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Overdose Awareness event provides judgment free support and information

By KRISTI R. GARABRANT 5 min read

LISBON - For Ashley Durbin, who will celebrate a year of active recovery on Sept. 29, events like Wednesday's Overdose Awareness Event hosted The Family Recovery Center, are an asset to maintaining sobriety.

Durbin, who had been addicted to heroin and crack cocaine, went to the event to offer her support and get out do something.

The Overdose Awareness event, which was held on the state recognized Ohio Overdose Awareness Day, was held to bring awareness to the community, provide resources and information and hand out Naloxone (Narcan, the overdose reversal medication), Tawnia Jenkins, chemical dependency counselor and peer support said. The primary purpose was to provide education and awareness of the issue and try to remove the stigma assisted with it.

"We don't want people to not help somebody because they are afraid. It can happen to anybody," Jenkins said. "People will say I don't have any of that in my family, but somewhere, six degrees separation, somebody you know has overdosed or has an issue with substance use or even with mental health. It's better to have something to be prepared than not be able to help them."

Jenkins said that they are handing out the Naloxone in hopes that it will give a person who has overdosed a chance to come in and seek treatment and get back on their feet.

Jenkins also noted that Project Dawn, who distributes the Naloxone is part of the Family Recovery Center, allows them to have the Naloxone on hand at all times. The center has also set up a link on their website, where those who wish to obtain Naloxone without coming into the center can order and receive it by mail.

In addition to The Family Recovery Center and Project Dawn, multiple other organizations including River Valley, Ohio Rise/Aetna JCESC (Jefferson County Educational Service Center), The Columbiana County Prosecutor's Office, Americorps Seniors, Ozer Ministries, Ohio Can/Nina's Closet, Columbiana County Youth Coalition, Columbiana County Sheriff's Office, Ohio Highway Patrol, Christina House, Community Action Agency of Columbiana County, Columbiana County Children Services and Columbiana County JFS (Jobs and Family Services) were all on hand to provide information on their services.

Project Dawn provided overdose kits that contained Naloxone, face mask and gloves. They also provide medication lock boxes, drug deactivation kits for disposing unused medications, and rapid response Fentanyl test strips to test drugs to make sure they are Fentanyl free before using.

A banner was available for those attending the event who lost anyone to an overdose to sign. Along with the banner were purple flags that anyone could put the name of someone lost to an overdose on and place in the ground.

There were 51 purple flags placed with no names representing the 51 confirmed lives lost so far this year in Columbiana County due to an overdose.

For Columbiana County Sheriff Brian Mclaughin, events like this one are important. He feels it's important for the sheriff's office to be involved in spreading awareness and also to help reduce the stigma attached to drug use. He is hopeful these types of events will encourage people to get some help.

Mclaughin also noted that Columbiana is in the top 20 counties with the most overdose deaths in the State of Ohio.

Columbiana County Children Services attended the event to try to raise awareness for the increasing need for foster care families in the county. There are more children in need of foster care families as as a result of the opioid crisis and not enough families to foster them.

Columbiana County Assistant Prosecutor Abbey Minamyer said she believes events like these are great and provide an opportunity for her office and staff to engage with the community.

Minamyer also said she believes events like the Overdose Awareness event show people that there are agencies out there that are willing to help and that have resources available and are approachable.

"Even if people aren't comfortable in coming out in public and engaging in a session like what we are seeing here today, they see that is it being advertised or they drive by and see it and they may recognize some of the signs and be able to reach out to people in the organization to have their needs met," Minamyer said.

Durbin said she likes these events and believes that there should be a lot more of them.

"I like them because it lets people know that there are people here that are willing to help, listen and care, and there is no judgment," Durbin said. "When I was in active addiction, I was always scared to come to a place like this and to come and ask for help when I was using because I was ashamed of myself."

Durbin also said that she knew there was a better way out there and it has taken her awhile to realize it.

"It has been a hard time. It's not been all easy, and I definitely still have trouble with it to this day but I just have to keep taking it one day and keep going with it knowing that there is hope for people that want to get off and stay sober and places like this that are actually willing to help," Durbin said.

Kgarabrandt@mojonews.com

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