Easy access to assistance provides key to decrease in opioid

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Sign on the door of Manchester Central Fire Station, a designated Safe Station. Photo/Pat Grossmith
Are there multiple paths to fighting the opioid epidemic? Apparently there are, provided that one key component remains in place.
Six years ago, Manchester pioneered the Safe Stations program, an initiative providing immediate support to those suffering from opioid incidents at local fire department stations. The concept spread to other fire departments across the country, although in many parts of New Hampshire its role is slowly beginning to change.
Meanwhile, Manchester’s Safe Stations program has remained in place, despite efforts for the Queen City to emulate Nashua’s approach. Currently, Catholic Medical Center and other partners such as the Farnum Center provide long-term treatment assistance such as counseling and respite care among other services, but Manchester’s fire stations remain as a point of first contact for those seeking immediate assistance regarding opioid abuse.