Legislation filed as Fiola opposes planned SSTAR facility in Fall River
FALL RIVER - State Rep. Carole Fiola, a critic of a planned drug treatment facility in Fall River’s North End, has filed a bill to create a commission that would study how methadone is distributed in Massachusetts, and examine alternative methods such as allowing pharmacies to administer the drug.
In a press release announcing the bill, Fiola’s office said the state’s 44 methadone clinics are clustered in 35 cities and towns, including two in Fall River. Fiola argues that situation fails to recognize that opioid addiction crosses socioeconomic lines and stigmatizes communities that host methadone clinics.
“The herding of those in recovery each morning to only 35 cities and towns is not working to destigmatize addiction and does not provide equal access,” Fiola said, adding that she also wants to examine the impact on housing, counseling, support and public safety in communities that have methadone clinics.
Fiola filed her bill as Stanley Street Treatment and Resources moves forward on a plan to build a health center at 75 Weaver St., that would offer inpatient and outpatient programs for people in substance abuse programs.
In previous neighborhood meetings, Fiola has criticized SSTAR’s plan, arguing that other communities need to step up because it is unfair to expect cities like Fall River to host drug treatment centers and methadone clinics.
Fiola said her opposition to the SSTAR plan is not related to her bill, H4337, which is currently in the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Abuse and Recovery. Fiola told The Herald News that the legislation grew from her studying the opioid crisis while as a member of that committee.
“This crisis has grown, and everyone has responded,” Fiola said. “One of the things we’ve been seeing again and again is that this disease knows no geographic boundaries and no socioeconomic boundaries. We’re looking at that, and seeing people all over the state getting this disease who needs help.”
Even if passed, it is unclear what kind of impact Fiola’s bill would have since it is the federal government — through the Food and Drug Administration, the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration — that regulates how methadone is distributed.
“There are federal requirements that have to be met around the distribution of methadone which involve doctors, nurses and counselors. Anybody who understands how drug treatment works would know that this kind of legislation has to be done at the federal level,” said Nancy Paull, the CEO of SSTAR.
Paull said Fiola’s bill “has no meaning,” and described it as a way for the state representative to get attention.
“She can look at this all she wants, but it’s sort of spinning the wheels. It’s not going to go anywhere,” Paull said.
Fiola’s bill would create a nine-member commission comprised of pharmacists, public health officials, medical professionals and people involved in the recovery field. The commission would be charged with conducting a study and filing its findings by Dec. 31, 2019.
Fiola said the legislation has 38 cosponsors. She said the aim is to study the methadone issue in-depth.
“It's not suggesting any changes. It’s simply saying, ‘Let’s take a look at this,’” said Fiola, who countered that the federal government’s role in crafting and enforcing methadone regulations does not make her legislation a moot point.
“Massachusetts has always been a leader in looking at areas dealing with the federal government,” Fiola said. “Why wouldn’t we look at this information and have a conversation? We can’t leave everything up to the federal government these days.”
Tom Pasternak, a Fall River pharmacist who is active in the recovery field, agreed with Fiola that methadone clinics need to be placed in other communities beside the same 35 cities and towns in Massachusetts.
"Each situation is different," Pasternak said. "Some people in Springfield are better off leaving their friends there and coming to Fall River to start over. Other people in Springfield may be better off staying there where they have family support. There is no one answer that fits everybody."
Pasternak also agreed with Fiola's suggestion that the commission should study the possibility of having pharmacies distribute methadone. He said pharmacies already dispense Suboxone and Vivitrol to treat opioid abuse.
"I know there will be a lot of pushback, even from pharmacies," Pasternak said. "But why should someone who's lived their whole life, say in Padanaram, have to come to Fall River to get a dose of methadone everyday? It just doesn't make sense."
Given the complexity of the federal regulations, Paull said it would not make financial sense in many cases to build methadone centers in rural and suburban communities with relatively smaller numbers of patients. Fiola said there are communities in Massachusetts with no methadone clinics that have high overdose death rates.
"Just because something is the way you've always done it doesn't mean you can't look for alternatives," Fiola said.
Email Brian Fraga at bfraga@heraldnews.com