For too long, Rhode Island’s rates of substance use have exceeded national averages. The overdose epidemic has made the need for effective reforms a critical issue in our state. Initiatives such as increased access to the overdose reversal drug naloxone have proven effective in reducing overdose rates in R.I., even as other states’ rates continue to rise.

However, addressing substance use disorders means more than emergency response. Increasing access to diversion in lieu of incarceration for individuals found in possession of a controlled substance will provide greater opportunities for recovery, while decreasing the burden on the ACI and lowering costs for taxpayers.

I am committed to working with medical and recovery experts to implement evidence-based approaches such as this. We have an opportunity to be leaders in substance use policy reform, and I will make this a priority upon reelection. So many Rhode Islander’s lives depend on it.

Susan R. Donovan

Bristol

Ms. Donovan is a Democrat running for House District 69.