Bowling Green’s New Office of Drug Control Policy Appoints Associate Director

The Barren River Area Development District (BRADD), located in Bowling Green, Kentucky, recently announced the appointment of Brooke Edwards as Associate Director for the newly created Office of Drug Control Policy.

More than a year ago, BRADD hosted an opioid summit, which pioneered the first steps for this new office. Edwards had attended this crucial summit and was immediately drawn to its cause. She shared, “I came back to the office, met with my boss, and said ‘I want to be involved. I don’t know how, but I want to be involved with this, I want to do something.’”

The inception of the Office of Drug Control Policy springs from The Anchor Project, a regional response to the opioid crisis. This ambitious project encompasses vital organizations like the Mental Health Crisis Centre and the Life Learning Centre along with Office of Drug Control Policy.

“It is a huge step for our region in mental health,” expressed Edwards. “This is a resource that we do not currently have. It is going to affect – not just the people that suffer with substance use – but their families as well.”

As the Associate Director, Edwards will play a pivotal role in controlling funding allocation to BRADD. This will help in deciding the best strategies to combat the opioid epidemic. Moreover, her office will also extend support to local authorities within the district in their efforts to tackle this crisis.

The addition of this new office and appointment of Brooke Edwards comes at a peak time, when communities seek to address the opioid crisis. This not only reinforces the commitment of regional authorities towards public health but also confirms their resilience in pursuing their mission to control the opioid crisis.