Episode 35: The Opioids Crisis – A Tragedy Close to Home and One City’s Prevention Efforts Artwork

Local Officials: Stronger, Together Podcast

The Texas Municipal League Intergovernmental Risk Pool proudly introduces the Local Officials: Stronger, Together Podcast Series. The Pool is producing this regular podcast series, which has been dubbed STP, to help local officials (and managers and staff) understand key operational and legal concepts, and the services the Pool provides. After arming members with that information, each 15-minute episode will give easy action items to help keep your citizens, employees, volunteers, and property safe, all while saving public dollars. City council members can earn up to 19 Texas Municipal League Institute CEUs for listening to the podcasts. To receive CEUs for a particular episode, an elected official must provide a description of the episode, which must be educational in nature, pertain to municipal leadership, and should enhance your service as an elected official, for TML approval. Attorneys who listen to podcasts may be eligible for up to three hours of self-study CLE credit. Please refer to the State Bar CLE compliance rules for more information.

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Local Officials: Stronger, Together Podcast

Episode 35: The Opioids Crisis – A Tragedy Close to Home and One City’s Prevention Efforts

August 09, 2024 • Scott Houston • Season 1 • Episode 35

In this episode, Scott first speaks with Arkansas Municipal League Executive Director Mark Hayes. Mark lost his son Wells in 2020 to a drug overdose. Mark and his wife Allison decided to share Wells’ story as publicly as they can in the hopes that doing so helps others avoid such a tragedy. Mark is also a co-founder of the Arkansas Opioids Recovery Partnership, which uses millions in drug company settlement funds to fight the opioid epidemic in Arkansas.

Scott then explains the TML Risk Pool’s Partnership Award, which was given to the City of Laredo for its outstanding efforts to fight overdoses locally. The city’s efforts run the gamut from prevention campaigns and treatment centers to overdose response and law enforcement operations. Scott interviews Laredo Police Chief Miguel A. Rodriguez, Jr., who highlights the city’s efforts.

This episode is so compelling it goes longer than a typical 15-minute STP episode. Every city official will want to listen to and learn from Wells’ story and Mark’s efforts, as well as those of the City of Laredo.

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Scott Houston

Host