BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – As Hoosiers continue to battle drug overdoses, IU announced Tuesday it will invest $50 million to combat addiction.
Officials hope the commitment will help Indiana families who have suffered loss and prevent more overdose incidents in the future.
Becky Savage advocates to end the drug crisis, as she knows first hand what it’s like to lose loved ones.
On June 14, 2015, Savage’s two teenage sons attended a high school graduation party that ended in a nightmare.
"I got up the next morning, which was a Sunday morning, started doing household chores, and was collecting laundry out of Jack's bedroom,” said Savage. "I went to wake him, and he was unresponsive. So, I started hollering for Nick because I knew he was at home with friends in the basement. That's when his friends went to wake him, and they couldn't wake him either."
The 18 and 19 year olds died from alcohol poisoning and oxycodone overdose.
Due to her loss, Savage has helped to launch the state-wide effort to curb addictions. Research from IU shows overdose deaths have quadrupled in Indiana since 1999.
IU plans to partner with the state, Eskenazi Health and IU Health. Their efforts will include data collection and analysis, research on the science of addiction, workforce development, training and education.
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