A Call for Help in Fighting Addiction
Who:
U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown
Columbus City Council President Zach Klein
Columbus Health Officials
Central Ohioan Affected by Heroin Addiction
When:
Tuesday, August 23
10:00am
Where:
Columbus Fire Station 3
222 Greenlawn Avenue
What:
As drug overdoses continue to rise, Columbus City Council President Zach Klein joins U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown to urge the federal government to help first responders maintain a supply of Naloxone for use in an opioid overdose emergency.
“Communities throughout the country, including our own here in Franklin County, are struggling with issues brought on by addiction,” said President Klein. “Those entrenched in the fight are depending on us for help."
Last month, the President signed the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) into law, which represents an initial step toward addressing the opioid abuse epidemic. Although the legislation authorized grants to provide training and resources for first responders to use overdose-reversal drugs like Naloxone, it did not include sufficient funding for prevention, emergency response, treatment or recovery.
"The CARA bill is a good first step, but we need more funding from Congress to effectively tackle this epidemic at the local level with life-saving programs like Naloxone that give people another opportunity to seek treatment," Klein continued.
Columbus health officials, local first responders and a central Ohioan whose life was affected by heroin addiction will also voice their support of additional federal funding at Fire Station 3.
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