Gov. Lamont recognizes addiction recovery workers for efforts to stem rise in overdose deaths
In light of a significant increase in overdose deaths this year, a likely side effect of the coronavirus pandemic, Gov. Ned Lamont paid a visit Thursday to a long-standing community center for people with substance use disorder.
Outside the Connecticut Center for Addiction Recovery, in a 3-story Victorian at 198 Wethersfield Avenue, Lamont recognized leaders who have expanded addiction services in recent years to keep pace with the growing toll of the opioid epidemic. After six months of preaching the dangers of COVID-19, Lamont said he was happy to help share CCAR’s slogan, “Recovery is contagious.”
“We’re here to back you up in any way we can knowing the difference you’re making in this time of incredible stress on people, incredible stress on our society,” Lamont said.
Members of both CCAR and the Greater Hartford Harm Reduction Coalition asked officials to remember that for every person who dies of an overdose, there are many more who can still recover if they get the help they need. That’s been more of a challenge since the state shut down in March due to COVID-19, closing shelters and soup kitchens, leaving hundreds of thousands of people out of work, and canceling in-person meetings.
