is a key factor. Efforts are underway in Arkansas to bring care to patients where they live. Arkansas Mobile Opioid Recovery launched its health clinic earlier this month to deliver critical services to individuals struggling with addiction in areas with limited resources.
It’s ready to hit the road and help beginning on a rotating basis in Malvern, Danville and Morrilton. The idea was sparked by community partners who recognized the need in underserved neighborhoods and found a practical way to provide care. I am hopeful it will be successful and inspire similar outreach in other areas of the state.
Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin approved a grant for this project with money from the state’s opioid settlement. He is responsible for disbursing these funds and has backed a number of other measures to fight the opioid epidemic including awarding $50 million to Arkansas Children’s to establish the nation’s first research center to study opioid effects in infants and kids.
The National Center for Opioid Research & Clinical Effectiveness will play a critical role in developing preventative measures and therapies to combat the impact of opioids on developing brains.
The need for this center is clear. Young children are increasingly falling victim to accidental ingestions at an alarming rate. The National Institutes of Health reports opioids are the most common cause of fatal poisonings in children one to four-years-old, making identifying and evaluating the signs of overdose even more urgent to be able to treat these vulnerable individuals.
There is a role for us all to play to prevent children and adults from accessing harmful prescriptions. Drug take-back programs have proven effective in getting legal prescription drugs off the streets and out of the hands of friends, family and neighbors who might misuse them either deliberately or unintentionally.