Republican mayoral candidate Paul Massey visited a Staten Island drug treatment facility this afternoon, outlining his proposed plan to address the opioid epidemic in a post-visit press conference. Prevention efforts in his proposal include expansion of a Staten Island school prevention program Citywide, creation of a “Synthetics Task Force” with federal, state and city law enforcement and “develop[ing] clearer standards for prescribing opioids.” Treatment efforts he proposes include hiring and training first responders in administering anti-overdose medications and creating additional crisis treatment centers. He also proposed additional recovery efforts.
Massey did not provide any cost estimates for his proposals, nor say how the unspecified costs would be paid.
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Here is Massey’s prepared statement: