Freshman North Hills state Rep. Rob Mercuri has launched a pair of initiatives to address long-standing concerns that have been magnified by the coronavirus pandemic.

The Pine Township Republican has invited representatives from more than a dozen North Hills companies to serve a two-year term with an advisory group dubbed the Wexford Business Roundtable.

The 28th House District representative also announced that he has created a North Hills Mental Health and Substance Abuse Task Force comprised of representatives from 10 treatment agencies to address the increases in drug overdoses and mental illness cases.

The 28th House district comprises McCandless, Pine, Marshall, Franklin Park and Bradford Woods.

Mercuri said the business roundtable was organized to help “develop pro-small business policies … and grow the region’s economy in a fiscally responsible manner.”

“On the heels of a pandemic and the resulting economic crisis, I know this group of experienced business people will provide cross-functional expertise and guidance to increase jobs, reduce red tape, better steward state resources and increase economic recovery,” Mercuri said.

Representatives from The Oven, Burn Boot Camp, Holsinger, RE Broker, Jerry’s Car Wash, ATI, Giant Eagle/Pine, Accipiter Systems, Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber of Commerce, Soergel Orchards, PGT Trucking, Chick-fil-A, Walnut Group and Allegheny Health Network Health Pavilion will serve on the roundtable through November 2022.

“It is my hope that this group will collectively represent many facets of the western Pennsylvania economy and bring local and important business perspectives together so that I may best represent our business community,” said Mercuri, who announced that he is supporting a package of bills unveiled in the state House called the “Commonwealth’s Covid Comeback,” which proposes incentives for manufacturers, protections for small businesses and tax and regulatory reforms.

Substance abuse, mental health

Mercuri said the mental health and substance abuse task force was developed following a virtual event featuring a panel of experts that he hosted in March called A Pathway to Hope.

“The discussion was informative, but I wanted to do more to help those who are struggling and their families,” Mercuri said, adding that the pandemic has caused “the number of overdoses and cases of mental illness rise dramatically.

“Pennsylvania (also) falls within the top 10 states with the highest number of overdoses, so there’s certainly great need to be addressed,” he said. “The task force will present innovative solutions to combat the social and financial costs of drug addiction and mental illness.”

Representatives from local social service agencies who will serve two-year terms on the task force include Jade Wellness, Greenbriar Treatment Center, UPMC, North Hills Community Outreach, Gateway Rehabilitation, Spenser’s Voice, Anchorpoint Counseling Ministry, Pitt PERU, iRise and The Open Door.

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