Today, the Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Support Program, administered by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), awarded $125,000 to the Community Action Commission of Fayette County (CACFC) to help prevent youth substance abuse. Congressman Mike Turner (OH-10) wrote a letter of support for CACFC’s grant proposal in March 2017.
“Like many communities across the nation, Southwest Ohio has been devastated by the opioid epidemic,” Congressman Turner said. “Today’s grant will allow Fayette County to take stronger action to prevent the spread of addiction in our community. Continued support to prevention organizations such as CACFC remains critical in combating this epidemic. I congratulate CACFC on earning this grant and thank them for their vigilance and efforts to halt substance abuse in our community.”
“The Fayette County Prevention Coalition is honored to receive this opportunity to prevent substance misuse in our community,” said Christina Blair, Planner of CACFC and Fayette County Prevention Coalition Chair. “We have an amazing group of dedicated coalition members and with this federal investment, we can begin to effectively implement community level change and save lives. Thank you to every one of our coalition members, youth advisory board members, volunteers, and Congressman Turner’s office for your support over the past year.
“We’re losing more than 60,000 people per year to drug overdose, but if we can stop young people from starting to use drugs in the first place, we can save lives,” said Richard Baum, Acting Director of National Drug Control Policy. “Our local DFC coalitions are a key part of this effort because they are bringing together parents groups, schools, healthcare professionals, law enforcement, businesses, and others to prevent drug use and improve the health of the community.”
“SAMHSA looks forward to working with its community partners in implementing evidence-based practices to impact the community and help youth,” said Dr. Elinore McCance-Katz, Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use.
Congressman Turner has been fighting the opioid epidemic in Dayton since 2013:
- December 18, 2013: Toured Soin Medical Center, where issue of Heroin-Exposed Newborns was raised.
- March 10, 2014: Met with area hospitals to discuss the growing issue of Heroin-Exposed Newborns.
- May 15, 2014: Visited Dayton Children’s Hospital NICU to discuss infant heroin exposure and the withdrawal and recovery process.
- June 30, 2014: Held a Community Forum on the Effects of the Heroin Epidemic on Newborns.
- August 27, 2014: Visited the Women’s Recovery Center.
- May 2015: Held Community Summit on Heroin-Exposed Infants.
- August 21, 2015: Toured Greene County Jail and Green Leaf Alcohol and Drug Treatment Program; met with criminal justice system administrators and substance abuse and mental health leadership.
- November 18, 2015: Met with ONDCP Director Michael Botticelli and introduced the TREAT Act with Congresswoman Marcia L. Fudge (OH-11) and Congresswoman Niki Tsongas (MA-3).
- May 12, 2016: The House passed an amendment he cosponsored to increase access to treatment for pregnant women struggling with substance abuse.
- May 25, 2016: Introduced CRIB Act to help expand access to specialized treatment and recovery options for infants suffering from neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), a withdrawal condition in newborns often caused by use of opioids and other addictive substances in pregnant women.
- August 29, 2016: Hosted a Heroin Epidemic Response Roundtable with Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner (WI-05).
- October 28, 2016: Hosted a roundtable discussion on the opioid and heroin epidemic in Dayton with Senator Rob Portman (OH).
- February 2, 2017: Joined the bipartisan Addiction, Treatment, and Recovery Caucus.
- February 7, 2017: Reintroduced the TREAT Act.
- May 17, 2017: Reintroduced CRIB Act.
- August 7, 2017: TREAT Act concept supported by President Donald Trump’s Commission to Combat Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis.
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