Strategic Plan Outlines Efforts to Address Opioid Crisis — Kansas Prescription Drug and Opioid Advisory Committee releases four-year plan

In 2016, there were more than 300 drug-poisoning deaths in Kansas, and approximately
half of those involved a prescription or an illicit opioid. Although Kansas is below the national average
for fatal opioid overdoses, the opioid crisis is an emerging threat that remains a priority for the state to
address. The Kansas Prescription Drug and Opioid Advisory Committee has developed a four-year
plan to provide help to those affected and empower professionals with the strategies they need to
reduce prescription drug and opioid misuse, abuse and associated adverse health outcomes.
“Kansas has an opportunity to address the opioid crisis proactively through federal programs and
collaborative strategic planning with stakeholders. We convened the Kansas Prescription Drug and
Opioid Advisory Committee to carry out this critical project,” said Dr. Greg Lakin, Medical Director at
the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE).
The role of the Kansas Prescription Drug and Opioid Advisory Committee is to develop and
implement a coordinated, multi-disciplinary statewide strategic plan to provide a comprehensive
approach to the opioid crisis in Kansas.