International Overdose Awareness Day, August 31: Local Event in Brackett Park, Bristol, Honors Loved Ones Lost to Drug Overdose

Change the Script, a statewide opioid prevention campaign managed by Connecticut Clearinghouse, and funded by the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, teamed up with Bristol’s prevention coalition (B.E.S.T.-4-Bristol) on an Overdose Awareness Day Event on August 31. The Change the Script Resource Van, as well other organizations, were in Brackett Park in Bristol from 4 to 7 pm, distributing information and resources. There also was an opportunity for attendees to write a tribute honoring a loved one who has passed away, or who was seriously injured, from a drug overdose. Details about the Change the Script campaign are here.

International Overdose Awareness Day is a global event held each year on August 31, designed to raise awareness of overdose and reduce the stigma of a drug-related death. It also acknowledges the grief of families and friends who have lost loved ones, or whose loved ones have suffered a permanent injury as a result of a drug overdose.

Help for Individuals and Families Struggling with Addiction
Wheeler offers an array of outpatient and treatment services to help individuals and families struggling with drug and alcohol addiction, including medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid and alcohol abuse. When combined with counseling and other forms of support, MAT has been shown to effectively combat many of the challenges associated with drug and alcohol addiction. For information or to schedule an appointment (in-person and telehealth services are available), call Wheeler’s Navigation Center at 888.793.3500.