O’FALLON – Representative Mike Bost (IL-12) met with his opioid task force at the Katy Cavins Community Center in O’Fallon on Thursday to examine existing data and develop recommendations to create and implement policies at the federal, state, and local levels to curtail the opioid epidemic. Rep. Bost received input from law enforcement officers, first responders, educators, and treatment specialists on current efforts to fight the opioid epidemic and ways that these efforts can be improved.

 

“The number of families affected by the opioid crisis in our communities are staggering,” said Bost. “But we have to remember addiction doesn’t care about your race, gender, income or political leanings. The people battling addiction are moms and dads, sons and daughters, neighbors and friends. One of the main takeaways from this task force meeting was that we have our work cut out for us. Legislators, law enforcement, educators, and treatment specialists can’t solve the problem alone. We’re all working towards the same goal of eradicating the opioid scourge, but better coordination is needed among these groups. That is exactly why I hosted this task force meeting—to create this vitally important open dialogue.”  

Task Force Participants:

Congressman Mike Bost (IL-12)

Dr. Kari Karidis, Crisis Interventionist and Recovery Support, Companion’s Companion

Chief Master Sergeant Scott Boothe, Illinois State Police, Narcotics

Dr. Andrea Taylor, Clinic Director, VAMC St. Louis

Karin Zosel, Legislative Affairs Director, Illinois Department of Justice

Percy Menzies, Assisted Recovery Centers of America

Special Agent James Shroba, US Drug Enforcement Agency

 

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