NASW-MI Sends Letter to Governor Requesting Drug Abuse Task Force

April 18, 2016

Governor Rick Snyder

P.O. Box 30013

Lansing, Michigan 48909

Dear Governor Snyder,

Thank you, first and foremost, for having formed the Michigan Prescription Drug and Opioid Abuse Task Force last year. Your recognition of opiate addiction as a statewide epidemic is encouraging to those of us who work in the field and see the detrimental impact it has on Michigan individuals and families.

Although the work that the task force did in a short amount of time was impressive, we request that the work does not end. We recommend that you convene a long-term body of experts to continue to look at ways of addressing addiction and to oversee the implementation of the recommendations made by the Task Force. We need long-term efforts for long-term issues and, ultimately, for long-term solutions.

Should such a committee or workgroup be established, we request that social workers who practice in the field of addiction be included amongst the professionals at the table. This should encompass not only those social workers who oversee agencies in an administrative capacity, but also those who are frontline workers. Social workers practicing in addictions can bring firsthand experience working with the gaps and the strengths of the existing systems for individuals and communities.

Thank you for considering our request as well as for giving such a significant issue in our state the attention it deserves.

Sincerely,

National Association of Social Workers - Michigan

Addiction and Recovery Workgroup

Executive Director, Maxine Thome, PhD, LMSW, MPH

Chair, Jenn Strange, LMSW, CAADC

CC: Lt. Governor Calley