Trone Hosts Opioid Epidemic Workshop with Over 120 People, Joined by Maryland Opioid Operational Command Center Executive Director Steve Schuh
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Hannah Muldavin, Hannah.Muldavin@mail.house.gov
Trone Hosts Opioid Epidemic Workshop with Over 120 People, Joined by Maryland Opioid Operational Command Center Executive Director Steve Schuh
Cumberland, MD – Today, Representative David Trone (MD-06) hosted a workshop focused on ending the opioid epidemic with special guest Steve Schuh, Executive Director of the Maryland Opioid Operational Command Center. There were 120 people and 12 organizations in attendance at the public event at the Western Maryland Health System in Cumberland, MD.
The workshop took place on the first day of Trone’s two-day tour of Western Maryland. This is the second Opioid Epidemic Workshop Trone has hosted since being sworn into office. The first took place in Hagerstown, MD in May with Lt. Governor Boyd Rutherford.
The workshop featured a panel of experts to discuss the various aspects of the opioid epidemic. Cumberland City Councilman Rock Cioni introduced the panel and Maryland Opioid Operational Command Center Executive Director Steve Schuh gave opening remarks about how the effort to combat the opioid epidemic is going in Western Maryland. The expert panel included:
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Steve Schuh, Executive Director of the Maryland Opioid Operational Command Center
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Dr. Anand Parekh, Chief Medical Advisor for the Bipartisan Policy Center
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James Pyles, Director of Emergency Services, Allegany County
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Sadie Liller, Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Coordinator for Garrett County Health Department
“The opioid epidemic has devastated families in Western Maryland, so it’s important to hear directly from those affected about their experience and what more we can do to address this crisis,” said Congressman David Trone, founder of the Freshmen Working Group on Addiction in Congress. “I’m touring the district and hosting workshops to hear more about what resources our communities need to help those suffering from addiction. By working together at the local, state, and federal levels, we can work to appropriately tackle this critical public health crisis that is devastating our communities.”
“The Hogan administration deeply appreciates the continued support of our federal partners,” said Steve Schuh, Executive Director of the Maryland Opioid Operational Command Center. “Their work is indispensable to state and local efforts to combat this urgent public health crisis.”
“The opioid epidemic does not discriminate,” said Sadie Liller, CPP, Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Coordinator at the Garrett County Health Department. “That is why it is so important for us all to stand together and fight this problem. It really does take a village.”
The panel discussed the many aspects of the opioid epidemic including how to discuss the issue as a public health crisis, how to prevent overdoses, and which methods of prevention are most effective.
In addition to the panel discussion, there were 12 organizations focused on providing resources to constituents regarding the opioid epidemic. The organizations included: AHEC West (Maryland Area Health Education Center West), Alternative Drug & Alcohol Counselling (ADAC), City of Cumberland Police Department, Cumberland Comprehensive Treatment Center Programs, Garrett County Health Department, Human Resources Development Commission of Allegany County (Allegany County HRDC), Ideal Option, Main Place Treatment Center, Potomac Case Management Services, The Rx Abuse Leadership Initiative (RALI) of Maryland, Western Maryland Health Connector, and Western Maryland Health System.
Congressman David Trone was elected to the House of Representatives in November 2018 to serve the 6th District of Maryland. In Congress, he founded the Freshmen Working Group on Addiction, a bipartisan group of 64 freshmen lawmakers dedicated to ending the addiction epidemic in the country. Thus far, the group has visited Johns Hopkins Medical facilities to see the latest research on addiction, introduced legislation to combat the spread of the epidemic, and promoted practices and policies to tackle the crisis from every angle. In June, Trone wrote about the progress the group has made within Congress, acknowledging the long way we still have to go to stop the spread of addiction.
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