Brown to discuss heroin crisis

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With drug overdose deaths on the rise in Ohio, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) will hold a roundtable discussion in Fayette County to discuss efforts to address the opioid addiction crisis.

Brown will be joined by local leaders and public health officials at the Fayette County Health Department, at 317 S. Fayette St. in Washington C.H., on Monday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. Brown will outline legislation he has introduced, which represents a comprehensive approach to address the entire spectrum of addiction.

Brown said his bill would help address the opioid epidemic from crisis to recovery, filling in gaps that would help: boost prevention, improve tools for crisis response for those who fall through the cracks, expand access to treatment, and provide support for lifelong recovery.

Those scheduled to participate in the roundtable are: Leigh Cannon, Deputy Health Commissioner at the Fayette County Health Department; Dan Dean, Fayette County Commissioner; Chelsie Hornsby, Fayette County Memorial Hospital Director of Business Development; Whitney Gentry, Fayette County Chamber of Commerce President; Matthew McCorkle, Washington C.H. City School District Superintendent; Bruce Bennett, Pickaway Area Recovery; Joe Denen, City Manager of Washington C.H.; and Andy Bivens, Chief Deputy of the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office.

According to Brown’s office, every term he tries to make it to each county in Ohio to discuss the serious issues impacting the state. He hasn’t been to the county in awhile, and decided that he should come to the local health department to give the county leaders a chance to share ideas on the addiction crisis.

Overall, his office explained that he is trying to bring people together to discuss this issue. He has been bringing up the crisis around the state because of the high volume of overdoses.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more people died from drug overdoses in 2014 than any other year on record. In Ohio alone, drug overdose deaths increased from 2,110 in 2013 to 2,482 in 2014.

Sen. Sherrod Brown
http://www.recordherald.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2016/03/web1_Brown-4.jpgSen. Sherrod Brown
U.S. Senator set to visit Fayette County on Monday

By Martin Graham

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Reach Martin Graham at (740) 313-0351 or on Twitter @MartiTheNewsGuy

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