St. Joseph to observe Overdose Awareness Day
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) -- St. Joseph organizations will observe International Overdose Awareness Day, which falls on Aug. 31.
The public is invited to attend the annual event at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 31, at Civic Center Park outside City Hall.
The event in St. Joseph will focus on remembering lives lost to overdose, honoring those affected by substance use disorder and sharing a message of hope and recovery.
The Buchanan County Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention, hosted by the City of St. Joseph Health Department and supported through the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services Data to Action contract, is planning the event.
Vendor tables will open at 6:30 p.m., followed by the reading of a proclamation at 6:55 p.m. Limited seating will be available and attendees are encouraged to bring their own lawn chair.
The evening will conclude just after sunset with the Circle of Hope.
Those who have lost a loved one to an overdose are invited to bring a photograph or other memorabilia to display as a tribute.
Individuals will also be able to share experiences and the ways substance use disorders have affected them and their families. Everyone affected by drug overdose will be honored and acknowledged, including overdose survivors.
Attendees will have access to resources at vendor tables, including:
· Information about the Buchanan County Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention
· Materials about Missouri's 9-1-1 Good Samaritan Law
· Naloxone and instruction on its use
· Information about tuition assistance for the certified peer specialist course
· Information about the 9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
· Information about local treatment and recovery programs and support groups
· Free purple flashlights and materials to create remembrance rocks, while supplies last
The event not only serves as a way to remember, but also a way to emphasize that overdose deaths are preventable and to recognize those who provide support to individuals and families affected by substance use.
