JoAnn Bocca-Rivieccio, representing Somerville Overcoming Addiction, thanked the Board and the administration for doing its part to shed light on the relentless scourge of addiction in our society.

By Jim Clark

A resolution introduced and approved at the latest City of Somerville Board of Aldermen meeting last Thursday supporting Somerville Overcoming Addiction and other community groups by resolving that September, 2018 shall be Recovery Month in Somerville.

The resolution in full reads as follows:

WHEREAS, Behavioral health is an essential part of health and one’s overall wellness; and

WHEREAS, Prevention of mental and/or substance use disorders works, treatment is effective, and people recover in our area and around the nation; and

WHEREAS, Preventing and overcoming mental and/or substance use disorders is valuable to individuals, families, and the community at large; and WHEREAS, Increasing awareness about the stigma of addiction reduces barriers to accessing treatment and support for recovery; and

WHEREAS, People in recovery achieve healthy lifestyles, both physically and emotionally, and contribute in positive ways to their communities; and

WHEREAS, We must encourage relatives and friends of people with mental and/or substance use disorders to implement preventive measures, recognize the signs of a problem, and guide those in need to appropriate treatment and recovery support services; and

WHEREAS, According to the most recent data in the 2016 National Survey of Drug Use & Health, it was reported that 28.6 million people aged twelve or older used an illicit drug in the past thirty days, which corresponds to about one in ten Americans overall; and

WHEREAS, From 2000 to May 2018, there have been 156 fatal overdoses of Somerville residents, including twenty-one youth, aged sixteen to twenty-four from 2000-2005; and

WHEREAS, Since the beginning of 2018, Somerville police calls in response to opioid misuse average five per month; and

WHEREAS, Given the serious nature of this public health problem, we must continue to reach the millions who need help recovering from addiction to substance use; and

WHEREAS, Recovery Month promotes the societal benefits of prevention, treatment, and recovery for substance use and mental disorders, celebrates people in recovery, and lauds the contributions of treatment and service providers and promotes the message that recovery in all its forms is possible, and

WHEREAS, The Somerville Fire Department and Somerville Police Department have continued these efforts by carrying Naloxone as a method to reduce the number of fatal opioid overdoses; and

WHEREAS, The Health and Human Services Department will continue to distribute Naloxone and proactively train community members on how to use and administer it; and

WHEREAS, The City of Somerville will recognize those 156 Somerville residents who have lost their lives to overdose; and

WHEREAS, Somerville Overcoming Addiction, other community groups, and the City of Somerville will hold a memorial program on Thursday, August 30, 2018 at 5:30 p.m. to increase awareness of those who have lost their lives to overdose; and

WHEREAS, The City of Somerville will light City Hall purple on Friday, August 31, 2018 in remembrance of those individuals who have lost their lives to overdose; and

WHEREAS, To help more people achieve and sustain long-term recovery, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, Somerville community groups committed to recovery work and the City of Somerville invite all residents of Somerville to participation in National Recovery Month; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Somerville Board of Aldermen, do hereby resolve that the month of September 2018 shall be Recovery Month in Somerville and call upon the people of Somerville to observe this month with appropriate programs, activities, and ceremonies to support this year’s Recovery Month.

The resolution was jointly sponsored by Ward 4 Alderman Jesse Clingan, Alderman At-Large Stephanie Hirsch, Ward 7 Alderman Katjana Ballantyne, Ward 1 Alderman Matthew McLaughlin, the entire Board and Mayor Curtatone.

The resolution was passed unanimously by the Board.