GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ)- The fight against opioid abuse in Wisconsin continues as two more HOPE laws were signed Monday.
The Heroin, Opioid Prevention and Education Laws (HOPE), aids law enforcement in efforts to combat drug trafficking and focuses on the training and knowledge needed to identify mental health issues.
“Providing more tools to not only stop the level of drugs flowing into our state, but also providing more treatment,” said Representative John Nygren.
He says all the bills had bipartisan support.
“It shows you that this is not a republican issue or a democratic issue, it is actually a people issue and both sides get it.”
Nygren says it is another step, and while Wisconsin leads the nation in the battle, there is still more work to be done.
“We have seen some success here, and we have done that without any restrictions on doctors and have actually partnered with doctors. We have seen some sucess in the downturn of prescribing, and that is going to reduce the number of people that are becoming addicted,” he says. “On most issues you take a victory lap or pat yourself on the back, and then move on to the next issue. With this it is much greater than that, and while today is an important day, it is still just another step in the process.”
The first bill lays out $1.5 million to treat jail inmates. The measure also directs state officials to administer $500,000 in federal grants for anti-abuse programs and establishes $1 million in grants to help fund drug investigations.
The second bill requires social workers and therapists to be knowledgeable about addiction treatment and provides the University of Wisconsin System with $250,000 annually to increase the number of graduate students studying to be mental health nurse practitioners and provide fellowships for psychiatric nursing students to work in rural settings.
The HOPE Agenda now consists of 30 laws, which have all been approved with bipartisan support.
