President Trump on Thursday is set to convene a major summit at the White House to highlight its effort to fight the nationwide opioid epidemic.
A White House official told the Washington Examiner that the Thursday afternoon summit will include multiple department heads, including Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin, Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, and Attorney General Jeff Sessions.
In October, the Trump administration declared the opioid crisis a nationwide public health emergency.
In 2016, there were more than 63,600 overdose deaths in the United States, which included more than 42,000 that involved an opioid.
Jim Carroll, who was newly appointed acting direct of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, will also be in attendance Thursday — his first public appearance since he took on the role last week.
About 200 other participants from outside the administration will also attend, including people representing non-profits that focus on addiction and recovery.
