Lieutenant Governor Tim Murray spoke at Beverly’s Northshore Recovery High School Thursday morning about the Interagency Council on Substance Abuse and Prevention’s revised plan to prevent and treat addiction to drugs and alcohol.

“It’s timely that we are here,” Murray said. “There has been a dramatic rise in the use of prescription pain relievers.”

As chair of the Interagency Council on Substance Abuse and Prevention, Murray introduced the council’s new strategic plan, which is updated every five years. Murray has high hopes for the updated plan based on the state budget recently signed by Governor Deval Patrick.

“There is good news in the budget,” Murray said. “The amount of money given to each student has increased from $4,500 to $9,600.”

According to Murray, the increase is a reflection of the actual cost per student at Northshore Recovery High School.

William Luzier, the executive director of the Interagency Council on Substance Abuse and Prevention, urged those working to prevent substance abuse to use the money wisely. 

“We need to continue to find ways to work more efficiently and effectively,” Luzier said.

State Representative Mary Grant, who was in attendance, also was concerned about the cost of preventing substance abuse.

“We need to know what the cost of lack of prevention is and what the cost of prevention is,” Grant said. “The cost needs to be quantified.”

Michelle Lipinski, the principal of Northshore Recovery High School, and Sean Gallagher, the principal of Beverly High School, have felt the strain of tough budgets as they see students struggle with drug and alcohol addiction every day.

“Drug addiction and alcoholism is one of the most complex problems our society faces today,” Gallagher said. “When a student goes down that road it’s extremely hard for them to come back.”

Two former students who Lipinski helped to come back from that road are Alyssa Dedrick and Dillon Eaton, graduates of Northshore Recovery High School. Dedrick and Eaton both spoke at the meeting.

Dedrick, a resident of Swampscott, earned an associate’s degree and a certificate in drug and alcohol counseling from North Shore Community College after graduating from Northshore Recovery High School. Dedrick also has been offered a scholarship to Clark University, her dream school, but she remembers when her future wasn’t so bright.

“I was arrested upwards of 12 times,” Dedrick said.

Dedrick had a serious drug and alcohol addiction and if it wasn’t for the support of Lipinski and her parole officer, she wouldn’t have found the strength to attend Northshore Recovery High School, she said.
 
Dedrick also reminded the council that success stories are rarely seen, but programs like the one at Northshore Recovery High School really help.

“I am a member of the first graduating class of 2007 and I have been sober ever since,” she said.