St. Louis County, MO (KTRS) There’s a new initiative aimed at combating the opioid crisis in St. Louis County.
St. Louis County Executive Steve Stenger signed an executive order on Thursday declaring the opioid epidemic a public health emergency in the county. Stenger took this action during a news conference at the St. Louis County Department of Health in Berkeley, where he was joined by other community leaders.
“No single agency or effort can end this scourge,” Stenger said. “It is time for emergency action. We urge all St. Louis County residents to get educated about this crisis and recognize what they can do to help end it. Everyone has a role to play.”
Along with the executive order, Stenger presented an action plan involving 25 community partners to combat the opioid crisis. The action plan consists of five key points:
Education and prevention
Harm reduction and rescue
Treatment
Recovery, and
Improved Public Health Data.
“We must understand and address the trauma of addiction for people and their families,” said Dr.Faisal Khan, Director of St. Louis County’s Department of Public Health. “We must also face the inequities in our system that lead to disparities in prevention, education, access to treatment,and the availability of long-term recovery. We will be working with all of our community partners to help those in recovery find connections to services, support, and hope.”
The St. Louis County Department of Public Health will ask for $1.5 million yearly from the county budget to fund this plan.
Opioid-related overdose deaths have risen 70% over the past five years in St. Louis County with 203 death lost in 2017.
Community Partners:
Behavioral Health Network
Behavioral Health Response
BJC HealthCare
Business Health Coalition
City of St. Louis Department of Health
Department of Justice, Opioid Community of Practice
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
Jefferson County Health Department
Mercy Health System
Missouri Department of Mental Health
Missouri Hospital Association
Missouri Network for Opiate Reform and Recovery
Missouri Opioid-Heroin Overdose Prevention Education
Project (MO-HOPE)
Missouri State Medical Association
National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse
(NCADA) – St. Louis Area
Regional Health Commission
St. Charles County Department of Public Health
St. Louis area EMS and Fire Departments
St. Louis area pharmacies
St. Louis College of Pharmacy
Saint Louis County Department of Human Services
Saint Louis County Department of Public Health
Saint Louis County Justice Services
Saint Louis County Office of the Medical Examiner
Saint Louis County Police Department
Saint Louis University
SSM Health
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration
University of Missouri-St. Louis, Missouri Institute of
Mental Health, State Targeted Response team
Washington University
