In recent years, a surge in heroin addiction has emerged as a major issue for Kentucky. The General Assembly last month approved legislation to address what's been deemed an epidemic, but more work will need to be done before the state can reverse the trend.
This will be the topic of a community conversation hosted by WFPL on April 16 in downtown Louisville. The event is part of WFPL's Next Louisville: Community Health project, which is sponsored by the Community Foundation of Louisville and the Foundation for Healthy Kentucky.
The panel discussion is part of WFPL's on-going coverage of this heroin issue. Panelists will be:
- Ja'Nel Johnson, WFPL's community health reporter
- Ryland Barton, WFPL's state Capitol bureau chief
- Karyn Hascal, president of The Healing Place
- Mark Bolton, director of Louisville Metro Corrections
- Jennifer Hancock, president of Volunteers of America of Kentucky
WFPL's Rick Howlett, who recently hosted a news special on the heroin issue, will moderate the panel. (You can listen to that news special below.)
[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/193029193" params="color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%" height="166" iframe="true" /]
The April 16 community conversation is free and open to the public. It begins at 6 p.m. and will be held at the Old Medical School Building at First and Chestnut streets. (Parking is available at the Second Street YMCA garage.)