House-Senate Opioid Conferees to Meet THIS WEEK
As the House and Senate worked on their respective legislative packages to address the country’s growing opioid epidemic, we’ve heard heartbreaking tales of addiction and loss. Rep. Bob Latta (R-OH) recently held a forum in his district, which showcased similar stories. Local and state officials were also in attendance and highlighted some recent successful efforts in combating the epidemic.
NBC 24 reported hundreds were in attendance at the forum in Findlay. Among them were Stephanie Jones and Kim Pellegrini. The local affiliate reported, “Jones is five years sober. ‘I was an abuser. I was a thief. I was heartless and soulless,’ she recalls. ‘I didn’t care about anything other than getting a fix.’” Pellegrini shared the story of her son, who is currently in treatment. “‘He needed help and I didn’t know where to go,’ she said. ‘I didn’t know what to do.’”
Northwestern Ohio’s The Courier reports, “…it’s become clear that opioids affect every community, and their pervasiveness has pushed addiction ‘over the top’ of other issues such as Obamacare, Latta said. ‘This is not an epidemic that’s happening someplace else,’ Latta said after the forum. ‘It’s right here.’”
This week we continue to make progress in the collective effort to fight the opioid epidemic by holding a meeting with the House and Senate appointees to the opioid conference.
Rep. Latta: Opioid epidemic is ‘right here’
Seeing children taken from their home on Christmas Eve because their parents were using drugs was the “worst day” Bob Latta ever had on the job.
It was an incident that occurred years ago, when Latta was interning at the Wood County Prosecutor’s Office, but it’s one that is still relevant as the country fights an opioid and heroin epidemic.
Latta, now a Republican congressman representing Ohio’s 5th District, told the story to an audience of a few hundred during an opioid forum Monday night at Findlay’s Winebrenner Theological Seminary.
“It’s happening right here on our own streets,” Latta said.
Heroin used to be talked about as an “I-75 issue,” Latta said.
However, it’s become clear that opioids affect every community, and their pervasiveness has pushed addiction “over the top” of other issues such as Obamacare, Latta said.
“This is not an epidemic that’s happening someplace else,” Latta said after the forum. “It’s right here.”
Latta provided opening and closing comments and hosted the forum that was also attended by Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine.
DeWine briefly spoke to the crowd as the forum began.
“It’s killing people every single day,” DeWine said. “The numbers are horrible.”
State officials such as Ohio Department of Health Director Richard Hodges and Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services Director Tracy Plouck also attended. Both applauded the efforts of local and statewide officials.
The forum was mediated by WTOL-TV anchor Jerry Anderson, who took questions from audience members on cards and then asked a separate panel of area officials for answers.
Officials were asked about available support groups, and how the fight against heroin is going.
Jennifer Moses, chief executive officer of the Zepf Center for mental health and wellness in Toledo, said officials are “trying to play catch-up” on serving the swaths of people affected by opioid addiction.
Officials also spoke of the complexity of dealing with the epidemic and said it takes coordination and different levels of treatment.
“The problem is big and multi-headed,” said Jonas Thom, vice president of community programs for health care company CareSource.
A question asked more than once was how to help young people suffering from opioid addiction.
One audience member asked where detox services are available, and if there is a facility specifically for youths. Officials said there are detox services available in some hospitals but there are not enough stand-alone facilities to meet the need, not just for young people but for everyone.
Precia Stuby, director of the Hancock County Board of Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services, suggested that the stigma surrounding addiction needs to be eliminated. She said young people and all recovering addicts would benefit from an end to the “blame and shame culture” of addiction.
Lt. Robert Chromik, of the Lucas County Sheriff’s Drug Abuse Response Team, agreed with Stuby.
“We’ve got homecoming queens and high school football stars,” Chromik said. “These kids have gotten felonies but they’re good kids.”
Read the article online HERE.
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