Indiana's Commission to Combat Drug Abuse met Friday in Indianapolis discussing how the state has addressed the opioid and addiction crisis. The group highlighted progress, as well as areas of need.

The program is part of a nationwide trend bringing treatment closer to the criminal justice system.

Gov. Eric Holcomb has made growing the state's pool of skilled workers a top priority since he took office. One of the many hurdles employers find themselves up against is a complicated one.

The new initiative aims to teach Indiana employers how to help workers who may struggle with addiction. The effort is a partnership between the state, the Indiana Chamber and the Wellness Council.

New legislation would require providers administer a verbal screen for drug, alcohol and tobacco use to pregnant women.

First responders like firefighter Brandon Dreiman face barriers when it comes to getting treatment for mental health and addiction. He coped with traumatic experiences through drinking. Then, a random work drug screening changed his life

Kelsey Phillips, who has been in recovery since 2013, now works with women who are just entering recovery. Women who, like her, had children born addicted to heroin, and who have limited access to treatment.

Addiction affects millions of Americans. At a live storytelling event held Aug. 14, 2018, Indiana community members who struggle with addiction shared their stories of life in recovery.

James, who asked to only be identified by his middle name, tried Oxycontin for the first time when he was in college. Now in recovery, he works as a paramedic, often responding to overdose victims who need to be revived using the opioid overdose reversal drug naloxone.

Dwight Fortune acknowledges that his story isn't the typical one of someone who ends up in prison after years struggling with addiction. Now, he uses his experiences to help other people in recovery transition back into society after serving time.