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Families urge tougher treatment and coordination after fentanyl death; council highlights opioid‑abatement grants
Summary
A mother who lost her son to a fentanyl‑laced overdose urged hospitals, law enforcement and longer rehab stays; another speaker proposed a coordinated intake and case‑management model. City staff said opioid‑abatement grant funding will support peer‑recovery centers and mobile medical units.
Michelle Bowen recounted the overdose death of her 28‑year‑old son in 2019 and called for systemic changes including stronger coordination between hospitals and law enforcement, longer residential rehab stays (60 days or more), and day centers staffed by volunteers and professionals. Bowen said she struggled to secure continuous treatment and called for better hospital follow‑up and accountability: “My son… walked in on his own accord, struggling and crying for help… An hour later, he was released… and my son died that night.”
Latoya Fleming presented a written proposal for coordinated addiction treatment that includes immediate medical/mental health assessment at pickup, assignment of a caseworker, family notification and a tailored recovery plan, and suggested using planned housing units or repurposed warehouses for rehab facilities. The city manager said two opioid‑abatement grants on the agenda support peer‑recovery and a mobile medical unit; he said staff and the Community Services Board will develop peer‑recovery drop‑in centers in Hampton and Newport News funded through opioid settlement dollars.
