Melissa Hinkhouse
Melissa Hinkhouse
The opioid crisis is a public health crisis that has been increasing and devastating lives for many years. Working as a Mental Health Registered Nurse I have seen many patients battle with addiction for one reason or another. Pharmacy companies told providers that pain relievers were not addictive, prescribers then prescribed them thinking they were safe and helping patients with pain. It was a sad when we learned, these medications had devastating consequences. I currently work both inpatient and outpatient and many of the life challenges don’t just end with the actual addiction.
According to The White House’s web page president trump declared the opioid crisis a public health emergency in October 2017. President Trumps plan is as follows: “Part 1 is reducing demand and over-prescription, including educating Americans about the dangers of opioid misuse. Part 2 is cutting down on the supply of illicit drugs by cracking down on the international and domestic drug supply chains that devastate American communities. Part 3 is helping those struggling with addiction through evidence-based treatment and recovery support services (The White House). I work for a Grant part time called RCORP, we have been assessing the needs of the Western Upper Peninsula for Opioid addiction services availability. We just completed phase one, the need’s assessment. This grant is funding by an organization. I mention this because though some of the prescribing laws have changed, why is a private organization having to fund this grant I work for. Why is the government not assisting in analyzation of rural access to treatment for opioid addiction treatment? I feel as though that is something Trump could assist in implanting. In the UP we have very few inpatient treatment facilities. We have two mental health inpatient facilities for short term hospitalizations. The shortage and access to care is simply not enough.
