Dr. Rahul Gupta, the director of the federal Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), recently wrapped up a three-day visit to West Virginia to discuss the substance use disorder crisis. During his visit, Gupta held roundtable discussions with state and local officials, as well as community members, to address issues related to recovery, overdose prevention, harm reduction, and re-entry support for those in recovery. He also visited various facilities and met with different groups to gain insight on the ground-level impact of the drug crisis.
Key topics of discussion during the roundtable included the need for more attention and funding for re-entry support, the importance of sober living homes in the continuum of care, and the need for long-term treatment beyond initial recovery. Gupta highlighted the potential impact of a pending 1115 waiver for West Virginia’s Medicaid program, which would provide services to individuals in the correctional system 90 days before release, ultimately saving lives and easing the transition back into society.
Gupta emphasized the importance of overdose prevention, access to Naloxone, and public education campaigns, such as The Real Deal on Fentanyl, to address the opioid crisis. He also mentioned efforts to provide recommendations for syringe exchange programs to limit the spread of blood-borne diseases, like HIV.
Overall, Gupta’s visit to West Virginia underscored the need for comprehensive support systems for individuals in recovery from substance use disorder, as well as the importance of coordinated efforts at the state and federal levels to address the ongoing drug crisis.
Source
Photo credit www.newsandsentinel.com