Knock out addiction
Public Health. Newton Medical Center Community will hold a community event Opioid Epidemic at Knock Out Opioid Abuse Town Hall at 10 a.m. to noon on Friday, March 13, in Newton Medical Center’s Romano Conference Center, 175 High Street, Newton.
Residents will join local experts to discuss the Opioid epidemic’s impact on the community and seek possible solutions at a Knock Out Opioid Abuse Town Hall, sponsored by the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey (PDFNJ) and The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey (Horizon BCBSNJ).
The Newton Medical Center Town Hall will examine the nature of the opioid crisis in the community and what actions are being taken to address it. The event will be held from 10 a.m. to noon. Friday, March 13, in Newton Medical Center’s Romano Conference Center, 175 High Street, Newton. Doors open at 9 a.m.
Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, through its philanthropic arm, The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey, is collaborating with PDFNJ on a two-year Knock Out Opioid Abuse initiative to address the opioid epidemic through community outreach, prescriber education, parent education and a statewide awareness campaign. The Knock Out Opioid Abuse Town Hall Series brings experts on the opioid epidemic from various fields, including law enforcement, the medical community, government, prevention, treatment and recovery together for events in communities in all 21 New Jersey counties.“The opioid epidemic is a multifaceted issue that requires a dynamic approach in which parents, community leaders, medical professionals, law enforcement, and other members of our communities must work together and develop ways to resolve this public health crisis,” said PDFNJ Executive Director Angelo Valente.
The town hall is being held in collaboration with Atlantic Health System’s Newton Medical Center, the County of Sussex, and the Center for Prevention & Counseling.
“Horizon looks forward to continuing the statewide conversation on how to combat the larger opioid epidemic and applying what we learned from the first round of town halls to actionable steps that connect people to localized services and solutions,” said Jonathan R. Pearson, Executive Director of The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey. “In addition, town halls will be streamed live so that anyone can attend and experience the discussion.”
Additional resources for attendees will be available prior to the town hall, including naloxone training, on-site prescription medicine disposal and a Hidden in Plain Sight presentation, which portrays a mock teenage bedroom with everyday items that can actually be indicators of drug use or risky behavior.
“CFPC has been on the forefront of addressing opioid use through prevention, providing treatment and has a thriving recovery community center that is dedicated to serving Sussex County,” said Becky Carlson, Executive Director of the Center for Prevention & Counseling. “We continually strengthen partnerships between key sectors to support overall community health and to build comprehensive strategies that reduce risk factors for opioid use and addiction.”
Residents can visit knockoutopioidabuse.drugfreenj.org to register to attend town halls, submit questions for panelists prior to the events, and share their personal stories of how they have been affected by the opioid epidemic.
The website also features information on scheduled town halls, videos from each event and a look into the lives of New Jersey residents who have been affected by the opioid epidemic. It also includes an online continuing medical education program for prescribers and information on parent education through the 5th Grade Parent Alert.