“A National League of Cities (NLC) briefing on Capitol Hill featured three mayors to describe the steps their cities are taking to combat the opioid epidemic and the partnership they need from federal leaders.
Gary, Indiana, Mayor Karen Freeman Wilson, NLC’s first vice president, was joined by Huntington, West Virginia, Mayor Steve Williams and Knoxville, Tennessee, Mayor Madeline Rogero at the briefing, which was opened by West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin.
The opioid crisis will not go away on its own. As elected officials, we must take action so that our cities can continue to be the foundation of our country, and that action must come from a coordinated effort involving every level of government” said Freeman-Wilson. “If funding continues to stall at the state and federal levels instead of being fully dispersed to America’s most effected cities, we are just treading water.”
The briefing followed Congressional passage of the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act. The mayors said the legislation did not go far enough.
While local governments have been developing programs to address substance abuse disorders in their communities, many cities and local elected officials feel that they alone lack the tools and resources to produce a long-lasting response, according to a prepared statement from NLC.”
Read more at:https://efficientgov.com/blog/2018/10/10/mayors-ask-for-more-federal-funding-for-opioids-support-act/
Source: EfficientGov.com – October 10, 2018
