Former DEA head and U.S. “Drug Czar” to provide guidance on DII ONEbox™ distribution and initiatives to save lives from overdose
Charleston, WV — The West Virginia Drug Intervention Institute (WVDII) today announced the organization will be working with Michael Best Advisors and its principals: former Acting Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Uttam Dhillon and former Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (U.S. “Drug Czar”) Jim Carroll. Mr. Dhillon and Mr. Carroll will provide advice and direction to expand initiatives to combat the drug overdose crisis and increase distribution of the WVDII ONEbox — an emergency opioid overdose reversal kit that includes video-on-demand training to ensure the safe administration of the life-saving drug naloxone to individuals suffering from opioid overdose.
The latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that West Virginia has the highest rate of drug-related deaths in the United States.
“The Drug Intervention Institute is proud to welcome Mr. Dhillon and Mr. Carroll to aid and assist us in our work saving the lives throughout Appalachia and the United States from illicit substances,” WVDII President Dr. Susan Bissett said. “By working with Michael Best Advisors, we hope to map out new ways to bring our ONEBox™ opioid overdose reversal kits to the places of greatest need.”
“The ONEBox™ is designed to make it as easy as possible for anyone to reverse an opioid overdose,” Mr. Dhillon said. “I’m excited to marshal the Michael Best Advisors team to help DII with its mission and raise the profile of the ONEbox™ .”
“During my tenure as the United States ‘Drug Czar,’ I was able to see firsthand the dedication of Dr. Bissett and everyone at the Drug Intervention Institute,” Mr. Carroll added. “I’m glad to be able to continue working with the passionate team at DII to aid them in their mission preventing drug-related deaths and saving lives.”
About DII: The mission of the Drug Intervention Institute is to reduce opioid and drug-related deaths in Appalachia and the nation by (a) preventing substance use through education (b) reducing overdose through training and distribution related to naloxone and other opioid reversal agents, and, (c) supporting harm reduction and other drug-response efforts. To fulfill its mission, the Institute is carrying out activities under three objectives – education, collaboration, and prevention.
Hon. Jim Carroll’s bio: Available here.
Hon. Uttam Dhillon’s bio: Available here.
Dr. Susan Bissett’s bio: Available here.