Mass., NH Governors To Join Business Leaders At Opioid Forum

BOSTON (AP) — The governors of Massachusetts and New Hampshire are joining regional business leaders at a forum on New England's growing opioid addiction scourge.

Govs. Charlie Baker and Maggie Hassan, along with U.S. Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts, will headline Monday's conference hosted by the New England Council, a business group.

Public health officials from Connecticut and Rhode Island also are taking part in the half-day forum.

Participants will discuss new ways that the government and the private sector might be able to pool resources and work together more closely to help combat addiction.

Separately Monday, Baker is scheduled to meet with Massachusetts county sheriffs on the crisis.

New England has been hit particularly hard by the nationwide epidemic of addiction to heroin and other opiates, including prescription painkillers.