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Tuesday, May 09, 2017

Addicts responding to Anne Arundel's 'Safe Stations' program

When Anne Arundel County and Annapolis officials announced an initiative last month to turn fire and police departments into "Safe Stations" for those addicted to drugs and looking to get treatment, it took only two hours for the first person to take them up on the offer.

Two weeks later, the number of opioid and heroin users seeking help has hit the program's projected capacity.

Ten people have visited either a fire or police station looking for assistance with addiction since the program launched April 20. County police Chief Timothy Altomare said officials with the departments involved plan to meet in a month, evaluate the effectiveness of the program and look into what more can be done.

"I don't think it's a concern. I think it's an opportunity and we'll figure it out," Altomare said.

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9 comments:

Anonymous said...

10 people is the capacity????

Anonymous said...

This is a good, enlightened step to helping addicts. It will not solve the problem- but these people deserve help for coming forward, not the welfare morons faking disabilities for the government hand outs.

Anonymous said...

While I am sorry they are addicted I had nothing to do with them getting in their current situation. Most of the time it is a personal choice, a bad one, but their own choice. Of course, I have no choice in being taxed to pay for their bad decisions.

Anonymous said...

354 isn't that always the way with Liberals and their feel-good legislation. Everyone who lives the straight and narrow, law abiding life always pays for the derelicts of society and their crappy choices. The minority rule while the majority pays for their foolishness and irresponsibility.

Anonymous said...

isn't that how we help others, and ultimately ourselves? If nothing is done to help those who need, and want, it, it will just continue and get worse affecting everyone. It's like those old car repair commercials, 'pay me now' or pay me later.

Anonymous said...

Not "feel good," it's common sense. Someone gets in too deep, needs help, asks for help, then we deny help? What if it was your buddy or family? You can be conservative but compassionate as well. Hope you are perfect in every way, jerk

Anonymous said...

Now isn't this strange. These drugs are bad for you and addictive. So is tobacco yet MD's Legislature continues to milk addicted smokers with increased taxes.

Anonymous said...

I am probably a lot older than most of you. Back when I was coming along nobody, NOBODY, looked to the government for help in situations like this. Churches, YMCA and a host of other local organizations always stepped in to help and, yes, even local citizens donated out of their own pockets to help. Unfortunately no local organizations or private citizens can afford to get involved anymore because of a myriad of regulations, privacy concerns and costs because we just pay all of our excess funds in taxes nowadays. Yes, victims need help but the liberal way of all knowing, all powerful government has killed off private charity.

Anonymous said...

3:54/3:59 You get taxed for peoples bad decisions all the time. DUI accidents, people that go boating in bad weather and need to be rescued, start fires by overloading extension cords, etc. Once the government has your tax dollars it is theirs do as they wish. You both sound like bitter old people that failed to earn enough money in your lifetime.