Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission

Governing Agency / Agency Acronym: 
Department of Behavioral Health (DBH)
Expiration date: 
Saturday, October 31, 2026

Point of contact: Orlando Barker Telephone: 2025972904 Email: orlando.barker@dc.gov

D.C. Official Code § 7–3212. Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission.

(a) There is established an Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission.

(b) The purpose of the Commission shall be to:

(1) Ensure that the monies the District receives and deposits into the Fund are appropriately expended on evidence-based and evidence-informed harm reduction, prevention, recovery, and treatment activities, practices, programs, services, supports, and strategies for opioid use disorder and co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders;

(2) Prioritize and facilitate public involvement, accountability, and transparency in allocating and accounting for these monies; and

(3) Ensure that the monies the District receives and deposits into the Fund have the effect of preventing, treating, and reducing opioid use disorder and co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders and reducing fatalities.

Members: 
NameRoleEmail
Orlando M. Barker
Administrative Point-of-Contact
Barbara J. Bazron, Ph.D.
Director, Department of Behavioral Health
Ayanna Bennett, MD Acting Director
Director, DC Health
Melisa Byrd
Designee (by Director, Department of Health Care Finance)
Wayne Turnage
Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services
Alexis Squire
Designee (by Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice )
Francisco J. Diaz, MD, FACP
DC Chief Medical Examiner
Brian L. Schwalb
DC Attorney General
The Honorable Christina Henderson
Chair, DC Council Committee on Health
Raymond Tu, MD
Medical Society of the District of Columbia
Jacqueline D. Bowens
President and CEO, District of Columbia Hospital Association
Michael Pickering
District of Columbia Behavioral Health Association
Patricia Quinn
Vice President, Partnerships and Policy, District of Columbia Primary Care Association
Nnemdi Elias, MD
(Mayor Appointee)
Senora Simpson, PTMPH,Dr. PH
(Mayor Appointee)
Demetrius Jones
(Mayor Appointee)
Larry Gourdine
(DC Council Chairman Appointee)
J. Chad Jackson
(DC Council Chairman Appointee)
Beverlyn D. Settles-Reaves
(DC Council Chairman Appointee)

Meetings

May 2026

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