Under Mayor Muriel Bowser’s leadership, The District is working to tackle the opioid crisis through strategic efforts that includes screening and starting recovery treatment for patients in hospital emergency departments, training more peer recovery coaches and specialists with lived experience of opioid use disorder, expanding treatment access in the D.C. jail and more. In 2019, the office of the Deputy Mayor of Health and Human Services began working with The Pew Charitable Trusts, a nonpartisan, nonprofit research and public policy organization, to conduct a comprehensive needs assessment and interview agency leaders, elected officials, and key stakeholders to identify gaps and develop potential solutions. Through the Live.Long.DC Steering Committee, we accept all recommendations and will work to implement and enhance our opioid work in The District.
Read the full report here.