Ohio’s 2012 Opiate Summit: Miles Traveled – Miles Ahead

Hyatt Regency Hotel Conference Center
350 North High Street
Columbus, Ohio 43215
800-233-1234

Continuing the successful state and community efforts to address the growing problem of prescription drug addiction the Ohio Association of County Behavioral Health Authorities in partnership with the Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services, and the Ohio Rehabilitation Services Commission are pleased to announce that registration is now being accepted for Ohio’s 2012 Opiate Summit: Miles Traveled – Miles Ahead. The opiate issue in Ohio is an epidemic, with thousands of lives impacted every day. Over the past decade, there has been a 900 percent increase in the number of prescription opiates prescribed for pain per Ohio resident, and in 2007 unintentional drug overdoses surpassed motor vehicle accidents as the leading cause of accidental death in Ohio.

In the past year, Ohio has taken several important strides to address this epidemic: H.B. 93 “pill mill” legislation was passed, resulting in the closure of several “pill mills”; the Kasich Administration created the Governor’s Cabinet Opiate Action Team; the creation of local opiate task forces continued, the Don’t Get Me Started Opiate Awareness campaign was launched; and Ohio gained recognition from the DEA for High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area designations in two rural counties in Southern Ohio.

Attendees will have an opportunity to participate in one of three Pre-Summit Workshops on the afternoon of May 7^th as well as the full Summit on May 8^th. OACBHA is excited to announce that Gil Kerlikowske, the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy will be the Luncheon Keynote speaker on May 8^th. Our goal for Ohio’s 2012 Opiate Summit is to have each participant leave with: an understanding of the efforts that are currently underway in addressing the Opiate epidemic in Ohio; a better appreciation of the issues that still need to be addressed; and new tools and information to take back to your communities to fight this epidemic at the local level.

This year’s Summit promises to be bigger and better than ever! I hope you can attend, and I look forward to seeing many old and meeting many new friends and colleagues.

For more information about Ohio’s 2012 Opiate Summit click here.

Thank You,