'With You STL' Shows DEA Focus On Outreach, Opioid Crisis

More often than not, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is associated with tracking drug cartels and arresting traffickers. But the law enforcement agency also ensures physicians and pharmacists are following the law with regards to prescriptions, a role that has become even more critical as well as more challenging in recent months. And in the DEA’s St. Louis Division, the COVID-19 pandemic has prompted more focus on community outreach, particularly as the opioid crisis continues to ravage the country. Earlier this month, the St. Louis County Department of Health reported a 47% increase in opioid-related deaths among Black men in 2019. This spring, the division launched the website With You STL in an effort to help connect community members with critical resources for prevention, treatment and recovery. In this conversation, Special Agent in Charge Bill Callahan and Inez Davis, the division’s diversion program manager, talk with host Sarah Fenske. Representatives from local treatment and prevention organizations offer their perspectives as well.