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On Thursday – August 2nd Congressman Adams Kinzinger hosted “The Opioid Epidemic: A Roundtable Discussion Seeking Solutions and Strategies”. The roundtable was held at the Braidwood Village Hall.

The panelists included James Glasgow, State’s Attorney, Will County Board members Debbie Militello and Don Gould, Associate Judges Victoria Kennison and Ben Braun, and the Director of Will County Substance Use Initiatives Dr. Kathleen Burke. Both the Mayor and Police Chief of the Village of Braidwood were also on the panel. Also attending was Larry Walsh, the County Executive, the Drug Court Staff, and Dr. Joe Troiani the Director of Behavioral Health for the Will County Health Department.

This well attended event examined what is being done in Will County to reduce the flow of addictive drugs (supply reduction) and what is being done to prevent, intervene, and treat those with a substance use disorder (demand reduction). Dr. Troiani discussed the problem of gate-way drugs such as “Spice” which usage can have led to use of more addictive drugs. He briefed those in attendance on the national legislation recently passed by the House of Representatives that “would improve access to care for individuals with substance use disorders, increase services and care coordination among providers, and promote the use of non-addictive interventions for the treatment and management of chronic pain”. This legislation is the “SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act”.