UPDATE On Petition: We Need Treatment On Demand

I went to Mr. James Boyd's event yesterday to Stand Up at the Gateway to the Heroin Highway! The weather was absolutely gorgeous yesterday.

I want to say at least 30 gathered on the bridge and then we went back to the ROC's to hold a meet and to talk about this heroin epidemic here in Martinsburg.

Many of you know that James has been helping a local addict to find help for about two weeks now. On Friday, Lisa was tired of living on the streets and tired of living the life of an addict. She was ready.

James called the hotline only to be put on hold and after twenty minutes or more he made some more phone calls and took her to the Substance Abuse Crisis Team at the hospital.

For a couple of weeks now I have heard some stories about the team there when someone has taken a loved one there. I shared some concerns I was having with James who got to visit and see the team first hand.

What happened there is proof that we need a treatment facility right here in Martinsburg and/or Berkeley County for our local people. When an addict is ready for help we must have treatment on demand ready for them.

When someone is suffering a heart attack or a stroke they go to the hospital. That person will get triaged in the ER, tests are run, they will go to the ICU for further medical care. They are under constant medical supervision 24/7 and will get the best of all medical care.

When someone is suffering from heroin addiction and they go to the ER there they get Narcan. They are often laughed at and put down, called a junkie and later released back to the streets where the cycle of drug abuse continues.

When a person is suffering from a heroin addiction like any other sickness or disease the bed should be ready. An addict shouldn't have to say they are suicidal and going to kill themselves to get access to a treatment facility. It should be available to them when they need it!

Something is clearly wrong with that!

When someone is ready to go get the help and the treatment they need for their addiction, the treatment center needs to be right there and ready to take that addict.

We put up a petition back in late April/early May for this treatment center to be right here in this town. The link to read and sign the petition is: Mayor of Martinsburg and Berkeley County Council

Treatment on Demand

We Need A Treatment Center in Our Town

People are still signing it! Stop by and visit the petition!

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