South Florida events tackle opioid crisis

BACK TO YOU. TIFFANY: OK, TAYLOR. THANK YOU. IN OUR STATE OF ADDICTION COVERAGE, TODAY IS INTERNATIONAL OVERDOSE AWARENESS DAY. SOME OF OUR LOCAL COUNTIES ARE HOLDING EVENTS TO HELP EDUCATE RESIDENTS. JOSSIE CARBONARE IS IN MARTIN COUNTY, WHERE THEY HAVE SET UP A COMMUNITY TOWN HALL ON THE OPIOID CRISIS. JOSSIE: MARTIN COUNTY LEADERS ARE TRYING TO FIND WAYS TO STOP THE OPIOID CRISIS, AND SO IN THE TOWN HALL, SCHEDULED FOR LATER TODAY, THEY’VE INVITED EXPERTS WORKING THE FRONT LINES OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS TO BRING SOME INSIGHT AND TALK ABOUT THE ISSUES WE ARE SEEING HERE LOCALLY AND WHAT CAN BE DONE TO FIX IT. IN THE TOWN HALL FOCUSED ON THE THIRD OPIOID CRISIS, MARTIN COUNTY USING INTERNATIONAL OVERDOSE AWARENESS DAY TO FIND SOLUTIONS TO A NATIONWIDE ISSUE THAT’S HITTING CLOSE TO HOME. JOANNA GREENE: MARTIN COUNTY NUMBERS ARE ACTUALLY HIGHER THAN AVERAGE COUNTIES OUR SIZE, WHICH IS ONE OF THE REASONS WE HAVE THE OVERDOSE DATA TO ACTION GRANT. JOSSIE: THE HUMAN RESOURCES DIVISION PLANNING TO LEAD THE INTERACTIVE DISCUSSION THIS EVENING. JOANNA GREENE: TO GARNER SOME TYPE OF COMMUNITY ACTION. JOSSIE: AND ENCOURAGING THE PUBLIC TO JOIN IN WITH QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS. COUNTY LEADERS SAYING THEY HOPE TO PROVIDE THE COMMUNITY WITH VALUABLE RESOURCES IN THEIR FIGHT AGAINST OPIOID ABUSE OVERDOSES, AND PROMOTE RECOVERY. >> WE HAVE A PERSON WHO HAS LIVED THE EXPERIENCE WITH AN OVERDOSE. SHE IS A GRADUATE OF MARTIN COUNTY DRUG COURT. SHE WILL BE SHARING HER INSIGHTS, AS WELL, SO WE DO NOT JUST HAVE THE STATISTICS AND WHAT WE ARE SEEING IN THE SYSTEM, BUT HER OWN EXPERIENCE AND WHAT SHE’S BEEN ABLE TO DO TO OVERCOME THIS. JOSSIE: IF YOU CANNOT MAKE IT, IT IS ALSO BEING LIVESTREAMED ONLINE ON THE COUNTY’S YOUTUBE AND FACEBOOK PAGE. TODAY’S TOWN HALL IS SCHEDULED TO START AT 6:00 P.M. REPORTING FROM STUART, WPBF 25 NEWS. TIFFANY: PORT ST. LUCIE WILL HOST A CEREMONY AT 7:00 TONIGHT. THE 90-MINUTE EVENT STARTS WITH A CANDLELIGHT PROCESSION ALONG THE BOARDWALK AND A READING OF NAMES OF THOSE WHO HAVE DIED FROM OVERDOSES. AND IN GREENACRES, A LOCAL DOCTOR WILL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS PEOPLE HAVE ABOUT THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC AND WHAT WE CAN DO TO PREVENT IT. THAT’S AT 6:30 TONIGHT AT THE GREE

Wednesday is International Overdose Awareness Day, and leaders across the community are talking openly about issues seen across the opioid crisis.In Martin County, a town hall is planned for 6 p.m. Wednesday. It is the third in a series being held this year aiming to tackle the crisis.In Florida: New state drug treatment effort modeled after Palm Beach County's program“Martin County numbers are actually higher than average counties our size, which is one of the reasons we have the overdose data to action grant," said Joanna Greene, human resources supervisor for Martin County. A full panel of experts is working the front lines and encouraging people to come and ask hard questions as part of the interactive discussion.The county's human resource division is leading the discussion. It hopes to provide people with valuable resources in the fight against opioid abuse, overdose and recovery.Those who can't make it in person can also watch online here.Other events in South Florida include:Boca Raton: 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. @ Pavillion Grille - Narcan giveawayGreenacres: 6:30 p.m. @ Greenacres Community Center - Doctor discusses crisisPort St. Lucie: 7 p.m. @ Veterans Park - Candlelight procession and reading of namesIn Court: Victims of opioid crisis confront owners of OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma

MARTIN COUNTY, Fla. —

Wednesday is International Overdose Awareness Day, and leaders across the community are talking openly about issues seen across the opioid crisis.

In Martin County, a town hall is planned for 6 p.m. Wednesday. It is the third in a series being held this year aiming to tackle the crisis.

In Florida: New state drug treatment effort modeled after Palm Beach County's program

“Martin County numbers are actually higher than average counties our size, which is one of the reasons we have the overdose data to action grant," said Joanna Greene, human resources supervisor for Martin County.

A full panel of experts is working the front lines and encouraging people to come and ask hard questions as part of the interactive discussion.

The county's human resource division is leading the discussion. It hopes to provide people with valuable resources in the fight against opioid abuse, overdose and recovery.

Those who can't make it in person can also watch online here.

Other events in South Florida include:

Boca Raton: 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. @ Pavillion Grille - Narcan giveaway
Greenacres: 6:30 p.m. @ Greenacres Community Center - Doctor discusses crisis
Port St. Lucie: 7 p.m. @ Veterans Park - Candlelight procession and reading of names

In Court: Victims of opioid crisis confront owners of OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma

South Florida events tackle opioid crisis

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