New Indiana Laws Will Make Accessing Substance Addiction Treatment Easier

Monday, June 3, 2019 at 9:02 AM

By Mike Perleberg @mikedup84

Senate Enrolled Act 33 and House Enrolled Act 1175 will make it easier for Hoosiers with drug addiction to receive treatment.

Methadone and other forms of treatment will become more accessible in Indiana thanks to new laws passed this year.

(Indianapolis, Ind.) - A bill recently signed by Governor Eric Holcomb is expanding the number of opioid treatment centers in Indiana.

In 2017, nearly 1,800 Hoosiers died of opioid overdoses, an all-time high for the state.

There are currently only five comprehensive addiction treatment centers open in Indiana. One of them is the East Indiana Treatment Center in Greendale.

But for many Hoosiers in other parts of Indiana, it can take hours to get to the nearest treatment facility. State Representative Steve Davisson (R-Salem) says no one should have to drive all day to get to the care they need.

“Senate Enrolled Act 33 is going to help create a better environment for recovering addicts and people who have substance use disorders across the state,” said Davisson.

Grants created by the new law are now making it possible to open three more comprehensive addiction treatment centers in Indiana. The grants for the centers are administered by the Indiana Family and Social Service Administration's Division of Mental Health and Addiction.

Lawmakers hope with more treatment centers, the rate of opioid-related deaths in the future declines.

Another new law would allow licensed social workers, mental health counselors, and clinical addiction counselors to work without burdensome oversight. House Enrolled Act 1175 was authored by State Representative Cindy Ziemke (R-Batesville).

“We’ve worked really hard on the bill this year to access more services for mental health and addiction which we need so desperately in our state,” said Ziemke.

If you or a loved one is struggling from opioid addiction, Hoosiers can call the Indiana Addiction Hotline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or visit https://www.in.gov/fssa/dmha/2933.htm.

State Rep. Ziemke's Drug Addiction, Mental Health Treatment Bill Awaiting Gov Signature