David J. Morrissey

DAVID J. MORRISSEY 

Democratic

BACKGROUND: David. J. Morrissey, 62, of Smithtown, a Democrat, is making his first bid for office. He is a software engineer and certified project management professional. Morrissey earned a data processing degree at Suffolk County Community College, a bachelor’s in liberal studies from Stony Brook University and an MBA from SUNY Empire State College. He is active in the recovery community. Morrissey is married and has one son.

ISSUES: Morrissey is concerned with the lack of medically assisted treatments, support and treatment beds for those getting help for drug addiction. He would work to get policy that leads to sufficient services to help stop what he called the revolving door of treatment that drains insurance funds, and he would advocate with insurance companies to make available treatment on demand. “Insurers should not be able to limit treatments. We should have the number of beds needed,” he said. Two years ago, Morrissey said he lost his son William, 30, to complications of heroin and cocaine drug use, and he has been in recovery himself since 1980.  More quality treatment centers are needed, he said, along with recovery services, addiction counselors and education for workers on evidence-based treatment and prevention techniques, as well as increasing the use of drug courts instead of jail to help cut down on the incarceration rate. “You can’t ignore substance abuse,” he said. “The cost to Long Island, the burden of addiction on the community, is about $3,000 per person.” Beyond addiction issues, Morrissey said he would advocate for increased bus service, and he also would focus on getting the Kings Park sewage treatment plant operational. “That’s a priority issue, to protect the aquifer.”