OPINION: Invest in recovery: Use opioid settlement money to save lives

Several years ago, I testified in a landmark opioid case that has now resulted in a $150 million settlement, funds meant to heal the devastation opioid addiction has caused in our community. While this legal victory is significant, it came too late for my son, Cameron. Like hundreds of other teenagers, he lost his life to a drug overdose that began with a prescription for a sports injury.

For two years, I fought to get Cameron the help he needed. I exhausted every option, eventually sending him out of state for detox and treatment because no suitable programs existed here. That painful experience led me to establish Serenity Mesa, a residential treatment program for adolescents and young adults. We have 14 beds for kids ages 14 to 21, in a 90-day residential program and operate a detox facility. We are the only long-term residential treatment center for teenagers in the entire state.

The majority of our residents come from juvenile detention or Children, Youth and Families Department custody, and almost all are on Medicaid. Many have been involved with juvenile justice for various crimes, most involving drugs and firearms, and many have dropped out of school. Yet despite their struggles, these young people are not beyond help. With the right structure, stability and critical treatment services, they can begin the path to recovery.

That’s why I don’t understand the City Council’s recommendation to allocate most of this year’s $10 million in opioid settlement funds to “shovel-ready projects” rather than expanding treatment services or conducting outreach to teenagers struggling with addiction. While buildings and structures are important, funding to provide services and support for those who struggle with addiction is equally important.

Much has changed since I was searching for services for my son. There is less stigma around drug abuse and mental illness. Medications like Suboxone are more accessible, and as a society we recognize that treatment is essential. Yet, we still lack the adolescent-specific programs that provide the structure, stability and detox services necessary for recovery. Detox is a difficult and expensive process. At Serenity Mesa, we maintain two nurses on duty 24/7, an essential but costly measure. Our regular staff, who are vital to recovery, earn only slightly more than fast-food workers. With better training and more funding for salaries, we could expand our reach and improve outcomes.

The true number of kids in need remains unknown. What we do know is alarming: Between 2017 and 2021, there were approximately 3,000 opioid overdose-related emergency room visits and over 1,300 fatal overdoses involving fentanyl, methamphetamine, heroin, and prescription drugs. Our juvenile detention centers and youth shelters are at capacity. Children are sleeping on the floors of CYFD offices. The crisis is immense.

No single solution will fix this epidemic. There are a lot of pieces to this puzzle. Some, like our program, are already in place. But we still need more education and outreach programs, counselors who engage directly with at-risk youth in jails, on the streets and in encampments to build trust and guide them toward treatment. Simply constructing treatment centers without investing in staff and services won’t solve the problem.

This crisis is about more than addiction; it’s about loneliness, isolation, suicide, gang involvement and struggling families.

We have an opportunity to make a real difference. The funding is there. Now, we must use it wisely, by investing in programs and people who can save lives. Working together, we can turn the tide.