Ohio Civics Essential will host its second virtual panel titled “Opioids & Policy Reform” on June 10 at noon with three subject matter experts joining together to discuss the opioid crisis and how we may best help those struggling with substance abuse and addiction.
Panelists include Robin Bozian, project managing attorney with Southeastern Ohio Legal Services in Athens; Rick Massatti; chief of addiction treatment at the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services; and Vanessa Perkins, who says she found hope after connecting with fellow survivors of human trafficking and addiction through her CATCH (Changing Actions to Change Habits) Court program in Franklin County.
“Our state is committed to addressing the behavioral health crisis, including drug overdoses, that is going on right now,” Massatti says. “As Ohioans, we will all work together and come out as better people.
Lucia Walinchus, who serves as executive director of
Eye on Ohio, a nonpartisan and nonprofit news outlet focused on promoting public good and seeking solutions, is moderating the series.
“Thinking through how we can best design systems to work for ordinary Ohioans will take a long time,” Walinchus says. The solution, according to her will come from the sharing of diverse perspectives, for which the June 10 panel will certainly allow.
The first event in the series kicked off May 20 and focused on the subject matter of
“Offender Reentry.” Participants learned more about the significant challenges individuals face when reentering society after having been incarcerated, as well as some resources available to them as they try to ease back into society, navigating norms and expectations.
Each panel invites questions from participants, prompting conversation among Ohioans to explore issues in more depth. Events are free to attend and hosted via digital platform Hopin.
Register to attend here:
Civics Essential: Opioids on June 10, 2021
Civics Essential: Marijuana Laws on July 1, 2021
Civics Essential: Checks and Balances on July 22, 2021
The Ohio State Bar Foundation provides support to Issue Media Group (IMG), through fiscal agent Cincinnati Development Fund, with their first strategic grant to improve the civics knowledge of adult Ohioans, enhance their participation in and knowledge of government, enable their access to justice and improve their perceptions of the judicial system.
IMG created the Ohio Civics Essential series including feature stories published in Soapbox Cincinnati, Fresh Water Cleveland, and The Hub Springfield with corresponding quizzes plus live and virtual events.
The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent those of the Ohio State Bar Foundation.
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