Every day, the heroin and opioid crisis is ending lives, devastating futures, and pulling apart families across New Hampshire. Wednesday I will vote to ask New Hampshire lawmakers to return to the State House for a special session to take swift action to address this issue.

Wednesday’s vote follows Governor Hassan’s public call last month for a special session, as well as months of bipartisan private discussions with lawmakers. I raised the need for a special legislative session in a prior meeting of the Governor & Council in Cornish this summer, and I am glad that on Wednesday morning, the Executive Council will now have the opportunity to vote on Governor Hassan’s formal request.

This summer and fall, I’ve heard from law enforcement, health care professionals, nonprofit leaders, drug counselors, and people in long-term recovery themselves — and universally they appreciate the state’s renewed focus and discussion on this crisis but are also asking for added action.

In Franklin, the Fire Chief told me how escalating calls are wrecking havoc on a small rural public safety department — and asked for help.

In Winchester, a waitress in recovery told me how she counsels other women at the County jail about life without heroin — and asked for help.

In Concord, a volunteer leader on a state board charged with the issue told me how she lost her nephew to an overdose just a week after she was nominated for the volunteer role. And she asked for help.

New Hampshire has taken steps to increase access to Narcan, better educate health care professionals about prescription practices for narcotic painkillers, and route additional resources to combating the problem — but we need to do more, and we need lawmakers in Concord to take action now. Expanding successful drug courts statewide, increasing penalties for selling Fentanyl, streamlining access to treatment, and strengthening prescription monitoring programs & guidelines are just a few of the critical steps we need lawmakers to take up in a bipartisan manner in a special meeting this month.

Colin Van Ostern is an Executive Councilor serving the people of 49 towns across the state from Cheshire to Strafford Counties, and is running for Governor of New Hampshire in 2016.