Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes Shares Statewide Expertise at Opioid Crisis Conference Hosted by the White House

Federal and state officials and key policymakers from over 40 states
and territories gather to discuss best practices in fighting the opioids
crisis

WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#Federal–Today, Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes joined more than 150 federal and
state leaders from around the nation to share tips and tools for
combating the opioid epidemic and keep federal partners and support
aligned with state and local officials and community needs. The
conference hosted by the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs
fostered continued collaboration and the sharing of best practices to
address the United States’ opioid crisis.

In addition to Utah Attorney General Reyes, the panel included Jim
Carroll, the Deputy Director for the Office of National Drug Control
Policy (ONDCP); Admiral Brett Giroir, Assistant Secretary for Health at
Health and Human Services; Anne Hazlett, Assistant Secretary for Rural
Development at the United States Department of Agriculture; John Martin,
Assistant Administrator for Diversion at Drug Enforcement Agency; and
Andrew Bremberg, Assistant to the President and Director of the Domestic
Policy Council.

Reyes highlighted what Utah is doing right as well as the state’s opioid
statistics, which have put Utah at the forefront of the crisis.
Emphasizing the importance of mobilizing a diverse and talented network
of professionals was a priority for Reyes during the summit. Reyes
explained to attendees, “This is not a Republican or Democrat issue,
this is a humanitarian issue. One of the most important elements of
battling today’s opioid crisis and recovering from addiction is keeping
connected to a supportive community. We need to eliminate the shame and
judgment, and we need to start talking openly and honestly.”

As the only state leader on the panel of federal experts chosen by the
Trump administration to discuss the comprehensive efforts taken in the
fight against the opioid crisis, Reyes addressed the following statewide
efforts to combat the opioid epidemic:

• $930 million in grants received from Opioid Response from the Office
  of Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) and Substance Abuse and Mental Health
  Services Administration (SAMHSA) to support community-driven solutions;
• First Lady Melania Trump’s “Be Best” initiative focusing on children
  affected by the crisis (particularly neonatal concerns and educating
  parents on healthy pregnancies);
• Drug Enforcement Agency’s (DEA) collaborative efforts with state,
  local, private sector, and non-profits through the Drug Take Back Day
  prevention program; and
• ONDCP, Ad Council, and Trump administration partnership on the Youth
  Opioid Prevention ad campaign.

ABOUT UTAH ATTORNEY GENERAL SEAN REYES

The Honorable Sean D. Reyes is the 21st Attorney General and first
ethnic minority elected statewide in Utah. Reyes has received wide
praise for regaining public trust and successfully handling many of the
most important cases in the state’s history. He has been lauded by
legislators from both sides of the aisle for his work ethic and legal
acumen, and won praise from the Governor and his Cabinet for increased
excellence and transparency in the office. Eradicating human trafficking
remains a priority for the Reyes administration, along with other policy
initiatives including the fight against the opioid epidemic, suicide
prevention, domestic violence, religious liberty, among other social and
economic issues. Prosecuting violent crimes and white collar crimes
against the most vulnerable in our society is also a top office
priority. Technology innovations and how they impact consumers, business
and nonprofits including Blockchain, AR, VR and FinTech are also of
importance to Reyes. www.seanreyes.com

EDITOR’S NOTE:

1. Livestream of the public portion of the conference is archived here.
   https://youtu.be/C2xg1MHfzSQ
   (AG Reyes panel at 1:11:53)
2. For more information on today’s conference, visit https://attorneygeneral.utah.gov/wh-opioid-conference/

Contacts

for Friends of Sean Reyes
Lee Rech, 801.556.8423 – cell
info@seanreyes.com