Editor’s note: This is the second of four articles based on a debate held by The Post-Journal and the OBSERVER between New York State Assembly candidates Andy Goodell and Jason Perdue.

Republican incumbent Andy Goodell says the state is making strides to combat the drug epidemic while Democratic challenger Jason Perdue is placing a need for transitional housing.

On Nov. 8, voters will have the opportunity to vote for Goodell or Perdue to represent Chautauqua County residents in Albany. Goodell began the discussion by summarizing the state’s efforts to increase funding for the Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services to $189 million, expand education preventive services and allow immediate access to inpatient care, among many other measures. With all that the state has enacted through the years, Goodell said there’s more work to do as he’ll continue to push for more initiatives if elected back to the Assembly.

“We want to expand education and try to avoid the abuse in the beginning both on the provider side as well as school based,” he said. “On the provider side, that means helping physicians and nonprescribers be much more sensitive in terms of the amount being prescribed. We want to require a detailed recovery plan upon a detox discharge. We want to evaluate the effectiveness of expanding the availability of medically assisted detox programs.”

Perdue said it’s clear measures to combat the drug epidemic aren’t enough as the approach must head in a new direction. If elected, Perdue said he’d sponsor legislation to implement transitional housing to support those fighting against addiction. Perdue said it’s the No. 1 area that every politician is forgetting about, and it’s the root of the issue.

“There’s a large gap in the process currently where an individual receives treatment, but does not have access to mental health assistance and life skills to help them break the cycle that has held them back from recovery,” Perdue said. “Transitional housing provides a safe environment from outside influence, provides mental health support and onsite employment opportunities, which can contract for services out to create a self-sufficient and paid-for facility.”

Overall, Perdue said transitional housing allows for a positive and productive move back to society, which he feels is one of the important aspects that’s missing.

Transitional housing is a vital component to the overall picture as Goodell said the Assembly passed legislation directing OASAS to implement a transitional services program for individuals. In this year’s budget, Goodell said they increased funding for the program. In addition, $1 million was secured for Chautauqua County to assist with capital investments needed to develop transitional housing.

“Transitional housing is one part of an overall issue. The best program we have helps people from becoming addicted in the first place and that’s why we focus so much on ISTOP, which dramatically reduced the amount of prescription opioids made available,” Goodell said. “We’re trying to head off the problem at the beginning rather than talk about just one issue, the transitional housing issue, which is available at the very end of the process.”

Perdue said he’s tired of seeing individuals lose their lives, families torn apart and communities diminished. A real solution must be embraced as Perdue said he’ll step up and sponsor legislation for transitional housing.

“We have to get funding for a facility like this,” he said, “and we have to pay for it now before it’s too late.”