PHILADELPHIA, PA — The Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) Secretary, Dr. Latika Davis-Jones, initiated the agency’s statewide stakeholder engagement tour in Philadelphia on Monday, November 6. The tour, part of a broader initiative to address substance use disorder (SUD) treatment and prevention efforts, aims to gather feedback and address the ongoing opioid and overdose crises in the city.
The tour underscores the importance of community involvement in shaping the agency’s action plan. “Prevention is the first line of defense in our efforts to combat these public health crises, and accessible and equitable treatment is the cornerstone of helping Pennsylvanians struggling with SUD – we need to know what’s working and what’s not working with both,” stated Secretary Davis-Jones.
A roundtable discussion took center stage during the tour’s kickoff, highlighting prevention and treatment services used to manage the overdose crisis in Philadelphia. High-profile participants included Dr. Jill Bowen, Commissioner of the City of Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services; Rep. Stephen Kinsey, Majority Chair of the House Human Services Committee; Sen. Art Haywood, Democratic Chair of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee; and representatives from SUD prevention and treatment providers such as Merakey Germantown, Interim House, Jewish Family and Children’s Services, and Black Women’s Health Alliance.
The DDAP announced that they recently awarded approximately $2 million in grants to five organizations serving Philadelphia to expand SUD services, community outreach, and education. The funds, appropriated to DDAP by the General Assembly as part of the 2022-23 state budget, originated from the opioid settlement funding.
The tour also prioritizes stakeholder insights to aid the agency’s regulatory reform initiative. The initiative’s objectives include organizing regulations for better comprehension, updating terminology to avoid stigmatizing language, and ensuring regulations promote service participants’ safety, quality care, and positive outcomes.
The comprehensive stakeholder engagement tour encompasses a diverse range of participants, including individuals in recovery, service providers, community leaders, schools, and corrections units. The tour aims to engage voices less frequently heard, marking a significant step towards addressing health equity work, treatment slot management, and improving departmental communications.
The Philadelphia event marks the ninth stop on DDAP’s statewide stakeholder engagement tour, highlighting the agency’s commitment to tackling substance use disorders at a grassroots level. The insights gathered from the tour will be instrumental in shaping effective preventive measures and treatment services, ultimately contributing to healthier communities across Pennsylvania.
Learn more about the Commonwealth’s efforts in combating the overdose crisis pa.gov/opioids.
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