He has seen firsthand the tragic fallout of the nation's opiate epidemic, with addicted women giving birth to babies going through withdrawal -- known as neonatal abstinence syndrome -- at skyrocketing rates.
Those numbers surpassed a statewide increase of about 30 percent, and they contributed to a record state high of 2,487 babies born with neonatal abstinence syndrome.
A pregnant woman who uses opioids, including prescription painkillers, may give birth to a child experiencing neonatal abstinence syndrome, which is marked by symptoms like high-pitched crying, seizures, and trembling.
The principal effects of methadone maintenance are to relieve narcotic craving, suppress the abstinence syndrome, and block the euphoric effects associated with opiates.