Use Missouri opioid settlement funds for evidence-based services, including peer support
Thousands of families in Missouri have experienced the devastating loss that has come with the addiction crisis — and the challenges of the last two years haven’t made our efforts to address this epidemic any easier. We’ve seen a heartbreaking number of overdose deaths here in our communities and across the country. These are real people in our communities who need our help, now more than ever.
The Missouri Department of Mental Health estimates that 377,000 Missourians lived with substance use disorders in 2020. 267,000 experienced alcohol use disorder, with only a small percentage seeking treatment. In addition, data from the Missouri Institute for Mental Health (MIMH) shows that drug overdose deaths increased by 12 percent in the first three quarters of 2021 compared to 2020.
For those of us who are working every day to reverse these alarming trends, looking at these statistics — and even news headlines — can feel overwhelming. But there is reason to be hopeful.
Thanks to the leadership of Attorney General Eric Schmitt and his Fighting Addiction, Saving Lives program, Missouri will receive $458 million from opioid settlement lawsuits, with the potential for more. In a recent op-ed, Attorney General Schmitt outlined how these funds will support our fight against addiction and save lives that might otherwise have been lost.
While we agree this funding is a historic opportunity for Missouri to make a lasting impact on the addiction epidemic, we have a responsibility to ensure these funds are allocated as effectively as possible. That means investing them in evidence-based treatment and recovery services.
As peer support specialists who are in the trenches of the addiction crisis every day, we understand the impact these funds can have in aiding our efforts. The Missouri chapter of the National Peer Recovery Alliance (NPRA-MO) was created to advocate for peer-based recovery in our state and across the country and to empower the peer voice. Peers should have a seat at the table when it comes to discussions about how opioid settlement funds are distributed and strategies to reduce overdose deaths.
Looking ahead, Missouri has a chance to make meaningful investments in peer-based recovery and peer support services, which SAMHSA and many treatment and recovery experts link to better long-term outcomes for individuals in recovery. Peer support specialists use their lived, firsthand experience to support others who are in and seeking recovery. We serve as a source of encouragement, accountability and information, helping individuals navigate the treatment system and reduce the likelihood of relapse.
While peer-based recovery has been around for a long time and is already an essential component of many treatment programs in Missouri and beyond, this approach is finally gaining more momentum on the national stage. President Biden recently announced his administration’s support for peer support as one way to strengthen the continuum of care across the health care system and to better address America’s mental health crisis.
Beyond peer support services, we must also consider employment and housing — the things Missourians need to be successful upon completing treatment. If just one part of the recovery ecosystem is missing or lacking, we’re doing Missourians a disservice by not giving them the best chance at long-term recovery.
We applaud Attorney General Schmitt for his efforts to secure and invest this funding to bolster treatment and recovery services in our state — and for taking time to listen to feedback and input from those of us who have been on the frontlines of the addiction crisis and have firsthand experience struggling through substance use and recovery ourselves. The right investments will pave the way to a healthier Missouri — something that benefits us all.
About NPRA-MO
The Missouri chapter of the National Peer Recovery Alliance (NPRA) represents peer support specialists across the Show-Me State. Using their lived experience, peer support specialists play a critical role in helping more Missourians reach long-term recovery from substance use and co-occurring mental health disorders.
Emily Stuckey is a recovery advocate and founding member of the Missouri chapter of the National Peer Recovery Alliance.