Rep. Sykes Recognizes Ohio Overdose Awareness Day On August 31
AKRON, OH— U.S. Representative Emilia Sykes (OH-13) released the following statement recognizing Ohio Overdose Awareness Day, a time to raise awareness, support communities in the fight against drug addiction, and remember loved ones lost to the epidemic:
“Today, we honor the memory of those who tragically lost their lives to substance abuse and extend our support to their loved ones. As we raise awareness, we must work together to end the stigma surrounding addiction, advocating for accessible treatment and support, and fostering compassion for those affected by overdose,” said Rep. Sykes. “I will continue supporting policies like the Mental Health Improvement Act to expand access to mental health support, provide targeted outreach to communities most impacted by overdoses, and increase substance abuse education to create safer communities. We must take action to combat the growing opioid epidemic which has devastated individuals, families, and communities across Ohio’s 13th?Congressional District, and implement policies that will ultimately save lives right here in our district.”
In June 2023, Rep. Sykes introduced H.R. 4097, the Mental Health Improvement Act, bipartisan legislation to extend authorization for the Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training Program, which provided $34.7 million in Fiscal Year 2023 to increase the number of behavioral health professionals and improve access to behavioral health services.
Rep. Sykes is a co-sponsor of H.R. 1734, the TRANQ Research Act, which combats the opioid epidemic by directing the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to deepen its partnerships and strategically focus on the science needed to detect, identify, and better understand synthetic opioids. In March 2023, Rep. Sykes spoke in support of this legislation during a House Science, Space, and Technology Committee hearing.
Since the beginning of 2023, Summit County has recorded 320 drug overdoses, and 156 Stark County residents lost their lives to overdose in 2022.