By Sherrie Watkins, LMSW, Opioid Response Network Regional Coordinator, Region 7
Driven by a deep connection to his community and a passion for breaking down barriers, one individual took action to ensure health resources were accessible to his community. With unwavering determination and a gift for building partnerships, he collaborated with Opioid Response Network (ORN) Region 7, the Mid-America Addiction Technology Transfer Center (ATTC), and the Addiction Policy Forum (APF) to translate vital educational materials, empowering families with knowledge and tools to protect their loved ones.
Sal Valadez, 73, immigrated to the U.S. from Mexico at age 3, and he has resided in St. Louis for many years. Through his work with LiUNA (Laborers’ International Union of North America) and as the Diversity, Outreach, and Marketing Director for the Missouri-Kansas Laborers District Council, Valadez witnessed the disproportionate impact of the opioid crisis on historically underserved ethnic communities. He noticed that Missouri’s opioid overdose and mortality data did not reflect the stories and reality of the crisis at a grassroots level.
“There was an obvious gap of data, and if you don’t have data, you don’t have a response…"
