Tuesday, October 18, 2016, 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Location: Friendship Hall, 525 Newark Pompton Turnpike, Pompton Plains, NJ US 07444
Community Partners for Hope Shines Light on Opioid Epidemic
Oct. 18 from 7-9 PM in Friendship Hall
Eleven community groups and houses of worship have joined forces to shine a spotlight on the opioid addiction crisis, creating a series of programs that explain the growing Partners for Hope are: Chilton Medical Center; First Reformed Church of Pompton Plains; Good Shepherd Episcopal Church of Lincoln Park and Montville; Holy Spirit Catholic Church; NewBridge Services; Pequannock Municipal Alliance; Pequannock Township Coalition; Suburban Woman’s Club of Pompton Plains; The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Our Saviour; and W/HIM (Women’s Hands in Mission).
“Our goal is to educate the community about opioid addiction and to introduce them to resources, so they have places to turn for help,’’ said Doug Cook, who is coordinating the Community Partners for Hope workshops.
Mary Vineis, director of Community Response and Education at NewBridge Services, has lined up experts on the opioid addiction crisis, including Morris County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Brad Seabury and Dr. Phillip Devadan, medical director of Chilton Medical Center’s pediatric emergency department. Guests will also hear a first-hand account of how heroin addiction affected one family.
Nationwide, the rate of deaths caused by drug overdoses increased 14 percent between 2013 and 2014, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. New Jersey accounted for 1,253 of the 47,055 deaths caused by drug overdose in 2014.
The first workshop sponsored by the newly created Community Partners for Hope will be held Tuesday, Oct. 18, 7-9 p.m. here at FRC in Friendship Hall. To register go to https://CPFH1601.eventbrite.com or scan the QR code with your phone.
A second Community Partners for Hope workshop will focus on the “Hidden in Plain Sight” demonstration, in which experts help parents and other guardians identify signs of drug abuse using a mock teenager’s bedroom. A third, on April 5, 2017, will feature former Boston Celtics player Chris Herren, who overcame heroin addiction and will give two presentations at Pequannock High School.
At the Oct. 18 workshop, Pequannock police will have its mobile drop box so residents can safely dispose of unused/expired prescription drugs.