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The 21-member Statewide Task Force on Opioid Abuse, chaired by Attorney General Ashley Moody, was created by Executive Order 19-97 in 2019, in the wake of the Opioid Epidemic, knowing that a coordinated and comprehensive statewide drug control and substance abuse prevention strategy is imperative for education, prevention, treatment, recovery and law enforcement efforts.

Introduction

The 21-member Statewide Task Force on Opioid Abuse, chaired by Attorney General Ashley Moody, was created by Executive Order 19-97 in 2019, in the wake of the Opioid Epidemic, knowing that a coordinated and comprehensive statewide drug control and substance abuse prevention strategy is imperative for education, prevention, treatment, recovery and law enforcement efforts.

Members include mental health experts, law enforcement officers, legislators, a State Attorney and Public Defender, as well as experts in the fields of addiction, education and social services.

About the Opioid Epidemic

Prescription opioid misuse is among the top public health concerns both nationally and in the Sunshine State. Opioids are a family of drugs that include prescription painkillers such as hydrocodone and Oxycodone, as well as illegal drugs like heroin. Repeated misuse of prescription opioids can lead to substance use disorder (also known as addiction), and even death. The opioid crisis has progressed in three phases: the first phase is characterized by misuse of prescription opioids, the second phase is marked by the spike in misuse of substance such as heroin, and the third and current phase is distinguished by the rise in the misuse of synthetic opioids like fentanyl.

Task Force Duties

The Statewide Task Force on Opioid Abuse was created to research and assess the nature of opioid drug abuse in Florida and develop a statewide strategy to identify best practices to combat the opioid epidemic through education, treatment, prevention, recovery and law enforcement.

  • Recommendations included how the state can best use resources and funding to combat the opioid epidemic.
  • The Task Force gathered information as required and presented recommendations to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives.

Final Report

While there is no silver bullet to end the opioid crisis in our state, the initial findings of the Task Force included in the report provide evidence-informed, best practice recommendations to combat the opioid crisis. Additionally, the Task Force prioritized those recommendations, identifying which recommendations should be implemented as soon as possible to make a timely and significant impact on saving lives. These prioritized recommendations set out in the report are the framework to the statewide strategy to combat the opioid crisis. The Task Force held its final meeting in April of 2020.


Task Force Members

  • Attorney General Ashley Moody, Chair
  • Commissioner of the Florida Department of Education
  • Secretary of the Florida Department of Children and Families
  • Surgeon General, Department of Health
  • Secretary of the Florida Department of Corrections
  • Secretary of Florida Department of Juvenile Justice
  • Commissioner of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement
  • Sheriff Tommy Ford, Bay County
  • Police Chief Rick Jenkins, North Palm Beach P.D.
  • State Attorney Melissa Nelson, 4th Circuit
  • Dr. Heather Flynn
  • Melanie Brown-Woofter
  • Judge Steven Leifman, 11th Circuit
  • Senator Tom Lee
  • Representative Michael Caruso
  • Sheriff Dennis Lemma, Seminole County
  • Jim Boyd
  • MaryLynn Ulrey
  • Public Defender Michael Graves, 5th Circuit
  • Dr. Randy Katz
  • Sandra “Selima” Khan

Meetings

Date Location
October 11, 2019
10:00 AM
The Capitol
Cabinet Meeting Room
400 South Monroe St
Tallahassee, FL 32399
November 21, 2019
2:00 PM
St. Leo University, Board Room
33701 State Rd. 52
St Leo, FL 33574
December 17, 2019
10:00 AM
Miami Dade College, Wolfson Campus
Chapman Conference Center
Room 3210 – Bldg. 3, 2nd Floor
300 N.E. 2nd Avenue,
Miami, Florida 33132
January 10, 2020
1:00 PM
Seminole County Sheriff’s Office
Professional Development Center
2772 Depot Ave.
Sanford, FL 32773
February 24, 2020
1:00 PM
Manatee Memorial Hospital
The Auditorium
206 Second Street East
206 Second Street East Bradenton, FL 34208
March 24, 2020
2:00 PM
Teleconference
April 1, 2020
1:00 PM
Teleconference
FINAL MEETING