Jim Johnson
IN A NUTSHELL
Former police chief Jim Johnson now leads the Mayor’s Office of Drug Control Policy in Huntington, WV, where more than 10% of the population is addicted to opioids and the entire community is coming together to combat the epidemic.
ABOUT JIM
Jim Johnson, the recently retired Director of the West Virginia Office of Drug Control Policy, is a former police chief from Huntington, WV -- a town where one in ten residents is addicted to opioids. Under Jim's leadership, Huntington established the Mayor's Office of Drug Control Policy, which formed important partnerships to develop the first harm reduction program in the state of West Virginia. The all-encompassing initiative, which includes education, syringe exchange, and Nalaxone distribution, has served over 2,000 individuals and has resulted in 1,000 opioid reversals. The office also formed the Woman’s Empowerment Addiction Recovery (W.E.A.R.) program, a specific drug court track that focuses on women who have been involved in the sex trade due to their drug addiction. These innovative and collaborative programs have gained national recognition and Jim has spoken at the White House, the Office of National Drug Control Policy Forum, and the North Carolina State Legislature, among many others.LEARN MORE
