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GOP officials field addiction responses

Tribune-Democrat - 8/1/2018

Aug. 01--SOMERSET -- Access to educational opportunities, employment and modern telemedicine can be key components in assisting a drug addict in recovery.

But, in rural areas, such as Appalachia, which includes Somerset and Cambria counties, being able to connect with those resources can be challenging.

On Tuesday, U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta, a Republican from Pennsylvania's 11th district, and U.S. Rep. Keith Rothfus, R-Sewickley, from the 12th district, held a round table discussion in order to get input from community leaders concerning those issues and other aspects of the opioid epidemic that affects the region.

"We all know what this opioid epidemic has done to Somerset County, Cambria County, western Pennsylvania, Appalachia, the state, the country," Rothfus said during the event inside the Somerset County Office Building.

"It is a story of heartbreak. It's a story of frustration. I talk about this being an all-hands-on-deck crisis. We certainly have seen a lot of activity in the House of Representatives recently, passing over 70 pieces of legislation -- broadly bipartisan. This is one thing that -- we talk about all the division in our country and in our government -- but when you talk about this crisis, people are responding across the board, across the capital, across parties, across the federal, state and local levels."

Barletta hosted the hearing in his role as chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee's Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management. He provided details about his Treating Barriers to Prosperity Act of 2018, which deals with the Appalachian Regional Commission, a federal-state partnership that works with organizations to create self-sustaining economic development.

"This legislation is designed to strengthen and clarify the role of the ARC in addressing the challenges opioids have created to economic development," Barletta said.

Barletta added: "We have to get help for people who are addicted. It is a disease. We need to get help. And then we have to help them get back into the workforce again. We can't just think that just (provide them) treatment and then forget about them. We have to go the next step -- and that is treatment, and let's help them get back to work, and finding a job and teach them the skills so they can again participate. It will help with their addiction."

The two congressmen were joined by Shawn Kaufman (director of human resources, Riggs Industries), state Sen. Patrick Stefano, Andrew Rush (chief executive officer, Somerset Hospital and Somerset Health Services), Tim Thomas (federal co-chair, Appalachian Regional Commission), Dennis Alvord, deputy assistant secretary for regional affairs, U.S. Economic Development Administration), state Rep. Carl Walker Metzgar, Somerset County Commissioner Gerald Walker, Steven Howsare (executive director, Southern Alleghenies Planning and Development Commission), Dr. Robert Gillio (medical director for population health and clinical innovations, J.C. Blair Memorial Health System) and Ron Aldom, (executive director, Somerset County Chamber of Commerce).

The group brainstormed for two hours, discussing a wide range of subjects, including telemedicine, job training, addiction treatment, employment and economic development.

"It comes down to resources, reimbursement, access for those individuals who need help," Rush said. "I think all the ideas that everybody around the table have mentioned today are outstanding. We're trying to address all of those, but, truly, it comes down to funding and having the means to build more facilities, recruit more staff."

When asked about what approach has been working when dealing with the opioid epidemic, Thomas said, "I would say, generally speaking, the communities that have been most successful in making some headway -- and we're still in the early stages of this fight -- but the communities that show collaborative effort across all sectors, much as we're seeing here in Somerset, communities that have some leadership -- it may be one person in a community or it may be multiple people in a community -- that seems to make a lot of difference."

Dave Sutor is a reporter for The Tribune-Democrat. He can be reached at (814) 532-5056. Follow him on Twitter @Dave_Sutor.

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