Avera and U.S. Attorney’s Office Host Conference on the Opioid Epidemic

Media are invited at 10:45 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 18, at the Sioux Falls Convention Center, for a press conference. Media should register at the registration table. At the press conference, keynote speaker Dr. Stacey Hail give comments and will be available for interviews, along with Deb Fischer-Clemens and Randolph Seiler.

SIOUX FALLS  –  “The Opioid Epidemic: A Wicked Problem of the Worst Kind” will be held Wednesday, Oct. 18, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Sioux Falls Convention Center in Ballrooms A and B. This event is sponsored by Avera and the U.S. Attorney’s Office of South Dakota.

“We are fortunate in South Dakota that we have not been impacted as deeply as many states by the opioid epidemic. Yet we also know that we’re seeing a tip of the iceberg of what we could possibly face in the future, so we want to be proactive in order to protect residents of our state. At this conference, we hope to raise awareness and spark discussions toward possible solutions,” said Randolph Seiler, U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota.

Keynote speaker will be Stacey Hail, MD, FACMT, Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine and Medical Toxicology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, and toxicologist at Parkland Hospital and North Texas Poison Center. Dr. Hail is a forensic and medical expert witness and analyzes overdose cases from all over the country.

Kim Malsam-Rysdon, Secretary for the South Dakota Department of Health, is the noon speaker. There will also be panel discussions featuring state and local experts on legal implications, medical implications, child endangerment and innovative solutions and prevention.

This is the fourth annual conference sponsored by Avera and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, along with other community sponsors, to explore issues of justice, well-being and safety in our state and region. Past topics have included human trafficking, living with disabilities and child sexual abuse

“More than 140 Americans die from a drug overdose every day—that's more than from gun homicides and car crashes combined. If nothing changes, a STAT forecast concludes that 650,000 people will die in the next 10 years – a number that represents over three-fourths of the population of South Dakota. President Donald Trump has declared the opioid crisis a national emergency, and we want to do everything we can to prevent these tragedies from impacting people within our state and region,” said Deb Fischer-Clemens, Senior Vice President for Public Policy at Avera Health.

Throughout this full-day event, the goal is to open up a larger conversation between people from all walks of life in South Dakota. Attendees represent the legal system, government, health care, education, social work, ministries and more.

A turnout of over 350 is expected. “This high level of interest demonstrates our collective need to work together to bring about real and significant efforts toward prevention,” Fischer-Clemens added.