National Association of Counties, National League of Cities Name City-County Officials to Task Force Addressing Heroin and Opioid Abuse

NACo President Sallie Clark and National League of Cities Deputy Director Toni Samuel February 22 at the NACo Legislative Conference

Task Force Will Help Counties, Cities Combat Heroin and Opioid Epidemic in our Communities

The National Association of Counties (NACo) and the National League of Cities (NLC) recently announced the members of a new joint national task force to address our nation’s opioid and heroin abuse crisis. The National City-County Task Force on the Opioid Epidemic is comprised of city and county leaders from across the country who will aim to enhance awareness, facilitate peer exchanges and identify sound policy and partnership solutions.

Counties and cities have recognized that the opioid and heroin abuse crisis has reached epidemic proportions. Drug overdose is now the leading cause of accidental death in the United States, with more than 47,000 lethal drug overdoses in 2014. This epidemic is driven largely by overdose deaths related to prescription pain relievers (18,893) and deaths related to heroin (10,574).

NACo TASK FORCE MEMBERS

Click here to view short bios of NACo members on the National City-County Task Force on the Opioid Epidemic.

1. Co-Chair – Judge/Executive Gary Moore, Boone County, Ky.
2. Commissioner Matt Bell, Weber County, Utah
3. Commissioner Doug Corcoran, Ross County, Ohio
4. County Executive Kathy Dahlkemper, Erie County, Pa.
5. Dr. Vidya Kora, commissioner, LaPorte County, Ind.
6. Commissioner Waymon Mumford, Florence County, S.C.
7. Supervisor Leticia Perez, Kern County, Calif.
8. County Executive Mark Poloncarz, Erie County, N.Y.
9. Commissioner Greg Puckett, Mercer County, W.Va.
10. County Executive Steve Schuh, Anne Arundel County, Md.
11. Commissioner Judy Shiprack, Multnomah County, Ore.
12. Ex-Officio: NACo President Sallie Clark, commissioner, El Paso County, Colo.

Click here to see the list of task force members, including NLC members.

THE TASK FORCE WILL TAKE THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS

• Conduct at least two national dialogues where city and county elected leaders will explore the comprehensive issues related to this crisis, growing trends and proven responses;
• Develop educational opportunities for counties and cities through special forums, educational workshops, webinars and other opportunities; and
• Publish a national summary report of city-county collaboration, focusing on community prevention and overdose response, effective treatment options, public safety enforcement and supply reduction.