LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Nearly 100 people gathered at Dismas Charities at St. Ann Campus in Louisville on Wednesday for the third installment of in the Bridges of Hope “Addiction 101” series.
Addicts and their families listened to a number of speakers at the forum, including Jefferson County Attorney Mike O’Connell, who lost his youngest son to addiction.
“There is always much more to be done, and I know in this room, too, there are a lot of young women who are in the early stages of their own recovery," O'Connell said. "And that’s extremely important."
O’Connell is one of 10 citizen representatives chosen for the National Opioid Litigation. He believes more treatment programs need to be added for what he is calling an epidemic, adding that jail is not the answer.
“Jails and penitentiaries are for people we’re afraid of, not for people we are mad at," he said. "So you just can’t do that. Anyone that tries to sing that song to the public is simply lying to them."
Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer opened the meeting and stressed the importance of treatment and support for families.
“People say ‘Obviously, I am not in this by myself.’ There’s a lot of offers of help in the community, treatment, referral, etc." Fischer said. "So it gives you strength that you can get through it."
Fischer said 10,000 people were treated last year for detox at Metro Corrections. This year, that number is down 20 percent. He said many cities tend to ignore the addiction problem, and that causes even more issues.
“You have to lean into it from a public health perspective," Fischer said. "Then you have to also be very public about the services that are offered to help people get through this type of substance misuse."
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