Sevier News Messenger Sevier County News and Opinion
The Tennessee Chamber of Commerce is partnering with the Blount Partnership to host a breakfast and panel discussion about how employers can address issues related to the opioid crisis.
Bradley Jackson, the president & CEO of the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce & Industry, announced a regional event focused on engaging the East Tennessee business community about the impact of opioid abuse. The Tennessee Chamber is partnering with the Blount Partnership to host a breakfast and panel discussion this Thursday, February 20, 2020 featuring local leaders in the recovery, healthcare, and criminal justice system. The event will also be co-hosted by the Knoxville Chamber of Commerce, the Anderson County Chamber of Commerce, and the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce.
Business representatives, employers, and human resource managers are invited to register to attend the breakfast, ask questions, and connect with local resources. The event will be held on Thursday, February 20, 2020 from 8:30 AM – 10:30 AM at the Hilton Knoxville Airport at 2001 Alcoa Hwy. The Maryville event is the final leg of a statewide tour and the launch of the chamber’s opioid toolkit.
This toolkit and regional meetings partnering with local chambers of commerce provides resources and information for employers and communities to identify and manage the significant problems with substance use disorder, prevent substance use, and improve and promote safety in the workplace and in communities at large.
“The Tennessee Chamber is proud to partner with the Blount Partnership to provide on-the-ground resources for our East Tennessee business community,” said Bradley Jackson, President & CEO of the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce & Industry. “Tennessee businesses are on the frontline of this fight against opioids, and as the statewide business association, we believe our effort to inform businesses and utilize this toolkit will increase productivity and improve safety in the workplace. We look forward to a lively conversation and insight into how businesses can remain competitive and act in the best interest of their employees.”
“In Blount County, each and every one of us has someone in our life who is personally impacted by opioids,” said Bryan Daniels, President & CEO of the Blount Partnership. “If we want our businesses to continue to grow and succeed, we need to make sure employers and business owners have the tools they need to respond to this crisis. We’re proud to work with the Tennessee Chamber to host this event and help our business community succeed.”
The event will feature a keynote address from Dr. JJ Janoyan from the University of Tennessee Medical Center. The event will include a conversation with Jason Pritchard, a recovery program manager with Ballad Health, and Miles Burdine, President and CEO of the Kingsport Chamber. The panel discussion, moderated by Bryan Daniels, will feature representatives from Wimberly Lawson Wright Daves & Jones, Wright Brothers Construction, and ReVIDA Recovery Centers. Zac Talbott, chief clinical officer for ReVIDA Recovery, will offer opening remarks.
The opioid epidemic has taken a devastating toll on the state of Tennessee. In 2018, 1,827 people in Tennessee died of an overdose, the deadliest year on record according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Forty-seven of those deaths occurred in Blount County alone, as reported by the Maryville Daily Times. According to a policy research group at the University of Tennessee, the opioid epidemic annually costs Tennesseans over $2 billion as of 2017, largely due to lost income of people who have left the labor market due to a substance use disorder.
While employers can take advantage of the Tennessee Chamber’s opioid toolkit today, East Tennessee businesses who would like to register for the February 20th event in Maryville can do so at www.tnchamber.org/otk.
