Manley Hosts Heroin Task Force Hearing in Plainfield

The state’s Young Adults Heroin Use Task Force will submit a report later this year on recommendations for programs and prevention methods for schools to implement. One of the guest speakers included Paige Henson, a 22-year-old woman who had begun using heroin at age 16. 

Recently enrolled in Will County’s Drug Court program and clean for about one year, she spoke about how the drug has impacted her and her family, her time in jail, her friends who have overdosed and died, her hopeful feelings about recovery, and her ideas for having recovering addicts speak to classrooms to prevent kids from becoming users.  

“We’ve learned there is value in multiple different approaches,” Manley said. “I look forward to increasing awareness of available resources to prevent heroin usage by young adults, such as medication recycling events, aimed at getting unused prescription pain pills out of cabinets, hopefully limiting kids’ access to these powerful substances that can lead to an opiate dependency and heroin usage.” 

For more information, please contact Manley’s full-time constituent service office at (815) 725-2741 or email repmanley@gmail.com.