14 November, 2017
Event to be hosted by The Rappaport Center for Law and Public Policy
NEWTON, Mass. – Middlesex Sheriff Peter J. Koutoujian and Arlington Police Chief Fred Ryan will participate in a pair of panel discussions on the opioid crisis on Wednesday, November 15.
Sheriff Koutoujian and Chief Ryan will join healthcare and fellow public safety officials to discuss “Creative Solutions to the Opioid Crisis” at a forum hosted by Boston College Law School’s Rappaport Center for Law and Public Policy.
Chief Ryan will participate in the forum’s opening panel on collaborative initiatives between law enforcement and treatment communities, while Sheriff Koutoujian will join corrections leaders for a panel on treatment interventions inside prisons and jails in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
“I want to thank the Rappaport Center and Boston College for hosting a critical dialogue on the opioid epidemic,” said Sheriff Koutoujian. “We are doing innovative work at the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office, but this is not a crisis we or any agency can solve on our own. We must work across jurisdictions and knock down barriers to ensure those with substance use disorders can get quality, effective community-based treatment.”
“This crisis is not one we can arrest our way out of. Addiction is a disease and we need to ensure those with substance use disorders can access quality, critical treatment in the communities in which they live,” said Chief Ryan. “I look forward to participating in this important discussion.”
Sheriff Koutoujian and Chief Ryan are locally and nationally recognized leaders for their efforts to address the opioid crisis through innovative approaches. Last year, Sheriff Koutoujian was invited to the White House to discuss his Medication Assisted Treatment And Directed Opioid Recovery (MATADOR) program for individuals leaving custody and returning to the community, while Chief Ryan was invited to testify before the United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs regarding the Arlington Opiate Outreach Initiative.
The event will be held at BC Law’s East Wing 115B on November 15 and run from 1:30-5:30 p.m. Individuals wishing to attend may RSVP to Rappaport@bc.edu.
