Draft Agenda  - June 30, 2010 

Prescription Drug Abuse:  A Community Response

Idabelle Firestone Auditorium, City Hospital Campus, Summa Health System

41 Arch Street, Akron.  Parking in the Professional Center South Deck behind 55 Arch St., Akron Ohio 44304

Sponsored by the Summit County Community Partnership, a 501C3 Drug Prevention Coalition operating since 1990 to decrease the impact of alcohol and other drug abuse. 

 8:30 - 9:00 REGISTRATION/CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST  

9:00 - 9:10 Welcome/Statement of Purpose – Gwendolyn Wilson, Executive Director, Summit County Community Partnership, Inc.

9:10 – 10:00 Detective Patrick Leonard, Akron Police Department

Detective Leonard canvasses pharmacies to obtain pharmacy insurance profiles.  This information is used to identify suspected drug abuse.  Detective Leonard speaks with physicians who have prescribed medications to those suspected of abuse as a precursor to implementing required legal interventions.  He will provide a local law enforcement perspective on risk factors associated with prescription abuse. 

10:00 -10:55 – Alan H. Shein, MD, Medical Director, Addiction Medicine

Ignatia Hall, Summa Health System

Dr. Shein will offer information on addiction as a brain disease (not just a failure of will power), how prescription drug abuse may differ from abuse of other drugs and an overview of current, evidence-based treatment approaches to address prescription drug abuse.  

11:00 – 11:55  Alvin Jackson, MD  (to be confirmed) - Director, Ohio Department of Health, Vice-Chair, Ohio Prescription Drug Task Force

Recommendations have been made to the Governor on public policy and environmental changes to curb prescription drug abuse. Dr. Jackson will discuss the recommendations, how they support decreased abuse and how they may look in the local community.  Local options for supporting or commenting on the recommendations will be shared. 

11:55 Evaluation

Noon – end