Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs listening tour rolls through Westmoreland County
MONESSEN, Pa. (KDKA) -- On Tuesday, Dr. Latika Davis-Jones, the Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, was in Monessen as part of a yearlong statewide listening tour to better understand the drug and opioid crisis in the state.
"We have been embarking on this tour going across the commonwealth, meeting with key stakeholders, trying to find out what's working, what's not, and wanting to understand how they're addressing the overdose and opioid epidemic," said Secretary Davis-Jones.
Westmoreland County has one of the state's highest rates of overdose deaths.
While there are several ways families can deal with someone who has an addiction problem, today's event at the Monessen Family Center highlighted prevention by improving communication between loved ones and creating a safe space.
"We see school-based prevention programs all the time, but this is a unique program because today, we are seeing family engagement," said Secretary Davis-Jones. "There is literature to support that when families are engaged in programming, the likelihood of someone, a young person or child, misusing substances is relatively decreased."
This information-gathering tour wraps up next week with a visit to two central Pennsylvania counties, and the DDAP hopes to start implementing their findings from the tour soon.
One of the things that was discussed in the meetings is that if you or someone you know is having an issue with drugs or alcohol, there is a toll-free number you can call for help. The number is 1-800-662-HELP (4357).