Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam holds opioid roundtable
Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam has been traveling around Virginia to raise awareness and participate in an ongoing discussion in the healthcare community about the opioid crisis that has affected many areas of the state.
Northam, Secretary of Public Safety Brian Moran, State Health Commissioner Dr. Marissa Levine and Virginia Secretary of Public Health Dr. William A. Hazel participated in an opioid and prescription drug abuse roundtable on August 10 at Onley Community Health Center following a screening of "Chasing the Dragon: The Life of an Opiate Addict" at the Roseland Theatre in Onancock the previous evening.
Participants included Sen. Lynwood Lewis, Del. Rob Bloxom, Superintendent of Northampton County Public Schools Eddie Lawrence, Superintendent of Accomack County Public Schools Chris Holland, C.S. Wade of the Eastern Shore Drug Task Force, members of the Northampton County Department of Social Services, members of the Board of Eastern Shore Rural Health, members of the Virginia State Police and local physicians.
The roundtable began with a look at some particularly concerning statistics.
“Virginians are dying,” said Levine. “We are on an incredible upslope of previously unseen proportion.”
The focus shifted to early prevention and older generations of drug addicts.
“It cuts across social economics?” asked Bloxom.
“It doesn’t matter where you come from, how much money your family makes. It cuts across everyone,” said Wade.
The present members of the Northampton County Department of Social Services voiced concerns over lack of funding and the inherent distrust of the system that discourages individuals with children from seeking help with addiction and recovery.
Nancy Stern, Chief Executive Officer of the Eastern Shore Rural Health System, urged the panel to capitalize on the success that the community has had thus far in handling the growing epidemic.
“You see this room, here? We’re ready,” said Stern.
Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam stated that the opioid crisis is something that the administration is committed to working on and a great opportunity for various health professionals and law enforcement officers to break down barriers of communication and come together to collate data.
“I think that in order to address and conquer the opioid addiction problem it’s going to take the community,” said Northam. “We need to invest more in the assets of our children if we’re going to depend on them to carry our future.”