A Northern Kentucky task force put together will update the public on its work Tuesday evening.
Lynne Saddler is with the Northern Kentucky Health Department and is co-chairing the
鈥淲e released our plan for responding to the heroin epidemic here in Northern Kentucky,鈥� Saddler said. 鈥淪o this is our update to the general public on what has happened since we released that plan a year ago.鈥�
Saddler said the group has been able to bring more funding to the region to fight heroin. It has also hired a full-time coordinator, launched an overdose prevention program and is working with Kentucky lawmakers on a legislative agenda for the new year.
鈥淚t鈥檚 really a several year plan,鈥� Saddler said. 鈥淏ecause we all recognize that we didn鈥檛 get into this situation overnight, and we鈥檙e not going to get out of it overnight.鈥�
The initial plan called for reducing the supply of and demand for heroin, advocating for policy change and increasing treatment capacity.
鈥淲anting to see a reduction in the number of arrests that occur due to heroin,鈥� Saddler said. 鈥淲e鈥檇 like to see an increase in the number of people who are accessing and completing treatment. We would also like to see the rates of Hepatitis C going down. There are a number of those long-term outcomes that we really are trying to change.鈥�
The task force community update is being held Tuesday from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at The Gardens of Park Hills at 1622 Dixie Highway.
