Opioid and Heroin Awareness Week Discussion
 

Opioid and Heroin Awareness Week Discussion
VFW Action Corps <vfwac@vfw.org>

The Department of Justice hosted a discussion panel on Tuesday for Prescription Opioid and Heroin Epidemic Awareness Week. The discussion was veteran specific and focused on exploring the intersections of substance use, mental health, homelessness, suicide and how veteran treatment courts are positively affecting those in need. Among those in attendance were Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert A. McDonald, Principle Deputy Associate Attorney General William J. Baer and Michael Botticelli, director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. The panel discussions focused on tackling the difficulties stemming from opioid and heroin use in a holistic manner and on exploring how opioid and heroin use actually affects and causes difficulties such as incarceration and homelessness. For more information visit: https://www.justice.gov/opa/blog/opi...ble-discussion.

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Also:

House Committee Advances Several Veterans Bills: On Wednesday, the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs held a markup of 11 bills, which would authorize VA employees to work flexible hours and expand operating hours of VA medical facilities; authorize headstone medallions for Medal of Honor recipients buried in private cemeteries; authorize the spouses of veterans to retain their residency for tax purposes; and require VA to provide veterans information on the transferability of credits for educational programs authorized under the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill program. To learn about all the bills advanced by the committee, visit: https://veterans.house.gov/legislati...-legislation-3.