DHSS Press Release |
Date: August 6, 2015 DHSS-8-2015 |
| Rita Landgraf, Secretary Jill Fredel, Director of Communications 302-255-9047, Cell 302-357-7498 Email: jill.fredel@state.de.us |
MEDIA ADVISORY
GOVERNOR MARKELL AND DHSS ANNOUNCE STATE'S PLANS
| WHAT: | Governor Jack Markell and DHSS Secretary Rita Landgraf, joined by other government officials, providers, advocates and people impacted by addiction, will detail the state's priorities and plans for an additional $4.45 million allotted in Delaware's Fiscal Year 2016 budget for increased substance usage disorder treatment and recovery services. In 2014, 185 people died in Delaware from suspected drug overdoses and almost 10,000 sought public treatment for addiction. Thousands of individuals and their families continue to be impacted by the addiction epidemic.
For Fiscal Year 2016, the General Assembly approved, and Governor Markell signed, a budget that included new state funding for DHSS to: increase withdrawal management services statewide, add to the number of residential treatment beds statewide, increase residential treatment beds for young people beginning their recoveries from opiate addiction, and boost capacity in the network of sober-living houses statewide through the Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health's revolving loan fund. The briefing will take place in the soon-to-open detoxification center, operated by Connections, which will increase withdrawal management services for people in Kent and Sussex counties. The center will open later this month. |
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| WHEN: | Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2015 at 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m |
| WHERE: | Site of Connections' New Detoxification Center, Spartan Station Shopping Center, 1 East St., Harrington |
| WHO: | Governor Jack Markell
Rita Landgraf, Secretary, Department of Health and Social Services Robert Coupe, Commissioner, Department of Correction (invited) Mike Barbieri, Director, Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Cathy McKay, President/CEO, Connections Community Support Programs Legislators (invited) Member of atTAcK addiction Young person in recovery |
| DETAILS: | For more information, contact Jill Fredel at the Department of Health and Social Services at jill.fredel@state.de.us , or 302-357-7498. Or contact Adam Taylor at Connections Community Support Programs, Inc., at 302-230-9125. |
Delaware Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware's citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations.
