In 1999, the Legislature created the Office of Drug Control and the Drug Policy Advisory Council in the Executive Office of the Governor. The primary purposes of the office was to coordinate drug control efforts; provide information to the public about the problem of substance abuse and services available; and develop a strategic program and funding to coordinate state agency activities relating to drug control. In the Office of Drug Control there were three councils and one task force established: Drug Policy Advisory Council, Seaport Standards Advisory Council, Suicide Prevention Coordinating Council, and Prescription Drug Monitoring Program Oversight and Implementation Task Force.
Two actions effective on July 1, 2011, changed the council. 1) Section 397.332, Florida Statutes, repealed the Office of Drug Control within the Executive Office of the Governor. 2) Section 397.333 F.S., became law which established the Statewide Drug Policy Advisory Council under the Florida Department of Health.
The Surgeon General or his or her designee shall be a nonvoting, ex officio member of the advisory council and shall act as chairperson. The director of the Office of Planning and Budgeting or his or her designee shall be a nonvoting, ex officio member of the advisory council.” The remaining membership of the DPAC includes eight high level state officials, seven members of the public appointed by the Governor and a member from the Florida Senate, Florida House of Representatives and Judiciary.
Responsibilities of the Council
The chairperson of the advisory council shall appoint workgroups that include members of state agencies that are not represented on the advisory council and shall solicit input and recommendations from those state agencies. The Department of Health shall provide staff support for the advisory council. The Advisory Council shall:
- Meet at least quarterly or upon the call of the chairperson;
- Conduct a comprehensive analysis of the problem of substance abuse in this state and make recommendations to the Governor and Legislature for developing and implementing a state drug control strategy;
- Review and make recommendations to the Governor and Legislature on funding substance abuse programs and services;
- Review various substance abuse programs and recommend, where needed, measures that are sufficient to determine program outcomes;
- Review the drug control strategies and programs of other states and the Federal Government;
- Recommend to the Governor and Legislature applied research projects that would use research capabilities within the state;
- Recommend to the Governor and Legislature changes in law which would remove barriers to or enhance the implementation of the state drug control strategy;
- Make recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature on the need for public information campaigns.
- Ensure that there is a coordinated, integrated, and multidisciplinary response to the substance abuse problem in this state;
- Assist communities and families in pooling their knowledge and experiences with respect to the problem of substance abuse;
- Examine the extent to which all state programs that involve substance abuse treatment can include a meaningful work component;
- Recommend to the Governor and the Legislature ways to expand and fund drug courts; and
- Submit a report to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by December 1 of each year.
Members
The membership of the DPAC is nine high level state officials, seven members of the public appointed by the Governor, a member of the Senate, a member of the House of Representatives and a member of the judiciary:
State Surgeon General
Joseph A. Ladapo, MD, PhD
Governor’s Office of Policy and Budget
Doug Simon
Attorney General
Ashley Moody
Executive Director, Department of Law Enforcement
Mark Glass
Secretary, Department of Children and Families
Shevaun Harris
Secretary, Department of Corrections
Ricky Dixon
Secretary, Department of Juvenile Justice
Eric Hall
Commissioner, Department of Education
Manny Diaz, Jr.
Executive Director, Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles
Dave Kerner
Adjutant General of the state as the Chief of the Department of Military Affairs
Major General John D. Haas
Governor Appointee: Substance Abuse Treatment
Melanie Brown-Woofter
Term Ends: 9/6/2023
Governor Appointee: Drug Enforcement
Sheriff Peyton Grinnell
Term Ends: 9/6/2023
Governor Appointee: Faith-Based Substance Abuse Treatment
Dean Inserra
Term Ends:9/6/2025
Governor Appointee: Faith-Based Substance Abuse Treatment
Rabbi Meir Kessler
Term Ends: 9/6/2025
Governor Appointee: Expertise in Drug Enforcement and Substance Abuse Services
Sheriff Chris Nocco
Term Ends: 9/6/2025
Governor Appointee: Expertise in Drug Enforcement and Substance Abuse Services
Sheriff Chad Chronister
Term Ends: 9/6/2023
President of Senate appoints Member of Senate
Senator Darryl Rouson
Term Ends:11/5/2024
Speaker of the House appoints Member of House of Representatives
Representative Spencer Roach
Term Ends: 5/20/2023
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court appoints member of the Judiciary
Judge Steve Leifman
Term Ends: 9/28/2024
Governor Appointee: Substance Abuse Prevention
Peggy Sapp
Term Ends: 9/6/2017
Meetings
Upcoming Meeting
TBD
Previous Meetings
August 28, 2024: Agenda | Meeting Minutes
May 22, 2024: Meeting Minutes
February 29, 2024: Agenda | Meeting Minutes
October 25, 2023: Agenda | Meeting Minutes
August 24, 2023: Agenda | Meeting Minutes
April 18, 2023: Agenda | Meeting Minutes
February 2, 2023: Agenda | Meeting Minutes
Annual Reports and Publications
Home Printing | Commercial Printing
Public Meeting Books
December 10, 2024 – Public Meeting Book
August 28, 2024 – Public Meeting Book
May 22, 2024 – Public Meeting Book
February 29, 2024 – Public Meeting Book
October 25, 2023 – Public Meeting Book
August 24, 2023 – Public Meeting Book
April 18, 2023 – Public Meeting Book
February 2, 2023 – Public Meeting Book