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Lawmaker Hopes Appointment To Drug Council Will Aid In Preventing Child Abuse Deaths

Florida Senate

Florida lawmakers want to reform the way the state deals with substance abuse and mental health issues. One legislator hopes her recent appointment to an advisory council will help with that effort.

As the chair of the Senate Children, Families, and Elder Affairs committee, Sen. Eleanor Sobel (D-Hollywood) has already taken the lead on a number of child-related issues.

Among them is legislation looking to reform Florida’s child welfare system, which had come under scrutiny after a spate of child abuse deaths.

Sobel also is helping write legislation to address substance abuse and mental health issues—identified as contributing factors in a lot of child abuse-related instances.

“By being part of this very important council, I hope that there will be more of an emphasis on those families and will get the appropriate continuum of services so that we don’t experience these unfortunate child deaths,” she said.

Sobel is Senate President Andy Gardiner’s appointee to the Statewide Drug Policy Advisory Council.

For more news updates, follow Sascha Cordner on Twitter: @SaschaCordner.

Sascha Cordner has more than ten years of public radio experience. It includes working at NPR member station WUFT-FM in Gainesville for several years. She's worked in both radio and TV, serving in various capacities as a reporter, producer and anchor. She's also a graduate of the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree in telecommunications. She is the recipient of 15 awards from the Associated Press, Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), and Edward R. Murrow. Her award-winning stories include her coverage on the infamous “Dozier School for Boys” and a feature titled "Male Breast Cancer: Lost in the Sea of Pink." Currently, Sascha serves as the host and producer of local and state news content for the afternoon news program "All Things Considered" at WFSU. Sascha primarily covers criminal justice and social services issues. When she's not reporting, Sascha likes catching up on her favorite TV shows, singing and reading. Follow Sascha Cordner on Twitter:@SaschaCordner.