State Senate Supports Greater Drug Abuse Prevention Options

The Senate Finance Committee yesterday took a first step in putting a plan together to increase funding towards direct services for substance abuse, according to a press statement.

“Our plan is to take the general fund money that had been allocated to support a bureaucratic position in the governor’s office and increase the resources available in the Department of Health and Human Services for alcohol and substance abuse. We can either act like we are doing something to address the substance abuse problems in the State, or we can actually do something,” said Senate Finance Chair Jeanie Forrester, R-Meredith. “We are committed to funding alcohol and drug treatment programs where the resources are able to do the most good.”

“We recognize the serious nature of the drug abuse problems currently affecting numerous cities and towns in New Hampshire. Our actions today will redirect those funds and put them in the DHHS budget where decisions can be made on how they will be best utilized,” Senate Finance Vice Chairman Jerry Little, R-Weare.

“The decision remains whether the nearly quarter of a million dollars would be better spent in the streets helping substance abuse victims and counselors or in funding another layer of bureaucracy in state government,” continued Little.