Marion County has not been spared in the opiate crisis that is sweeping the country. The Opioid epidemic in Marion County continues to grow at an alarming rate.
The Opioid and Addiction Task Force (formerly the Heroin/Opioid Task Force) was established in 2017 as a result of community need and in response to a request by City of Ocala Mayor, Kent Guinn. The goal was to convene the community and work together to devise strategies to reduce the number of overdose deaths in Marion County. While the founding Task Force experienced some important early wins, the members realized that there was ongoing work to be done.
In January 2022, the Heroin/Opioid Task Force rebranded to become the Opioid and Addiction Task Force and has 6 sub-committees working on the core goals stated in its Community Action Plan.
Sub-Committees Include:
- Education and Prevention
- Medical/Treatment
- Substance Exposed Newborns
- Cultural Competency
- Media
- Data/Evaluation