DUBOIS, Pa. — All members of the public are invited to attend an expert panel covering the subjects of the opioid epidemic, addiction, treatment, and more. The event is scheduled for 12:15-1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 20, in Room 204 of the DEF Building at Penn State DuBois. Light refreshments will be provided.
Hosted by the Penn State DuBois Library, in conjunction with faculty in the Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS) program, this informational session is intended to educate the community on issues surrounding addiction. Organizers hope to address the stigma often attached to such issues and create an open and understanding dynamic within the community. The expert panel will include recovery specialists from CenClear, representatives from the Clearfield-Jefferson Drug and Alcohol Commission, and nursing staff from Penn Highlands Healthcare. They’ll address the opioid epidemic and its impact on the Central Pennsylvania Region, as well as such issues as the use of Narcan, and more.
“Our area has been hit hard by the opioid epidemic,” said Jessica Clontz, lecturer in HDFS. “Many families in our area live with this and may not feel they have the support they need. We want to change that and show them that there is support.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in Pennsylvania alone, 13 people died each day due to a drug overdose in the year 2016. In 2017, Pennsylvania was ranked as the third highest state in the country for drug overdose deaths. The CDC also reports that drug overdose is now the leading cause of accidental death in America, surpassing gun related deaths and car accidents combined.