¶ … Public Hearing -- Heroin Epidemic
The hearing attended for this paper was on Tuesday, August 26, from 9:30 A.M. To twelve noon. It was held at the Penn State Schuylkill, which is a campus that is part of Pennsylvania State University in Schuylkill Haven, Pennsylvania. Schuylkill Haven is located in Schuylkill County in Pennsylvania.
The purpose of the hearing was to present a formal, public discussion on a serious and growing drug problem in the county. Specifically, the hearing was focused on the serious problem in the community of heroin and opioid addiction, and what can be done about it. Also the hearing was held to discuss not just the problems of addiction -- and evidence to support that issue -- but also to bring to the audience's attention preventative measures that can be taken, or are being taken, whether adequate or not in the present context.
This was an opportunity for some elected officials to engage in dialogue with the community -- though there was a question and answer format, participants were asked to keep their comments to two minutes -- and to show those in attendance, and in the media, that these public officials had great concern about the drug problem and were committed to doing something about it. There was a minimum of what you might call "grandstanding" -- politicians bragging about what they have done to help prevent heroin and opioid addiction, especially among young people -- and the focus was clearly on the present realities of the problem, and on the potential solutions that could be initiated.
Details of the Hearing Process
After opening greetings, announcements, and general remarks presented by State Representative Jerry Knowles, who represents several counties in the 124th Legislative District (Berks, Carbon and Schuylkill), Knowles made some initial comments, including these remarks: "It's an epidemic, and this growing problem must be stopped." Knowles said there would be time for questions after the testimony, and for people to write down their questions and an usher...
She talked about the number of arrests related to heroin sales and usage in the county. She offered a recap of what the county has been doing; along with sheriff's department officials and members of the District Attorney's office, the county has taken a role of advocacy by going out to public schools and talking to children about the problem. Holman didn't minimize the problem nor did she suggest that it was under control. Rather, she called on parents, teachers, neighbors and members of faith communities to participate in prevention programs.
Important Testimony Offered at the Hearing
Neal Goodman was introduced (he is the State Representative for the 123rd Legislative District) and reminded the audience that this is "…a bipartisan issue. I think all of us, on a daily basis, see how this epidemic has spread not just throughout the county, but throughout the commonwealth." He said the "best way" to "get in front of this" is by "educating the public" and for elected leaders to be working with a diverse number of citizen in every walk of life.
Gary Tennis, who is secretary for the state Department of Drug and Alcohol programs, indicated that he had never seen an epidemic so widespread as the heroin problem is today. "The number or prisons and jails we have today are the consequences of a failed healthcare policy in the area of drug and alcohol addiction treatment." While Goodman had said this is not a partisan issue, Tennis sounded a bit partisan when he said there has been a "lack of resources" and treatment programs over the past twenty years have been "dwindling away and dwindling away" in the state. Tennis added that seventy percent of crime in Pennsylvania is driven by illicit drug usage.
The audience, a nearly full house, was very attentive. When it came time for Michael Ogden to speak, the program director for the Bridge Program in Philadelphia said, using an…
Family Law Amendment (Shared Parental Responsibility) Act U v U [2002] HCA Over the years, the moral fibre of the society has continued to crumble. One of the most affected social units in the society is the family. Spouses exchange vows only to go back on their promise that 'till death do us part.' Children are often at the receiving end of such scenarios since family disintegration often has a negative impact
These churches include the Pilgrim Lutheran Church of the Deaf, International Deaf Mission, Los Angeles Deaf Church., Holy Angeles Catholic Church of the Deaf and the Grace Bible Church of the Deaf, to mention a few. There is also a presence of the Jewish deaf community. When it comes to education, the Los Angeles area has a sizable program at the California State University Northridge with a National Center
The achievement gap also may ultimately negatively affect the U.S. As it may cause the nation to become less competitive in the increasingly global communities (What is the…, 2009). In addition, research indicates that the achievement gap contributes to students who more likely grow up to be unemployed, incarcerated, and poor. Consequently, a quality education proves critical for Black children (Elder, ¶ 3). Causes Contributing to Achievement Gap Causes contributing to
8). Likewise, the Institute of Agriculture required a quorum of two-thirds of its members for voting purposes and for the balancing of votes according to the size of the budgetary contributions (Bowett, 1970). While this analysis of these early forms of public international unions is not complete, it does suggest that they were beginning to identify the wide range of interests involved in modern international commerce and what was required
Government Since gang-related crimes fall within the jurisdiction of state, this research will give an insight on the need to find solutions that increasingly include all levels of government. Congress needs to pass legislation that will change immigration enforcement laws and make more aliens deportable. In addition, the federal government should take a more active participation in helping local and state jurisdictions develop anti-gang responses. The local, state and federal governments
Professional Student Athletes The Raw Numbers Eligibility Advantages of Sport Research Questions or Research Hypotheses Selection of Subjects Assumptions or Limitations Data Processing and Analysis SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS Questions related to academic priority Questions related to role models Questions related to advantages Implications for Practice Questions related to support and pressure Implications for Practice Implications for Research and Resultant Recommendations High school sports are for some students a fond memory, for other students the golden ticket to the land of opportunity. For most students, it