Lexington opioid commission needs to remember those living in active addiction | Opinion

A center for opioid abatement, treatment and recovery is needed where those living in active addiction can go to find the resources they need. A place with no barriers because they have not taken on an arbitrarily designed recovery program. A central place where mothers can call to find out where the detox facilities immediately available are located.

I am a concerned and impacted citizen. While witnessing the amount of research the Lexington Opioid Abatement Commission must pursue, my fear is that this dedicated and committed group will forget the purpose of the settlement funds presented in the handout on page 3 at the Oct. 13, 2023 meeting: “The money is meant as remediation for the way corporations aggressively promoted opioid painkillers, fueling an overdose crisis that has now largely transitioned to illicit drugs, like fentanyl.”

Currently the commission is focusing on three areas: prevention, treatment and recovery. The prevention focus is important but feels to me like a rabbit hole. Many programs and strategies have already been implemented over the years.

My concern is if too much time and funds are spent on efforts at prevention there will not be enough for active and recovering addicts. Indeed, at the Dec. 8, 2023 meeting, Commissioner John Moses emphasized the need to “lift the voices of those people who are still in active addiction and listen to the community so that we don’t have preconceived notions about what is needed.”

Councilperson Tayna Fogle organized a meeting on Sept. 6, 2023 at the Lyric for the purpose of hearing from concerned residents and homeless citizens. One homeless man stated his exasperation with agencies being funded, yet not having enough personnel to be able to answer phone calls. That is my fear. Money goes to agencies without serving the people affected. If funding is spread too thin, that will happen again.

There needs to be a coordinated method of ongoing accountability implemented by the commission so that the agencies receiving funding use the money for those in opioid addiction not just for staff and bureaucracy. People in active and recovering opioid addiction being served need to have social workers and compassionate people to communicate with when things are not going right.

Opioid addicts need advocates who can offer recourse. I don’t mean they should be given a form or questionnaire to fill out. I mean being able to share their experiences to a committed listener who has the power to take action.

Treatment and recovery for opioid addicts needs to be the primary focus of the abatement money, including housing and access to medical and dental care. The loss of teeth is a side effect of opioid addiction. Often people think that’s not important. If an addict becomes drug free, there’s hope. If an addict has a place to live, that’s progress. But a recovering addict without teeth will have a hard time finding a job. Fulfilling these needs is another way of breaking the cycle of recovery and relapse.

Given that reparations are the stated purpose of the opioid abatement funds, my hope is that it is also the mission of the Commission. If you are an impacted citizen, I encourage you to come to the next meeting on Feb. 9, in the council chambers at 10 a.m. Tell them your story. Tell them what you want. It is relentless and hard work. Help the Lexington’s Opioid Abatement Commission stay on task. If you can’t come to the meetings, you can email what you want them to consider. opioidabatement@lexingtonky.gov. This is a community disease and requires everyone’s input.

Laverne Zabielski is a Lexington artist.

This story was originally published January 23, 2024 at 9:29 AM.