MAYVILLE – Community leaders from across Chautauqua County will be in Mayville this morning to learn more about what can be done to fight the area’s growing drug addiction problem.
Both Chautauqua County Executive Vince Horrigan and Chautauqua County Community Mental Hygiene Services Director Patricia Brinkman coordinated Monday’s Community Forum, which will focus on the continuing prevention efforts to combat Opiate use in Chautauqua. The event is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. at Chautauqua Suites Hotel and Expo Center and is open to the public.
The Forum will feature experts who will discuss current treatment practices, impacts of drug abuse, and community involvement in organizing efforts to combat addiction.
Anticipated speakers include:
- Michael Fox, Research Associate from the Begun Center for Violence Prevention Research and Education;
- Allison Sharer, Director of Prevention Programs with Drug Free Action Alliance; and
- Dr. Robert Meyers – emeritus research associate professor of psychology at the University of New Mexico’s Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse and Addiction.
Several Key stakeholders from the community are also involved with the event, including the Mental Health Association of Chautauqua County. CEO Rick Huber was a guest on WRFA’s most recent episode of Community Matters program and talked about how the drug abuse situation – especially the use of heroin – has reached an all-time high in the area. Huber said according to the recent 2014 county health study, the number of babies being born with an addiction is 2.5 times greater than the state average.
In addition to the speakers, the forum will also focus on updating the community and what’s been done to address the drug addiction and abuse problem since the previous forum one year ago.
The forum is expected to last until noon.
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