SPRINGFIELD – There were two messages that came through loud and clear during State Sen. Eric Lesser’s visit the Western Massachusetts Recovery and Wellness Center on Jan. 22: the first is the center needs to be its own line-item in the Commonwealth’s budget and the second is that Western Massachusetts requires its own center for addicts who are committed by the courts for treatment, known as “Section 35.”

Hampden County Sheriff Nick Cocchi explained currently the center, which serves incarcerated people with drug or alcohol addiction from the four western counties and Worcester, has to “beg or borrow” funding from the Sheriff’s department budget.

He also said currently addicts who are committed for treatment under Section 35 must be transported to facilities in the eastern part of the state.
Lesser was at the center as part of a month-long effort to see what is the status of the opioid crisis and what could be done to improve resources to address it.

“As I’ve said before, we need to expand the number of treatment beds available across Massachusetts, but especially here in Western Mass. where we have a shortage. And we need to make sure we educate our children and young adults on the dangers of drug abuse and addiction, and the potential for addiction specific to opioids,” Lesser said.

Lesser also toured the Liberty Preparatory Academy in Springfield, which has a program for addicted youth.

Cocchi said his goal in 2018 is to plays role in increasing the number of treatment beds available for addicts in Western Massachusetts. The center on Mill Street has 139 beds and Cocchi is considering options for expansion at another location.

“The number of beds is grossly lower than what’s needed,” the sheriff said.
He also noted 4.5 people are dying daily in the Commonwealth from an opioid overdose.

Cocchi detailed how addiction to prescription pills leads to heroin addiction, which then involves an addict in criminal behavior in order to support his or her habit.

Lesser detailed measures taken so far to deal with the addiction epidemic, such as more funding for addiction services on the state level, increasing the availability of Narcan to stop overdose deaths and the creation in Hampden County of a Drug Court.

He said the result has been “some modest reduction” in drug related deaths and added Massachusetts is the only state that has that trend.

Lesser heard from first hand from three people – one who has graduated from the treatment center program and two who are about to leave it – about what the center does. Cocchi prefaced their remarks with the reminder that inmates who come here have to “buy in” to the multi-leveled program designed to help them overcome their addiction and become prepared for life.

To preserve their anonymity of the three people, only the first initial of their name will be used.

V. told Lesser that after 20 years of addiction and 14 years in jail, this was his first treatment experience. “They definitely changed my way of thinking. I actually love myself now,” he said.

He added it was a gradual process. “Little by little I started to listen.” He plans to become a drug and alcohol counselor in order to help others.

The program is for 13 weeks, but some people stay longer as deemed by their condition, Cocchi said.

J. is a former police officer who became addicted to prescription drugs after several hand injuries. To pay for his habit he stole for a police union fund, which eventually led to his arrest.

“I was ashamed what I was doing and it was hard to ask for help,” he said.
J. added there is no program such as the one offered by the treatment center in his home of Berkshire County.

He was a year sober before coming to the center, which he said, “has been a great help.”

E. said she had “hit rock bottom” when she came to the center. She explained her alcohol addiction had led to several Section 35 incarcerations, which she said were not successful because she was not ready for treatment. Forced treatment, she emphasized, is not effective.

She has been sober for six months.

Her goal is to eventually work at the center helping people such as herself.
Cocchi said dedicated funding for the treatment center would help its in its mission to “save the taxpayer’s money and save people’s lives.”

After the meeting, Lesser said, “The first response to substance abuse cannot be a police officer and a jail cell, it must be a recovery coach and a treatment bed. The Sheriff's Department is showing impressive results with this approach, and I’d like to thank Sheriff Cocchi for his leadership and for showing me the new facility on Mill Street. It was incredibly moving and inspiring to meet with people who had taken such tremendous steps to overcome their addiction and rebuild their lives. We must make sure the success we've seen here is replicated across the state. And, as I’ve said before, we need to expand the number of treatment beds available across Massachusetts, but especially here in Western Mass. where we have a shortage.”