Rep. Poliquin & Maine Guests to Join Congressional Heroin Task Force Field Hearing

Representative Bruce Poliquin will join the Bipartisan Task Force to Combat the Heroin Epidemic to host a Congressional field hearing in Manchester, NH.

Bruce Poliquin

On Monday, April 25, while in New Hampshire, Rep. Poliquin will hear directly from New Englanders on the frontlines of the region's devastating opioid epidemic.

Congressman Poliquin personally invited the following Mainers to join the forum as panelists:

Michael Crabtree, Chief Deputy of the Washington County Sheriff’s Department:

Chief Crabtree has 24 years of law enforcement experience, all of them in Washington County, which sadly has had the most overdose deaths per capita in our State for the last 10 years.

Pat Kimball, LADC, CCS, the Executive Director of Wellspring in Bangor—

Wellspring is a Maine-based organization that provides residential and outpatient services that foster recovery for those affected by addiction and co-occurring mental health disorders. In operation since 1965, Wellspring includes a men’s halfway house, a women’s halfway house, transitional apartments and outpatient services. Kimball has been a leader in discussions in Maine about substance abuse prevention, treatment and recovery and is currently chair of the Maine Association of Substance Abuse Programs, and on several local and state tasks forces focused on the issue.

The hearing, entitled “Investigating the Heroin Epidemic and Its Impacts on the Northeast,” will focus on treatment and law enforcement strategies to end New England’s drug epidemic. The House Members will hear from witnesses about treatment programs, criminal justice, and advocacy efforts. They will also present the legislative agenda that their Task Force plans to announce this week – a package of 15 bills they deem most likely to gather support in Congress and to help New England states overcome a growing public health crisis.

The Bipartisan Task Force to Combat the Heroin Epidemic was created to advance best practices in Congress against the epidemic and to develop a more transparent and collaborative environment for the various agencies and levels of government that are in the fight to end the crisis. Congressman Poliquin is a proud founding member of the Task Force.

WHAT: Rep. Bruce Poliquin will join a robust and extensive New England focused Congressional field hearing sponsored by the Bipartisan Task Force to Combat the Heroin Epidemic concentrating on treatment and law enforcement strategies to combat the heroin epidemic in Maine and across New England.

WHERE: The New Hampshire Institute of Politics, 100 Saint Anselm Drive, Manchester, NH 03102.

WHEN: Check-in and registration will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, April 25.

The field hearing will begin at 9:00 a.m. and feature the following discussions and panelists:

Protecting our Communities: Policing in a Public Health Crisis

Chief Deputy Michael Crabtree - Washington County (ME) Sheriff Department

Jay Fallon - Executive Director, New England High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area

James Vara - Senior Director of Substance Misuse and Behavioral Health, Office of Gov. Hassan

Chief Nick Willard - Manchester Police Department

Treating Addiction: Supporting Long-term Health and Recovery

Alexandra Hamel - Director of Residential Services, Keystone Hall

Patricia Kimball - Executive Director, Wellspring

Chief Justice Tina Nadeau - New Hampshire Superior Court