The Town of Smithtown Horizons Counseling & Education Center will mark International Overdose Awareness Day and Recovery Month by holding NARCAN® training events for the community. On Wednesday, August 31 at noon and Tuesday, September 13 at 7 p.m., there will be free NARCAN® training seminars in the Community Room of Horizons Counseling and Education Center, located at 161 E. Main Street, Smithtown.
“An event such as this is imperative in these times we are experiencing as a country, state, county and town. With rising stressors facing our communities, behavioral health awareness and support are in great need. Alcohol and substance abuse continue to plague communities, we see opioid overdose numbers front and center in conversations, media reports and the starring role on the screen when turning on the television or opening the newspaper. An event such as this allows for Horizons to outreach our community to increase awareness and capacity for the town residents and equip them with the knowledge and skills to provide lifesaving acts such as opioid overdose reversal with Narcan. Continued discussion and education on opioid overdose and awareness will encourage a decrease in stigma and create an environment supportive of recovery for those who are seeking recovery for opioid use disorder. This event will provide exactly that to our local community,” said Joe Bieniewicz, Director of Drug and Alcohol Counseling Services.
On International Overdose Awareness Day, people and communities come together to raise awareness of one of the world’s most urgent public health crises – one that, unfortunately, is only getting worse. Having an outpatient drug and alcohol agency right in the township is an asset for the community. Additionally, learning the signs of an overdose can help save a life.
“International Overdose Awareness Day is important not only to acknowledge those who have been lost to the disease of addiction, but also to educate and offer hope to those who are still struggling,” said Alexa Stern, Drug and Alcohol Community Coordinator.
Narcan kits will be provided for free. Horizons Counseling & Education Center resource tables will be set up around the training area, filled with information about recovery services, the outpatient program and substance misuse prevention education. All are welcome to attend to get trained and to hear about the drug and alcohol treatment and prevention services that Horizons provides.
Space is limited and on a first come first serve basis. Residents can reserve space by contacting Horizons Counseling & Education Center at 631-360-7578, via email at [email protected] or registering online at http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=4qqg9a4ab&oeidk=a07ejc7ez2h6982f465
About International Overdose Awareness Day:
Observed on the 31st of August every year, International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD) seeks to create better understanding of overdose, reduce the stigma of drug-related deaths, and create change that reduces the harms associated with drug use. International Overdose Awareness Day is convened by Penington Institute, an Australian not-for-profit.
International Overdose Awareness Day is the world’s largest annual campaign to end overdose, remember without stigma those who have died and acknowledge the grief of the family and friends left behind. It began in 2001, led by Sally J Finn at The Salvation Army in St Kilda, Melbourne. Since then, communities, governments, and organizations work to raise overdose awareness about one of the world’s worst public health crises, and promote action and discussion about evidence-based overdose prevention and drug policy.
About Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Recovery Month:
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Recovery Month is a national observance held every September to promote and support new evidence-based treatment and recovery practices, the emergence of a strong and proud recovery community, and the dedication of service providers and community members across the nation who make recovery in all its forms possible.
