4th-District U.S. Representative Dan Newhouse is enlisting local community leaders to his recently launched Central Washington Fentanyl Task Force.

The task force is a volunteer working group that enlists the help of communities directly affected from fentanyl cases within the Central Washington region.

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This includes those working in law enforcement, addiction treatment groups, or are medical professionals, drug court officials, school resource officers, tribal leaders, elected officials, and community leaders.

Here is a list of the following members of this task force:

  • Kimberly Bershing, RN, BSN, Chief Nursing Officer, MultiCare Yakima Memorial
  • Joseph Brusic, Prosecuting Attorney, Yakima County
  • Jered Carter, Clinical Supervisor, Sundown M Ranch & Substance Abuse
  • Judge David Elofson (Retired), Yakima County Superior Court
  • Jarred-Michael Erickson, Chairman, Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation
  • Sergeant Chris Foreman, Chelan County Sheriff’s Office & President, Washington State Narcotics Investigators Association (WSNIA)
  • Chief Kevin Fuhr, Moses Lake Police Department
  • Dr. Raul Garcia, Medical Director, Astria Toppenish Hospital
  • Chief Chris Guerrero, Kennewick Police Department
  • Detective Erik Horbatko, Yakima Police Department
  • Ana Johnson, Program Manager, Chelan County Behavioral Health Unit
  • Chief Rob Layman, Sunnyside Police Department
  • Amanda McKinney, District 1 Commissioner, Yakima County
  • Rep. Gina Mosbrucker, Washington’s 14th Legislative District
  • Sergeant Rafael Sanchez, Yakima Police Department
  • Chief James Shike, Yakama Nation Tribal Police
  • Alicia Stromme Tobin, Executive Director, Safe Yakima Valley
  • Megan Tweedy, Community Member
  • Sheriff Robert Udell, Yakima County
  • Andrew Wonacott, Community Member

“One life lost to Fentanyl abuse is too many,” Foreman wrote. “Our community and our children's future are in grave danger if we do not come together and work towards combating this poison from continuing to be pushed into our community.”

Newhouse said this task force should be able to bring broad perspectives on the topic besides those working in law enforcement.

“Through this taskforce, we can have a very comprehensive look at the problem, and I think will yield much more effective results and specific actions that can be taken that will help solve this in our communities,” Newhouse said.

You can learn more about the Central Washington Fentanyl Task Force here.

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