Harrisburg, PA - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 1, 2017
Physician General Participates in Philadelphia Mayor’s Task Force to Combat Opioid Epidemic; Shares Wolf Administration Strategies to Reduce Overdose Deaths in the Commonwealth
Philadelphia, PA – Pennsylvania Physician General Dr. Rachel Levine today participated in a meeting overseen by the Mayor’s Task Force to Combat the Opioid Epidemic in Philadelphia to share recommendations on how health systems and broader communities can collaborate to reduce overdose deaths and harm.
“Battling the opioid epidemic in Pennsylvania demands an all-hands-on-deck approach from the local, state, and federal levels,” said Dr. Levine. “The Wolf Administration is committed to ending this crisis that has already taken far too many lives. We are pleased to collaborate with Mayor Jim Kenney and his team to reduce the rates of addiction and overdose in Philadelphia and across the commonwealth.”
The opioid epidemic has killed more people in Philadelphia than any form of homicide. Philadelphia ended 2016 with an estimated 840 overdose deaths – the vast majority of which involved opioids including prescription painkillers, heroin and fentanyl.
“We welcome the state’s partnership in combatting this crisis,” said Mayor of Philadelphia Jim Kenney. “We need everyone to come together in order to overcome this significant challenge.”
The Mayor’s Task Force to Combat the Opioid Epidemic is Philadelphia’s official response to the opioid crisis. Mayor Kenney has selected and charged this group with developing a comprehensive plan to reduce opioid abuse, dependence and overdose in the city.
The Wolf Administration holds the fight against heroin and prescription opioids as a top priority. In order to continue the battle against the opioid epidemic in Pennsylvania, Governor Wolf included the following proposals in his 2017-18 budget:
Expanding access to life-saving Naloxone by providing $10 million through the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency to first responders and law enforcement across the state;
Maximizing federal Cures Act funding, which includes $26.5 million in each of the next two years for Pennsylvania, to expand access to treatment services, particularly for individuals who are uninsured or underinsured; and
Providing $3.4 million to expand specialty drug courts to expand treatment strategies that divert offenders into more meaningful treatment and recovery.
Some of the administration’s other initiatives to fight the opioid epidemic include:
Strengthening the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) so that doctors are required and able to check the system each time they prescribe opioids;
Forming new prescribing guidelines to help doctors who provide opioid prescriptions to their patients;
Creating the warm handoff guideline to facilitate referrals from the emergency department to substance abuse treatment;
Establishing a new law limiting the amount of opioids that can be prescribed to a minor to seven days; and
Designating 45 Centers of Excellence, central hubs that provide navigators to assist those with opioid use disorders with behavioral and physical health care, along with medication-assisted treatment, as needed.
If you or someone you know is suffering from the disease of addiction, call 1-800-662-HELP or visit www.pa.gov/opioids for treatment options. For more information on the fight against opioid abuse in Pennsylvania, visit the Department of Health website at www.health.pa.gov or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
MEDIA CONTACT: April Hutcheson - 717-787-1783 or ra-dhpressoffice@pa.gov
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