Keene, NH – This evening, Congresswoman Annie Kuster (NH-02) joined with members of the substance abuse prevention community and spoke about the importance of awareness, prevention, and treatment at the Keene Community Forum on Heroin. The Forum, organized by SaveNH – Keene Hates Heroin and held at the Keene Public Library, brought together community members to share best practices and to discuss how to best combat the growing opioid epidemic.

“Substance use disorders threaten to take away so much of what makes New Hampshire a great place to live and grow,” said Congresswoman Kuster. “Chief among these concerns is the growing opioid epidemic taking place here in the Granite State and across the country. Heroin is affecting more and more lives across our communities, and we must come together to make sure that individuals suffering from addiction and their families have the treatment and resources that they need to lead healthy and productive lives, free from the confines of addiction.”

Congresswoman Kuster was joined at the Keene Community Forum on Heroin by local stakeholders, members of the Keene Fire Department, emergency room staff, individuals in recovery, and members of the community at large. Kuster has prioritized efforts to address the opioid crisis by convening events on the substance use disorders across the state and by prioritizing the issue at a federal level through her work in Congress. Kuster cosponsored the Mental Health First Act, which provides federal funding for training programs around the country that teach emergency services personnel, police officers, teachers, and primary care professionals how to recognize, treat, and address symptoms of mental illness and substance use disorders.

Kuster is also a cosponsor of the bipartisan Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, which makes broad reforms in the way we treat addiction by creating alternatives to incarceration and providing states with additional resources to combat abuse. Additionally, Kuster is a supporter of legislation that would help treat substance dependence in newborns and allow Medicare to cover substance abuse treatments at community treatment facilities. 

SaveNH – Keene Hates Heroin aims to bring together experts and community members to educate the public on effective ways to address the heroin epidemic in their community. This was the first forum that the group has organized since its formation earlier this year.

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