Port St. Lucie - Sunday September 10, 2023: Port St. Lucie Vice Mayor Jolien Caraballo has been chosen to serve as one of 10 members of the Florida Opioid Abatement Council. Her appointment was announced by the City of Port St. Lucie Friday. She will serve a two-year term. Caraballo is expected to bring a local perspective to the taskforce which is committed to addressing the opioid epidemic and reviewing how money will be spent to combat it.
The Vice Mayor was appointed to serve on the council by the Florida League of Cities. She recently completed a year as President of the League.
“I am ready to take on this new role and look forward to working closely with fellow taskforce members, stakeholders, and the community to make progress fighting the opioid crisis in Florida,” Vice Mayor Caraballo said.
The Statewide Council was created within the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) for the purpose of enhancing the development and coordination of state and local efforts to abate the opioid epidemic and to support the victims and families of the crisis. It will advise the governor, legislature, DCF and local governments on the priorities that should be addressed as part of the opioid epidemic, review how monies have been spent and the results that have been achieved with Opioid Funds. Other duties include:
· Working with, and sharing information with, the Drug Policy Advisory Council and ensure recommendations are consistent.
· Reviewing data from local, state, and national agencies to advise state and local governments on the status, severity, and the state of the opioid epidemic.
· Reviewing data on expenditures, success, and metrics for assessing the epidemic and progress in abating it.
· Receiving information from funded entities regarding intended uses and data collection plans.
· Developing and recommending metrics, measures, or datasets to assess progress/success.