As county agencies and partners continue efforts to combat 过量s, an annual 事件 in 罗克维尔市 raised 意识 for reducing stigma and recognized those residents who have died.
Those who have passed from 过量 were remembered during an annual Overdose Awareness Day 事件 and candlelight vigil Thursday evening in 罗克维尔市.
Maryland Lt. 政府. Aruna Miller said she lost her brother-in-law to an opioid 过量 in 2017.
“Addiction is not a moral failure, it’s a chronic health condition,” Miller said. She said she has made mental and behavioral health a priority in the Lieutenant 政府ernor’s office.
“The three most dangerous words are ‘not my kid’ because it is, it could be. At any moment it could be,” said Laura Mitchell, who is co-founder of Montgomery Goes Purple, a coalition with a mission to pr事件 substance use harm and 过量. Montgomery Goes Purple hosted the 事件.
“Don’t look at somebody who’s going through something — who’s dealing with mental health issues, dealing with addiction — as wrong or broken,” said county resident Greg Hill, who is Mitchell’s son. “They just need a little bit of help. They need a little bit of love.”
Hill attended the 事件 with his wife, 香农, who he met several years ago through a recovery house.
Family members joined a candlelight vigil to remember their loved ones. Earlier in the evening, a resource fair was set up indoors with tables sharing resources with residents.
Photos of residents who have died lined the walkways of 罗克维尔市’s Memorial Plaza.
County Councilmember Gabe Albornoz, who is also chair of the council’s Health and Human Services committee, acknowledged leaders must work together to “have policies in place to make sure that we eliminate the stigma, that we provide more treatment, that we provide more 意识 and that we do everything humanly possible to support our community and these incredibly wonderful families.”
Montgomery County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Monifa McKnight said Narcan — a medicine that counteracts an opioid 过量 — is available in schools, “and to have that readily available in our buildings was a big step in the right direction.”
今年, all high schools have pr事件ion groups, compared to five high schools last year, McKnight said.
Thursday evening marked the eighth annual Overdose Awareness Day ceremony.
