Martin: Another idea for opioid settlement funding
Jim Martin is the pastor and director at The Shepherd’s Office in Georgetown.
Editor’s note: The following letter was sent to the members of the Delaware Prescription Opioid Settlement Distribution Commission on Aug. 3 and shared with the Daily State News.
I trust this message finds you all feeling well and in good health. We are all grateful for your tireless work to help and serve Delawareans. My name is Jim Martin from The Shepherd’s Office in Georgetown. I am reaching out to express my strong support for Chief Ken McLaughlin’s proposal regarding the establishment of a long-term treatment facility. It is my sincere hope that the commission will seriously consider this innovative approach as an alternative to dispersing the funds among numerous well-intentioned programs.
Each day, my heart aches for the unsheltered individuals of all ages who are grappling with the overwhelming challenges of active addiction, compounded by the lack of basic necessities, such as shelter and respite.
Those of us working on the front lines of the addiction crisis witness firsthand the escalating nature of these issues. It is clear that, without decisive action, this problem will only continue to worsen. The opportunity presented by our state receiving the settlement funds could be transformative if channeled into the creation of a comprehensive statewide campus dedicated to detox, rehabilitation and residential treatment services. Leveraging the available Stockley Center state-owned property, we have the potential to establish a compassionate and effective campus community that could offer a pathway to recovery for thousands of Delawareans. This initiative could serve as a beacon of hope and a model for the impactful utilization of these funds in the battle against addiction.
The thought of individuals enduring extreme weather conditions without shelter or support weighs heavily on my mind. I have witnessed firsthand the personal devastation that comes with such circumstances, engaging with individuals on a human level and recognizing the profound impact of their struggles. The individuals grappling with active addiction are turned away from the beds available at the homeless shelters, compounding their challenges and exacerbating their vulnerabilities. This is why Chief Ken McLaughlin’s proposal is so important for those who struggle with substance abuse. If the homeless suffering with substance abuse could be helped with this kind of long-term drug treatment facility, it would leave a much more manageable number of folks for us to help who struggle with housing because of the economy or personal circumstances. We are not equipped to manage addiction. We are here to offer support and resources.
I believe that Chief Ken McLaughlin’s vision for a long-term treatment facility offers a beacon of hope for our community. By investing in a statewide campus that provides comprehensive services and support, we can make tangible progress in addressing the root causes of addiction and mental health issues, offering a lifeline to those in need of assistance.
The stark reality of people in Sussex County suffering from active addiction, coupled with being homeless, is a pressing issue that weighs heavily on my heart. I am sorry to give you this bad news, but this is what I am hearing and seeing as a “people helper” out here every day, trying my best to help them with healthy meals and clean clothing and other items they may need. It is heartbreaking to hear and see their stories up close. Our team and I will continue to help each day with kind conversation, connecting over hot coffee, morning prayers, clean clothes, hygiene items, water, free homemade meals, free bikes, bus passes, a mailing address, free Wi-Fi, a free charging station, a free water hose. But we are not an overnight homeless shelter. We are only a daytime place, open from sun up to sun down. And our vulnerable guests have nowhere to go at night. As a state, we need dense infrastructure built on state-owned property, as soon as possible, to serve the most needy and the most vulnerable, who are being crushed and destroyed in this horrible addiction epidemic and the mental illness trauma and abuse that are also part of their vulnerable experience. So many of our guests have died over the past few years because of how brutal the experience of addiction, coupled with homelessness, is. We need very large, long-term treatment facilities constructed in each county on state-owned property. Let’s build one in New Castle County, Kent County and Sussex County. With the state’s help, as the opioid settlement funds are utilized around the state, these funds could go toward prevention, harm reduction, treatment and education of opioid addicts.
At The Shepherd’s Office, we are able to get our resources from our volunteers and people in the community, so we are doing OK as far as the funding we need. We are not asking for any of the settlement funds for our small program. We come in first place in the Do More 24 Delaware contest each year, and we have been relying on this to keep our lights on and our doors swinging each day. We are like a lighthouse for the lost, the addicted, the mentally ill, the returning citizens, the broken, the homeless population. Somehow, we keep the fires lit over here every day at The Shepherd’s Office in Georgetown, for the homeless, hungry or lonely citizens. We are serving 200-300 free home-cooked meals every weekday now, and we are trying to help a lot of hungry, homeless, unsheltered neighbors. We are on pace to give out 64,000 homemade meals in 2024. We keep track of every meal given out for our Hunger-Relief Partnership with the Food Bank of Delaware.
I am also very grateful for the existence of the 40 small cabins at the Springboard Collaborative Pallet Shelter Village, also known as the “pallet village.” There is a waiting list and criteria for entry that excludes individuals struggling with active opioid addiction and the disruptive behaviors from all their trauma. This still leaves hundreds of our neighbors without a roof over their heads, forced to seek temporary refuge wherever they can find it, all while navigating the constant fear of being arrested, robbed or attacked while they sleep.
The plight of actively addicted homeless women, who are especially vulnerable in these circumstances, is particularly distressing. Many resort to sleeping in vacant or abandoned buildings out of sheer desperation, only to be met with reports of trespassing. It is heartbreaking to witness how some members of the community actively make life more challenging for the homeless drug (heroin/fentanyl/opioid) addicts, compounding their already dire situations.
The actively addicted homeless community describes their experience as a constant battle for survival, where every missed opportunity or setback can mean the loss of a job or a chance at stability. The cycle of drug addiction, poverty and homelessness perpetuates itself, with few avenues for escape or assistance for those who find themselves trapped in its brutal grip.
In light of these profound challenges, I urge the commission to consider Chief Ken McLaughlin’s proposal as a beacon of hope for those in our community who are most vulnerable and in need of support. By investing in a comprehensive statewide campus for detox, rehab, harm reduction and residential treatment, we have the opportunity to not only address the root causes of addiction and homelessness but also to provide a lifeline to those who are struggling to find their way out of the cycle of poverty and despair.
Thank you for your attention to this critical matter. I look forward to the positive impact that our collective efforts can have on the lives of those in need.
Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at civiltalk@iniusa.org.
