Pres. Trump's 'drug czar' visits Waukesha with plan to help substance abuse

WAUKESHA, Wis. (CBS 58) -- President Donald Trump's "drug czar" made a stop in Waukesha Wednesday morning, Oct. 28, to discuss the White House's plan to help those suffering with substance abuse escalated by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Director Jim Carroll met with local, state, and federal law enforcement at the Waukesha County Courthouse for a roundtable. 

Carroll, who runs the White House Office of Drug Control Policy, says the spike in deadly overdoses and relapses is correlated with the pandemic because people are feeling isolated and some have lost their jobs. 

He says meth use is up in northern Wisconsin and fentanyl is up in the southern part of the state. 

Carroll says some drug treatment centers have closed because of COVID-19 and their goal is to help addicts get access to treatment.

"We did that by making sure that they qualify for these loans as they came through as part of the first stimulus package and to be able to make them do that, to be qualified to receive these funds, they’re able to open their doors. They are able to keep going. One of the other things that we did that we found out early on that some of the treatment centers that where they are providing some of the life-saving medical intervention that some of these folks need weren’t receiving some of the PPE.”

If you or someone you know needs help finding treatment for substance abuse, the White House has set up a website HERE.