Gregory F. Lakin, DO, JD, FÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ
Candidate for Regional Director
Region VII - Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas
Gregory F. Lakin, DO, JD, FÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ. Before Medical Doctorhood in the 80’s Dr. Lakin worked as a City Police Officer and was on the Swat Team and Drug Task Force in Colorado. While working in law enforcement Dr. Lakin realized that many police contacts involved good people exhibiting self-destructive behaviors due to drug addiction. In an attempt to further solve these social problems, he attended law school in the 90’s and became a Prosecuting Attorney practicing in Hawaii and Maui Counties’. He was eventually assigned to drug cases promoting treatment for those with addictions. Although he enjoyed the challenges in law enforcement, he then attended medical school to obtain additional skills to continue to help people with addictions in a more direct and humanistic manner.
After completing a family practice residency in 2001 he became Medical Directors of Wichita Treatment Center, Valley Hope, Bel Aire Recovery Center. Sixteen years ago, he opened the “Center for Change”, an out- patient opiate addiction treatment facility, which is now the largest Treatment Center in Kansas with over six hundred active patients. He is also active in numerous clinical research trials as a Primary Investigator.
Candidate Questionnaire Responses
1. What have been your greatest contributions to ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ or to the field of addiction medicine over the last 10 years?
I have been exposed to the personal, family and social ills of people battling with addictions for over 45 years in various professional settings. I first became passionate about helping those with addictions as a young city police officer assigned to the drug use task force. I then became a prosecuting attorney for several years working to help those with addictions in a drug court like setting before there was such a thing as drug court.
The success of appropriate treatment helped guide me later as a family and addiction medicine physician in treating people with addictions in a compassionate evidence-based manner for the last twenty-five years, in both inpatient and outpatient settings. These work life experiences also help me educate other professionals from First Responders, Law Enforcement, and all types of medical professionals and students for the last two decades. I feel my varied experience and perspectives can continue to help others who are on the front lines of helping those with addictions.
2. How would your election to the ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ Board of Directors benefit ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ and the field of addiction medicine?
My election would continue to allow me to help others by developing and improving policies, education, and treatments. I have also held prior positions as a Kansas State Representative, Chair of the Governors Substance use Disorder Task Force and Kansas State Health Officer.
I learned about the importance of comprehensive community health, the toll that addiction causes to communities as well as families, and how to design and push various programs and bills through our regulatory and legislative process for the benefit of all.