Opioid & Heroin Addiction & Prevention Awareness Program Spring Schedule Set to Launch

PROVIDENCE – The United States Attorney’s Office announced today the launch of a busy Spring schedule of in-school presentations and community forums to address the growing epidemic of opioid and heroin addiction in Rhode Island, and the availability of prevention and treatment resources across the state.

Since September, the United States Attorney’s Office, in partnership with substance abuse prevention coalitions and student assistance counselors across Rhode Island, has participated in opioid and heroin addiction and prevention awareness community forums in Providence, South Kingstown, North Kingstown, Middletown, Woonsocket, Bristol, Cranston and Barrington, and in-school student programs in Providence, Portsmouth, Johnston, North Kingstown, Central Falls, North Providence, South Kingstown and Barrington.

On Thursday, March 16, the entire student body at Rogers High School in Newport will participate in a discussion about choices; view a screening of the powerful documentary Chasing the Dragon - an unscripted and real-life look at the devastation of opioid and heroin addiction; the personal story of a parent, Deborah Parente, who lost her only child to opioid and heroin addiction; and a presentation by a student assistance counselor about important information and resources available to students in-school and in the community.

Similar in-school programs have been calendared for students at Woonsocket High School on March 22, at Westerly High School on March 30, at Central Falls High School on April 6 and 11, at Mt. Hope High School in Bristol on April 13, and at Cumberland High School on May 16. Additional programs are being planned.

Community forums have been scheduled in Central Falls on March 22, and in Warwick on April 26, where, in addition to a discussion about the impact the epidemic is having across the state, a screening of Chasing the Dragon, and the personal stories of families impacted by addiction, a panel of medical, treatment, education, and law enforcement experts will engage in a discussion about the hard-truths of addiction and the importance of addiction treatment and prevention.

For program information or to schedule an opioid and heroin addiction and prevention awareness program, please contact the Substance Abuse and Prevention Coalition director in your community; Elizabeth Farrer at the R.I. Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals at (401) 462-0644; or Jim Martin, Public Information Officer and Community Outreach Specialist at the United States Attorney’s Office at (401) 709-5357.

For information about in-school awareness programs, please contact a student assistance counselor in your community; Sarah Dinklage, Executive Director of R.I. Student Assistance Services at (401) 732-8680; or Jim Martin, Public Information Officer and Community Outreach Specialist at the United States Attorney’s Office at (401) 709-5357.

Assistance and information about treatment options for opioid addiction is available from a licensed counselor 24-hours a day, 7 days a week by calling Prevent Overdose RI at 942-STOP (942-7867).

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