WASHINGTON, DC - In case you may have missed it, Congressman Warren Davidson's (OH-08) guest to the State of the Union, Troy Fire Chief Matt Simmons, has been on the forefront of his city’s opioid crisis and is part of a regional effort involving first responders, the sheriff, the jail, addiction services and the faith community to respond to the crisis.
“There’s a perception that everything is going downhill and I don’t think that’s the case. I think when the community really gets back to our roots of people helping people, that there is hope.” Springfield News-Sun
Simmons stated that those who overdose receive a follow-up visit from paramedics and police, which first responders reach out and offer treatment and resources aimed at helping addicts recover. Faith-based communities also offers addicts an alternative.
Congressman Davidson led a forum on December 4, 2017 in Middletown, Ohio to listen to first responders talk about what’s working. He spoke about this forum and its findings during an interview on MSNBC with Ali Velshi last month.
You can watch the full interview here.
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