Health Care District’s Chief Medical Officer Shares Plans to Address the County’s Opioid Crisis

Before a packed crowd in West Palm Beach, Belma Andric, MD, MPH, the Health Care District of Palm Beach County’s Chief Medical Officer, joined health care leaders who outlined ongoing steps to address the county’s opioid crisis. Dr. Andric described how a planned Addiction Stabilization Center would serve as a “conductor of the orchestra” for opioid addicts in crisis to receive emergency care, counseling and support services in a centralized facility. The discussion was part of County Mayor Melissa McKinlay’s forum “Facing the Crisis: Taking Action Against the Opioid Epidemic and Other Substance Use Disorders.” At the public forum, Mayor McKinlay praised Health Care District CEO Darcy J. Davis for her work along with the Health Care District Board and the District’s C. L. Brumback Primary Care Clinics to serve patients dealing with addiction and mental health issues.

From left: Darcy J. Davis, CEO, Health Care District of Palm Beach County; Palm Beach County Mayor Melissa McKinlay; Belma Andric, MD, MPH, Chief Medical Officer, Health Care District of Palm Beach County; Kenneth Scheppke, MD, Director of Emergency Services and Marc Schlosser, MD, provider with the C. L. Brumback Primary Care Clinics’ Medication Assistance Treatment Program