A proposed ban by the city of Bloomington on future substance abuse treatment centers has been withdrawn, according to a recent Bloomington press release.
The proposed ban was first put forth June 1, and if passed, would have made it illegal for further treatment centers to be set up in Bloomington for one year. The announcement sparked backlash from the Indiana Recovery Alliance, which said in a press release the ban would "lead to an increase in the spread of infectious disease, increased incarceration and fatal overdose."
Over the past year, various treatment centers and groups have moved into the area. Indiana Center for Recovery, an abstinence-based program, opened last summer and three other medically-assisted centers have Bloomington locations as well. A methadone clinic is also scheduled to open at the end of the month on the city's west side, near Walmart.
The IRA said the need for these treatment centers was real and immediate due to the opioid syndemic which they claimed is gripping Indiana. A syndemic is when multiple diseases feed off each other and create additional health problems.
In an earlier statement, Mary Catherine Carmichael, Bloomington's director of community engagement, said the city is still grappling with the influx of businesses and how unregulated growth is affecting Bloomington. But the decision to call for a short-term moratorium may not have been the best idea, she said.
“Our first goal is to do no harm as we explore ways to ensure people with substance use disorders get the help they need with minimal unintended consequences for the broader community," Carmichael said in the release. "We considered a short-term moratorium as a possible tool to give us time to fully explore the issues, but have determined it may not be the best approach at the present time.
Bloomington Councilwoman Isabel Piedmont-Smith said in the release she and the city realized in hindsight the short-term ban might have caused "more harm than good," especially since the ban would have affected medically-assisted treatment centers.
"I will continue to work with the mayor’s administration, the county government, the state government, and experts in addiction treatment and related fields to address the legitimate concerns about zoning and unscrupulous practices that have been raised in our community,” Piedmont-Smith said.
