This week Abington School District was the site for the House Democratic Policy Committee Hearing on Opioid/Heroin Crisis in Pennsylvania and Our Community.
Committee Chair Rep. P. Michael Sturla and local Pa. House Rep. Madeleine Dean welcomed and provided opening remarks to the eleven other Pa. House legislators and panel members that testified.
From Abington, Ms. Judy Bomze, Director of Pupil Services for Abington School District, testified on the school district efforts in drug and alcohol prevention and intervention and Abington Chief of Police William Kelly testified on the opioid and heroin epidemic in the U.S. and Pennsylvania.
Dr. Valerie Arkoosh, vice chair of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners and Department of Health Interim Medical Director, testified on what has been learned and accomplished in Montgomery County.
Additional speakers included Gary Tuggle, Special Agent with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; Dr. Ken Martz, Special Assistant to the Secretary, Pa. Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs; Carol Rostucher, founder of Angels in Motion; and Kim Rubenstein, member of the Montgomery County Drug Overdose Task Force.
Further information and hearing summary can be found on Rep. Dean’s website: http://www.pahouse.com/Dean/.