Susan Ousterman: I lost my child to an overdose, and there’s nothing in the world I want more than to prevent other people from going through this. There are many policy changes that we need in order to prevent more of these untimely deaths.
We need immediate access to detox. We need immediate access to medication options. When someone is ready to stop using, they need to be able to access what they need to make that happen.
The federal government has invested billions of dollars over the last few years for the opioid epidemic, but that money doesn’t get to the street. It’s going through state agencies that are carceral based, through county agencies that are aligned with district attorneys. They don’t improve access to care. They create barriers.
My son sought treatment for his addiction repeatedly, and he was faced with barrier after barrier. The criminal justice system was a barrier. We need to decriminalize personal possession of substances, all substances.
We also need non-discriminatory health care. People who use drugs deserve just as good a care as your grandmother.
Our communities need overdose prevention centers. They keep people safe, they keep people alive, they actually reduce the amount of syringes that you’ll see on the street. People are much more likely to access treatment through an overdose prevention center.
We need people with living and lived experience at the head making these decisions. We know what we need.
About Susan Ousterman: In 2020, Susan lost her son Tyler to an accidental overdose of fentanyl and xylazine. Today, she fiercely advocates for a public health approach to drug use to prevent overdose, improve health, and save lives.
English 
Spanish