To watch the full Summit, Click Here
Dear Fellow Alaskans,
Last fall, I had an extremely moving meeting in Washington, D.C. with a group of Alaskan women who were attending the UNITE to Face Addiction Rally. Each woman had her own powerful story of facing addiction, and as the conversation drew to a close, there was not a dry eye in the room. Since becoming a senator, that was the most poignant meeting I’ve been a part of. Action needed to be taken to help my fellow Alaskans back home who are struggling with this epidemic.
I will convene a Wellness Summit in Palmer dedicated to conquering the opioid and heroin epidemic. Federal officials from several agencies will attend to hear what unique obstacles Alaskans face when in recovery, as well as witness the indomitable spirit of Alaskans who have overcome those obstacles. Whether you are a caretaker, a medical professional, a family member, a friend, a person in recovery, or a citizen looking for more information, I would be honored if you would attend to help us conquer this epidemic that’s ravaging so many lives across our state and throughout the country.
At the summit, the second in charge at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Deputy Secretary Mary Wakefield, will be the keynote speaker. HHS provides many services and opportunities, including overseeing grants for community health centers, guidance for opioid prescribing practices, and regulations on treatment centers.
The U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy will also be in Palmer. He has been touring the country with his “Turn the Tide Rx” campaign to meet with doctors and relay the message that doctors can help stop prescription opioid abuse. I am excited for him to join us and connect with Alaskans.
Dr. Jennifer Lee, Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Deputy Undersecretary for Health Policy and Services, and Dr. Karen Drexler, VHA Acting National Mental Health Program Director for Addictive Disorders will both attend and present to make sure that the state with the most veterans per capita is not forgotten in their efforts to best care for veterans.
I am committed to focusing our time together at the summit to produce tangible solutions that the attending federal officials and I can take back to DC.
Along with other notable Alaskans, a number of the women I met last fall will be there to ensure that Alaska’s story of combatting this crisis is told. I need your help to empower those in need, their loved ones, and all Alaskans on this journey of recovery. There is hope for our future. Please join us to share in this experience. All of us have a role in helping stem this crisis, and all are needed to ensure that we don’t lose another person to addiction.
Sincerely,
AGENDA
REGISTRATION - 8:30am
START - 9:00am
MORNING SESSION
Welcome by Michael Tucker - Knik Tribal Council
Alaskan Speakers:
The women who inspired the summit- Kara Nelson, Terria Walters, Christina Love, Kim Whitaker, and Julee Douglas
Gloria O’Neill - President and CEO, Cook Inlet Tribal Council
Jeff Jessee - CEO, Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority
Federal Speakers:
Dr. Mary Wakefield - Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Dr. Jennifer Lee - Deputy Under Secretary for Health for Policy and Services, Veterans Health Administration
Dr. Karen Drexler - Acting National Mental Health Program Director for Addictive Disorders, Veterans Health Administration
Science of Addiction:
Dr. Joshua Sonkiss - Medical Director, Fairbanks Community Mental Health Services
LUNCH - 12pm
AFTERNOON SESSION
Fireside Chat with U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy moderated by Alaska Chief Medical Officer Dr. Jay Butler
Breakout Sessions in the Machetanz Building
Panel Discussion moderated by Dr. Jay Butler
Closing Remarks - Senator Sullivan
END - 3:30pm
Additional Coverage & Reading:
Heroin Addiction Hooks Homer (Part 1)
Homer News, reprinted by Juneau Empire
Heroin in Homer, Part 2: Addicts Fact Barriers to Help
Homer News, reprinted by Juneau Empire
Heroin in Homer, Part 3: Adding up addiction's costs
Homer News, reprinted by Juneau Empire
Juneau's heroin heartbreak
Alaska Dispatch News
Alaska's heroin scourge: Opioid task force might be the solution the state needs to battle the epidemic
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
Female inmates learn to go from living behind bars to beyond them
KTVA Channel 11
New cases of fentanyl-laced heroin in Alaska spark concern among law enforcement
KTUU Channel 2
Struggling in battle with heroin, Mat-Su opens new treatment centers
Alaska Dispatch News
Medication working for youth struggling with opioid addiction
Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman
New faith-based recovery center now open to local men
Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman
Chasing the Dragon: The Life of an Opiate Addict
Documentary film produced by the FBI and DEA
A Small Town Bands Together To Provide Opioid Addiction Treatment
National Public Radio
Dreamland: The True Tale of America's Opiate Epidemic
Book by Sam Quinones
2016 Wellness Summit Speakers
Dr. Jennifer Lee
Deputy Under Secretary for Health for Policy and Services
Veterans Health Administration
Dr. Karen Drexler
Acting National Mental Health Program Director for Addictive Disorders
Veterans Health Administration
Kara Nelson
Executive Director
Juneau Haven House