(8/29/2024- Westfield) Ahead of International Overdose Awareness Day, Senator John C. Velis (D-Westfield) joined community members throughout the week at overdose awareness and remembrance events in Hampden and Hampshire Counties. This comes at a time when Senator John C. Velis has been actively negotiating a final compromise substance use disorder bill aimed at reducing overdoses in the Commonwealth and expanding access to substance use recovery programs.
“Families continue to be forever devasted by overdoses each day in our Commonwealth despite the critical progress we have made in the last year to reduce overdose deaths. As we approach International Overdose Awareness Day, we must hold these families close and continue to raise awareness about overdoses and the importance of expanding access to harm reduction services and Narcan,” said Senator John Velis, Senate Chairman of the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use, and Recovery. “These are difficult and often heartbreaking conversations, but they are also critically important ones. I am grateful to the organizations and community members who have helped organize these events in our region this month and am inspired by all the family members who have lost loved ones who have shared their powerful stories.”
In June the Department of Public Health released preliminary data showing the largest single-year fatal overdose decline in 13 years. In 2023, there were 2,125 confirmed and estimated opioid-related overdose deaths in 2023, a 10% decrease from 2022.
Senator Velis attended the Easthampton Overdose Awareness Vigil this past Monday (photo attached) and is anticipated to attend the following overdose awareness events in Hampden and Hampshire County over the next few days:
- Westfield Overdose Awareness Vigil on Thursday August 29th at Park Square
- MiraVista Behavioral Health Center’s Overdose Awareness Flag Raising on Friday August 30th in Holyoke
- Behavioral Health Network’s Overdose Awareness Vigil on Friday August 30th in Springfield
- Hope for Holyoke’s resource and remembrance gathering on Friday August 30th in Holyoke
International Overdose Awareness Day, held annually on August 31, is the world’s largest annual campaign to end overdoses, remember those who have died without stigma, support those grieving the loss of a family member, and share resources to prevent overdose deaths.
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