The Indiana Commission to Combat Drug Abuse held a meeting in Indianapolis Thursday and says Indiana is making strides in the fight against opioid addiction.

Indiana has increased the number of opioid treatment programs, imposed prescription limitations and supported prevention efforts in recent years. Indiana Drug Czar Jim McClelland says hospitals are reporting fewer overdoses and in some counties overdose rates have declined.

“I am absolutely convinced that we’re going to end this crisis and we’re going to do so in a lot less time than it took to create it,” says McClelland.

McClelland says in the coming year the state will support recovery services provided through projects like ECHO.

Indiana University’s Opioid ECHO project program coordinator Kristen Kelley says the tele-mentoring program gives providers and community health workers a network.

“So they can tap into their knowledge and resources but also create this collaborative feel among other providers that are also treating for opioid use disorders,” says Kelley.

The commission meeting also highlighted prescription drug take back efforts and Recovery Works a program from people in the criminal justice system.

McClelland says there’s still work to be done.

“During the coming year we will continue to improve access to medication-assisted treatment, take steps to improve recovery support services and further expand the use of project Echo,” says McClelland.

More than 1,700 people in Indiana died in 2017 from a drug overdose.