8DEFD43805366397872589DD00541FF9 Hearing Summary

Dr. Robert J. Valuck, executive director for the Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention Center and Jose Esquibel, director of the Colorado Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse, presented to the committee.

Dr. Valuck spoke on addiction as a disease and the biological response someone goes through with addiction. He spoke on the frequency and cost of addiction as well as the treatment and recovery availability.

Dr Valuck went over the history of opioid deaths in the country and how distribution expanded across the United States. The problem has expanded from prescribed opioid to illegal substances and synthetic drugs.

Dr. Valuck went over the cause of overdose deaths in Colorado. The primary increase in overdose deaths in Colorado over the last few years has come from opioids and the increase in opioid deaths can be attributed to fentanyl. Over the last few years, methamphetamine and cocaine overdose deaths have also increased. Several rural Colorado counties have higher rates of opioid use.

Dr. Valuck went over the history of the Colorado Consortium. It was created in 2013 and was created to facilitate collaboration between different opioid prevention actors across the state. He also went over the different substance use disorder organizations in the state.

The committee asked about the barriers to the treatment level. The panel stated that there are a variety of factors affecting treatment. Demand for treatment is rising but there are still regions of the state where there is no availability.

The committee asked about barriers to collaboration in the state. The panel stated that certain people who should be engaged are currently not part of the stake holding.

The committee asked about the availability and success of telehealth as well as options in the rural regions in the state that may want options outside of telehelath. The panel stated that since the Covid-19 pandemic, telehealth and mobile service efforts have been able to reach more people. There are also several programs in the state to try to give regions options that are beyond telehealth.

The committee asked about collaboration efforts with law enforcement. The panel talked about the success of diversion programs, training for law enforcement, and work groups in the Consortium to work with Law Enforcement.

Director Jose Esquibel went over his background.

Director Esquibel went over the history of opioid legislation and funding that is coming from a variety of sources related to opioid efforts.

Director Esquibel went over the history of the interim committee. 14 bills have come out of the committee and become law with a variety of impacts. A majority of these bills have been based on evidence based approaches.

Director Esquibel went over the evidence based responses. The state has focused more on recovery and treatment efforts and how to best connect people between treatment and recovery. The focus has been on continuity of care and retention for those in recovery.

Director Esquibel went over the medical-assisted treatment expansion program and the success of the program in rural Colorado. The committee asked questions on the absence of the program in certain rural areas. Director Esquibel spoke on current outreach efforts to bridge the gap in those areas.

Director Esquibel went over harm reduction and care treatment options. Harm reduction is a part of the process to better connect people with resources.

Director Esquibel went over the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program and how the consortium is helping providers. The committee asked about benzodiazepines and what they do. Dr. Valuck went over how they are depressants and a large number are currently being provided. He also went over how the combination of them and opioids can be lethal. the committee also went over the common names of benzodiazepines such as Xanax.

Director Esquibel went over the collaboration with criminal justice groups. The Consortium has helped developed training programs and work with groups to build a greater variety of options to deal with opioids.

Director Esquibel went over how the consortium is distributing the majority of the opioid settlement funding into the local level.

The committee asked about a broad overview of opioid funding. The panel stated the variety of federal and state sources that came into Colorado.

Director Esquibel went over surveys the Consortium had conducted related to the bills the legislature passed.

The committee asked the panel about the barriers to workforce. The consortium has a peer recovery group to help coordinate efforts.

The committee asked the panel about alcohol abuse. The panel stated how alcohol is still one of the largest drug used in the state and how a large number of people with alcohol abuse seek treatment.

The committee asked about emerging drugs entering the state. The Consortium is tracking emerging drugs across the country and alerting providers in the region with known symptoms and treatment for emerging drugs. They also spoke on the need to have more test strips for new drugs.

The committee asked the panel about new treatments for methamphetamine. The panel spoke of contingency management treatment options that are available and used across the state.

The committee asked on how to expand screening efforts. The panel stated how they worked with different groups to expand screening efforts.