Monessen, PA - Today, Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) Secretary Dr. Latika Davis-Jones met with substance use disorder (SUD) treatment providers, area healthcare professionals, local elected officials, and individuals with lived experience in Westmoreland County to highlight how the Shapiro Administration is helping to combat the opioid and overdose crises throughout the county.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, preliminary data reports that 95 lives were lost to an overdose in Westmoreland County in 2023, with fentanyl being the predominant substance contributing to the fatal overdoses.
”Every county is unique in terms of their successes, challenges, and needs in addressing the overdose and opioid epidemics. That is more apparent with every stop we make,” said Secretary Davis-Jones. ”The devasting impacts of the addiction crisis continue to be deeply felt in all corners of the state and particularly here in western Pennsylvania, which is why coming to meet with and learn from the true boots on the ground staff, especially with ‘first line of defense’ prevention programming in Westmoreland County, is so important.“
DDAP is traveling across the state to listen, learn, and engage with stakeholders from all walks of the drug and alcohol field. DDAP’s engagement tour is designed to gather feedback that will help shape the agency’s state plan to address the opioid and overdose public health crises as well as assist with its regulatory reform efforts.
The Shapiro Administration has prioritized expanding access to behavioral health services and supports for school-aged children through state budget investments that include mental health services, which are closely related to SUD prevention supports.
In the 2023-24 budget, Governor Josh Shapiro secured $100 million in available funds for student mental health services and $20 million for county mental health support. The final 2024-25 budget matches those investments by:
· Continuing the availability of $100 million in mental health funding for K-12 schools, building upon one-time federal funds to ensure schools have the continued resources to provide mental health services to students and staff and increasing another $20 million for county mental health.
Prevention Partners
SUD-related programs are administered through county drug and alcohol offices called Single County Authorities (SCA), which receive DDAP funding to support access to prevention services, treatment, recovery supports, and other local programs. The Westmoreland Drug and Alcohol Commission, Inc. (WeDAC) is the SCA in Westmoreland County.
Through a portion of DDAP’s State Opioid Response III $80 million federal funding, DDAP is assisting the SCA in funding the Strengthening Families Program, which is an evidence-based program focused on increasing protective factors in families with middle school aged children. In addition to the roundtable discussion, the Secretary and WeDAC joined Strengthening Families Program participants at the Monessen Family Center to observe a family session in progress.
“If not for the DDAP funding, WeDAC would not have been able to expand prevention services to agencies like the Monessen Family Center,” said Colleen Hughes, WeDAC Executive Director. “The goal of this program is to promote strong family bonds, which help families avoid adverse circumstances such as teen substance use. Parents learn to set clear boundaries and effectively monitor a youth’s activities to help them become their best selves and stay drug free.”
The program consists of seven two-hour sessions in which parents are taught how to clarify expectations based on child development norms of adolescent substance use, using appropriate disciplinary practices, managing strong emotions regarding their children, and using effective communication. Children are taught refusal skills for dealing with peer pressure and other personal and social interactional skills.
Outcomes of the program show less alcohol and drug use, less destructive and harmful behaviors, and more positive connections with family, school, and community.
Building off ‘Phase 1’
The Phase 1 findings from DDAP’s Stakeholder Engagement Tour were derived as a direct result of the feedback received during roundtable discussions held in 2023. Throughout Phase 1, DDAP visited 10 Pennsylvania counties including Allegheny, Erie, Centre and Philadelphia and met with more than 220 stakeholders. During Phase 1, DDAP also visited nearly 20 different service providers including inpatient and outpatient treatment facilities, DDAP-licensed recovery houses, and wellness centers.
Throughout the remainder of Phase 2, DDAP will continue to seek input on the agency’s regulatory reform initiative as well as SUD issues related to:
· Data requirements and modernization needs
· Advancing health equity
· Treatment slot management
· Improving departmental communications.
Future tour stops will include Franklin and Fulton counties.
Learn more about the Shapiro Administration’s efforts in combating the overdose crisis at pa.gov/opioids.
MEDIA CONTACT: Stephany Dugan - ra-dapressoffice@pa.gov
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