But like others, we were initially fighting pill mills. Orange County worked to outlaw them and to provide resources for breaking opioid addiction.

Transcription

1 U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Witness Testimony by Orange County, Florida Mayor Teresa Jacobs FINAL Remarks as Prepared 668 words (5 minutes) Tuesday, March 22, 2016 Chairman Mica, ranking member Cummings and members of the committee, thank you for calling this important hearing. Heroin is having a deadly impact on Orange County - home to Orlando and 12 other municipalities with a population of 1.2 million. We know we re not alone in this. But like others, we were initially fighting pill mills. Orange County worked to outlaw them and to provide resources for breaking opioid addiction. Today, the battle is tougher than ever. Too many prescription drug abusers have found an inexpensive and too often deadly alternative: Heroin. 1

2 Despite Central Florida s strengthening economy and extraordinary quality of life, heroin has exploded. In 2011, there were 14 heroin fatalities in Orange County. Last year, there were 84 a 600 percent increase in just 4 years. Yet too many people simply don t understand the severe threat posed by heroin, or even know what s in it. In 2016, we ve already had 7 heroin-related deaths. Barely a week goes by without someone dying of an overdose. Earlier this month, we lost 4 lives in a single weekend; additionally, a suspected foreign drug dealer with six pounds of heroin was arrested at our international airport. For the good of our community, we are fighting and fighting hard. 2

3 Last summer I convened the Orange County Heroin Task Force, and asked Sheriff Demings to Co-Chair the effort. Our joint work is having a positive impact. Between the Orange County Sheriff s Office, the Orlando Police Department, and our Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation there have been more than 370 heroin-related arrests. Last year, approximately 2,000 heroin users moved through our jail. Many of these arrests were not for heroin possession but rather other offenses related to heroin addiction. Tragically, in 2015, we housed 100 expectant mothers addicted to opiates or heroin. On any given day at Corrections, we have pregnant heroin users under our care. Our Jail has become the treatment center of last resort for too many people. Our Task Force concluded its efforts last week and made 37 recommendations including: Bond increases for trafficking Social media campaigns warning about the deadly nature of heroin 3

4 Coordinated efforts to avoid fatal overdose by expanding access to Naloxone, a life-saving drug when used in severe overdose situations AND New opportunities to fight addiction like coupling detox at our jail with addiction treatment programs using the drug Vivitrol, a long-acting opiate antidote In addition to moving forward with implementation of the Task Force recommendations, we are working with our partners at the National Association of Counties, as well as HIGH-DAH [HIDTA: High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas] and other organizations to identify best practices. We know there is no single solution, but there are some universally effective approaches: Enforcement is critical to combating heroin use. In keeping with what we learned with pill mills, we must be tireless in educating people that addiction is an illness. 4

5 From law enforcement to families, the life-saving drug naloxone needs to be more accessible without a prescription and available at a reasonable cost. And, a final point: I need you to know that we, in Orange County, are doing everything we can with the resources we have. Here s where we need your help: o Stop the influx of drugs across the border; o Help us treat more addicts. Right now we only have 26 beds for the uninsured. With a regional population of 2.5 million, we need to do better; AND o Educate people so they never try this deadly drug in the first place. To end this crisis and save lives, we all need to be engaged. Thank you for your attention and for your leadership. 5