News
Groups Hope For Momentum After Events Focused on Opioid Crisis
By: Aaron Payne
Posted on:
ATHENS, Ohio — Community leaders are hoping discussions lead to solutions after several days of lectures, forums and open dialogue focused on the opioid crisis in Athens County.
Randy Leite, dean of Ohio University’s College of Health Sciences and Professions, said the response to the Standing Together: Fighting Our Community’s Opioid Epidemic event series that ran from Wednesday through Friday is encouraging.
“I’ve been amazed at how many people across the spectrum of our community have interest in [the opioid crisis]. It’s been far better than we could have expected in terms of getting the message out.”
He estimates hundreds of health professionals, addiction specialists, law enforcement officers and community members attended the four main events highlighted by appearances from author Sam Quinones.
Quinones’ book “Dreamland: The True Tale of America’s Opioid Epidemic” details how the combination of the demand that pain be treated, overprescription of opioid painkillers and cheap, potent heroin brought in from Mexico played a major part in creating the addiction crisis of today.
“We had the idea that bringing somebody in who could motivate a conversation about opioid abuse would be useful to the community,” Leite said. “Sam has written the seminal book on this.”
The time to build on the event and work toward solutions began after Quinones wrapped up his final appearance of the week Friday morning with frontline professionals at the Athens Community Center.
The College of Health Sciences and Professions will have a role combating the epidemic by preparing the future frontline workers to understand an issue they may not have experienced firsthand, according to Leity.
“It’s not just enough to talk about this inside the walls of a classroom,” he said. “We have to get our students embedded in situations where they can bring help to people. Make sure they understand the scope of this and the broad scope of the response that’s going to be required.”
Another step the college and OhioHealth –which co-sponsored the events– have take is creating a task force dedicated to uniting organizations throughout the county to help people struggling with addiction.
The Athens HOPE (Halting Opioid abuse through Prevention and Education) group formed in February and grew from a few people wanting to work together to make an impact on the crisis.
“We’re still in the process [of determining our structure] but I think we’re making really good headway in terms of how we can help with prevention and education,” Rebecca Robison-Miller, who works with the college and Athens HOPE said.
Removing the stigma tied to addiction will be an area the group hopes to focus on.
“That’s the model I would love to see our society move to…a support system rather than pushing them off into isolation and making them feel less than human,” Robison-Miller said. “I think many addicts feel that way, like they don’t deserve to sit at the table with any of us.”
Click here to read more of WOUB’s reporting on the opioid crisis.
Ohio’s regional helpline for those seeking help with a substance use disorder is 1.800.587.4232.