“State of Addiction” Public Hearing Set for October 2

HARRISBURG – The Center for Rural Pennsylvania, chaired by State Senator Gene Yaw, will hold a public hearing at the State Capitol Building on Tuesday, October 2, on the heroin/opioid epidemic to gather testimony on the disease of addiction.

The hearing will be held in the Senate Majority Caucus Room, Room 156, Main Capitol Building, 501 N. Third St., Harrisburg, PA, 17120, and will begin at 10AM.

“Every day in Pennsylvania, 15 people die from a drug overdose. And every day across the U.S., 170 people die from a drug overdose,” said Sen. Yaw. “Since the Center’s first group of public hearings back in 2014, we’ve been hearing from health care and treatment professionals that addiction is a chronic disease. A disease that should be treated comprehensively and individually.

“The Center’s board remains committed to raising awareness about the heroin epidemic, and it is holding this hearing to learn and share more information about the disease of addiction, and the treatment options that are available to combat addiction, including medication assisted treatment.”

Presenters are Dr. Rachel Levine, Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Health and Pennsylvania Physician General; Dr. Bradley Miller of UPMC Susquehanna; and Dr. William Santoro of the Pennsylvania Society of Addiction Medicine.

An agenda and additional information will be posted on the Center’s website at http://www.rural.palegislature.us/ and Senator Yaw’s website at www.SenatorGeneYaw.com.

The Center for Rural Pennsylvania is a bipartisan, bicameral legislative agency that serves as a resource for rural policy within the Pennsylvania General Assembly. The Center works with the legislature, educators, state and federal executive branch agencies, and national, statewide, regional and local organizations to maximize resources and strategies that can better serve Pennsylvania’s nearly 3.4 million rural residents.

CONTACT:

Barry Denk, Director
The Center for Rural Pennsylvania
(717) 787-9555

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