Over 41,000 people died from opioid or heroin addiction in 2016 nation-wide. That’s enough people to fill IU Assembly Hall nearly three times, and it’s more than half the population of Clark, Floyd and Harrison Counties combined. Locally, the numbers are just as staggering. Addiction, overdose and death affect everyone. The problem started with prescription medications and a lack of full understanding of the risks posed by opioid painkillers. Now, the influx and availability of cheap heroin and synthetic opioids perpetuate the problem. Sarah Stivers is committed to creating a program that helps citizens in District 70 get and stay clean and sober. She will support legislation addressing Indiana’s opioid crisis that is proactive, recovery-based and holistic.
Sarah Stivers, a 53 year-old small business owner and successful performer, is still paying on her student loans. She knows, first-hand, that paying for an education should not take 20 years! Sarah believes training comes in many forms (trade schools, two-year and four-year programs, union apprenticeships, etc.) and, because education is a critical tool for getting out of poverty and establishing independence, it should be accessible and affordable to all. A former teacher and site-based schools committee volunteer, Sarah Stivers has the knowledge and experience to shape the education budget and school safety dialogues so that Hoosier tax payers and students win.
Sarah is one of the millions of Americans who have been denied health insurance. She knows what it’s like to have to choose between either going to the doctor or buying groceries. Sarah Stivers believes that getting good medical care and staying healthy should not put Americans in debt, and she plans to help working families navigate the ever-changing world of healthcare and health insurance. Giving Hoosiers the opportunity to obtain good health coverage at an affordable price is one of Sarah’s primary concerns.