WKSU Stories

RNC Host Committee Hosts Series of Public Policy Panel Discussions in Cleveland

Ideastream Public Media | By Kabir Bhatia

Published July 21, 2016 at 12:09 PM EDT

Sen. Rob Portman (left), Tracy Plouck, Director of the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, Erin Hoeflinger of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Ohio and Dr. Richard Rosenquist, Chairman of the Cleveland Clinic's Department of Pain Management, discussed several reasons why the opioid crisis continues to grow.

The Cleveland 2016 host committee has been very busy with the Republican National Convention this week, but they’ve also put together a series of policy panel discussions, including one on possible solutions to the opioid epidemic.

The Wednesday session at the Global Center For Health Innovation featured Sen. Rob Portman, Attorney General MikeDeWineand healthcare professionals. TracyPlouck, Director of Ohio’s Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, says one of the challenges is keeping up with the influx of new drugs from overseas. She cited a recent case of suspected heroin overdoses in Lake County.

“It turned out that it was a chemical compound from China that had previously been unknown in Ohio. It was actually developed in the 1970's and but never approved by the FDA. There’s really no shortage of risk here as far as what’s going to happen next.”

The public policy discussion series continues today and is being live-streamed at the JobsOhio website.