October 30, 2009 - The City of Springfield will be hosting a Leadership Forum on Substance Abuse and Public Policy on Monday, November 9, 2009, from 4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. at Scibelli Hall on the campus of STCC. Guests will include Greg Warren, Executive Director for Baltimore Substance Abuse Systems, William Luzier, Director for the Governor’s Inter-Agency Council for Substance Abuse, and Michael Botticelli, Assistant Commissioner for MDPH Bureau of Substance Abuse Services.
Substance abuse and addiction is a major health and community health problem which affects the lives of families and individuals similarly across classes and cultures, yet impacts poor communities disproportionately because of societal failure to invest in prevention and treatment. The state spends more than $4 billion addressing the most serious consequences of substance abuse, and much less than 1% on prevention and treatment.
The purpose of the forum is to examine the costs and consequences of substance abuse on the city and the state, and to stimulate thinking among leadership and community regarding what is needed and what is possible to address this problem in ways that enhance the health, safety, educational and economic development in our city by improving prevention, early intervention, treatment, and recovery support for youth, families and adults.
The city of Baltimore has developed an innovative approach that has significantly increased resources invested in prevention and treatment, providing ‘treatment on demand’, which has had a positive impact on crime and health problems and has received national recognition as a model that other cities are replicating.
The Leadership Forum will be preceded by a workshop with Greg Warren, Baltimore Substance Abuse Systems (1-3PM at Scibelli Hall), and a networking hour for local organizations to provide information regarding programs and services to the community (3-4PM). Contact Frankie Mozell (733-3320) to register for the workshop, and Nellie Kuilan (734-8766) or Zaida Govan (746-3655) to participate in the networking hour.