HENRICO COUNTY, Va. -- A panel at Henrico Doctors Hospital, assembled by Congressman Rob Wittman, featured a lengthy conversation among addiction recovery professionals, ER doctors, and law enforcement.
Kathryn Fedors shared her son’s story during the discussion.
Jack Nutter, 23, died in February from a fentanyl overdose.
Fedors said her son had received treatment from three different facilities before his death.
"Jack had tremendous support and access to resources that most people do not have," she said. "Despite our best efforts, we couldn't save him. Addiction is a family disease."
Fedors shared what it was like to parent someone battling addiction.
"When Jack lived with me, I would go to his room every morning wondering what I would find on the other side of the door," she said. "It was terrifying every single day."
Congressman Wittman (R - Henrico) said the addiction and the opioid crisis won't be solved on panels, but rather through committed communities.
"This is a national imperative for us to be able to address," he said. "I know there are a lot of different chapters to this and what we want to do is to try to unfold some of those things. What can you do? Where can we take next steps?"
Congressman Wittman spoke of the need to expand access to mental healthcare via Telehealth and Medicare, as well as more funding for the Substance and Mental Health Administration.
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