Brian Kiely

My name is Brian Kiely and I live in Portsmouth, NH, and I urge you to support HB 751, NH. My stepson died from severe alcohol use disorder (AUD) 15 months ago. He tried many times to stop drinking and attended residential treatment and IOP (Intensive outpatient programs) 4 times. Unfortunately, the programs he was referred to did not practice evidence-based treatment; they were 12-step based. 12 step programs work for some people but are not for everyone. Evidence-based programs include highly effective medications and behavioral health therapy. This bill will help to ensure that treatment programs in NH practice evidence-based substance use treatment and employ credentialed staff with expertise in addiction medicine. I believe my stepson would be alive today if he had had the proper medical treatment that he tried so desperately to receive. I strongly support this bill and thank you for your consideration of it.