On March 27, 2024, the Council on Chemical Abuse hosted Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) Secretary Dr. Latika Davis-Jones when she visited Berks County to kick off Phase 2 of the agency’s statewide stakeholder engagement tour. During her visit, Dr. Davis-Jones held a roundtable discussion at COCA’s Berks RISE Center on local efforts to manage the opioid crisis. More than 40 people, including elected officials, service providers and other local stakeholders, attended that discussion, offering insights and concerns that will help guide DDAP in crafting a plan for increased community and service provider engagement.
Topics discussed focused on DDAP regulations several attendees pointed to as problematic, including treatment plans, training requirements and mandatory data collection. The secretary noted that DDAP regulations are in need of updating.
Following the 2.5-hour roundtable discussion, Secretary Davis-Jones visited two Berks County programs, including Berks Counseling Center, a substance use disorder treatment facility, and Easy Does It, Inc., a licensed recovery house, where she participated in a music therapy session with residents.
The visit marked the launch of the second phase of the secretary’s statewide stakeholder tour. The first phase took place during the fall and winter of 2023, and included visits to 17 counties.
Read this Reading Eagle article about the DDAP Secretary’s Visit
Watch this Channel 69 News Story
Read this Berks Weekly article about the visit
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