Several weeks ago, I featured a LION (Leaders In Our Neighborhood) article on Judge Marc Lovecchio’s selection as Pennsylvania’s representative to the Reno, Nevada’s National Justice College faculty preparation seminar titled, “Justice-Involved Individuals with Substance Use Disorders: Cultivating Law and Medicine Partnerships.” Though this might not make a very exciting marquee across a theater entrance, history may show that this event was a significant turning point in the way that opioid-addicted individuals are helped in our society.

Judge Lovecchio’s experience in this field was recognized at the seminar as the judges were divided up by geography, and he was assigned to be chairman of the Northeast group, which went from Maine to Maryland. They worked through all the presentations that came from various medical trauma, mental health, as well as legal organizations presenting evidenced-based best practices on the best way to treat those with opioid addictions. This concerns the judiciary, as for many individuals, it is through the courts that they receive the treatments that they need.

The judiciary is also an important component in addressing the opioid problem in our nation, as there is a critical necessity for community collaboration. Judges serve a major role in encouraging that collaboration. They can get to the table law enforcement, mental health providers, religious organizations, service providers, medical providers — and of course, those in recovery or in need of recovery.

Judge Lovecchio came away from the seminar with some valuable insights. One is the recognition of the challenge that these issues are rarely based on a single disorder. Many times the addiction is rooted in mental health issues, family dysfunction, childhood trauma, isolation from family, or from lack of community support agencies. The key is to identify the need and then develop a plan to address the need.

Of course, much of this comes back to money, and the judge was pleased to learn of the variety of funding sources available. The seminar not only cited the sources, but also showed how to connect to them, and even the best way to approach these agencies with funding requests.

Judge Lovecchio learned that social stigma is a big obstacle that needed to be faced. One speaker gave a metaphor between cigarette smoking and opioid use. A lifetime smoker who gets cancer is treated without the same stigma that would be shown to an individual who goes to the hospital for a condition related to opioid use. The judge noted that all the medical experts agreed on one thing — the science is crystal clear — this is a disease, a chronically relapsing disease. Those that are prone to addiction are seven to eight times more likely to relapse than those who are not. It is not a moral failing. A study done on rats showed that rats that were given opioids and those who were not found that the rats given the opioids would literally starve themselves to death in seeking to satisfy their need for the opioids. Blind studies involving placebos also verified that 80% of medically treated had 80% recovery; the placebo was the exact opposite.

Judge Lovecchio’s biggest ‘aha’ moment was the power of the judge to be a catalyst for change. The judges throughout the United States who have had the most success with those going through opioid addiction are those who are judges who dispense hope. While it is important to be a motivator, no matter how many relapses, they need encouraged.

One thing that should encourage those of us in Lycoming County is that Judge Lovecchio realized that many of the policies and practices that were being offered at the seminar have already been implemented here. In fact, Judge Lovecchio’s input was obviously highly valued because he was asked to consider serving on the faculty of the National Justice College.

But first, he must now conduct training throughout the commonwealth to some 300 regional judges, as well as law enforcement, probation officers, medical professionals, etc. Unfortunately, the Northeast is the hardest hit on the opioid addiction front. There is a lot of work to be done. The biggest takeaway is that this is not a judicial problem, or a law-enforcement problem, or even a medical problem — it is a problem for all of us in society.

Larry Stout welcomes your comments or input. He can be reached by email: lionwebbweekly@gmail.com.