ONDCP Director Meets with Leaders in South Carolina and Kentucky about the Overdose Epidemic
Dr. Gupta heard from leaders on the frontlines of the overdose epidemic and discussed actions the Biden-Harris Administration is taking to save lives
WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, Dr. Rahul Gupta, Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), traveled to South Carolina and Kentucky where he met with federal and local officials, as well as community leaders addressing addiction and the overdose epidemic. During his trips, Dr. Gupta discussed the Biden-Harris Administration’s actions to reduce the supply of illicit drugs and expand access to evidence-based prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery support services.
“The Biden-Harris Administration is working with a sense of urgency to reduce the supply of illicit drugs like fentanyl and expand access to evidence-based public health interventions to save lives and connect more people to treatment,” said Dr. Gupta. “As a physician and former state health commissioner, I have seen firsthand how we can improve outcomes for communities when we all work together. I am encouraged by the work being done in South Carolina and Kentucky and remain focused on the Administration’s efforts to expand access to naloxone and evidence-based treatment, improve overdose data collection so we know who needs help, and go after drug traffickers’ profits.”
On Tuesday, Dr. Gupta joined medical students and professionals at the Medical University of South Carolina to discuss steps the Administration is taking to prevent overdoses. In the afternoon, Dr. Gupta delivered a keynote address at the College of Charleston on responding to the overdose epidemic. Dr. Gupta also met with leadership from the Atlanta-Carolinas High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Program (HIDTA) to discuss their collaborative work to reduce the supply of illicit drugs and related overdoses in the region.
On Thursday, Dr. Gupta joined Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) in Louisville for a roundtable with leaders from Volunteers of America Mid-States about connecting more people to treatment for substance use disorder and ways to work together to address the overdose epidemic. Later that day, Dr. Gupta, along with Senator McConnell and Representative Brett Guthrie (KY-02) joined local law enforcement officials from the Appalachia HIDTA to discuss the Administration’s work to reduce the supply of illicit drugs and expand access to evidence-based public health interventions. On Friday, Dr. Gupta met with Representative John Yarmuth (KY-3) and leaders from Volunteers of America Mid-State to discuss their work to reduce overdoses and save lives.
Read about additional actions taken by the Biden-Harris Administration to address addiction and the overdose epidemic HERE.
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