Wilton, CT – On Thursday, October 11th, Mountainside treatment center will collaborate with the Newton Parent Connection and the Connecticut Elks Association in Danbury to discuss how the community can respond to the growing opioid crisis. The event will be hosted from 7 to 9 PM at the Danbury Elks Lodge and is expected to serve as a poignant reminder of both the costs of addiction and how grassroots initiatives can broaden the pathway to recovery.
As the event’s keynote speaker, Mountainside’s Chief Clinical Outreach Officer, John Hamilton, will share his knowledge about addiction, including treatment options for managing its symptoms.
“The opioid epidemic has been devastating to this community as well as many others across Connecticut and throughout the nation,” said Hamilton. “This event was designed to remind Danbury residents that opioid addiction affects all of us. The goal is to inspire community members to stop the spread of this crisis through education and prevention.”
In a state where opioid overdoses claim the lives of two people every day, according to a video released by Danbury’s public officials in June, opportunities to learn about the dangers of substance abuse and methods for prevention are key. The city has offered presentations to students and parents on this subject in the past, aiming to “change the script” surrounding the opioid epidemic. The upcoming event will echo these sentiments and continue this conversation to illuminate how those coping with addiction can build a sustainable recovery.
Hamilton will be accompanied by a host of speakers who have witnessed the dangers of addiction through their first-hand, professional experiences. The panelists will include Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton, Detective Lieutenant of the Danbury Police Department Mark Williams, Director of Danbury Emergency Medical Services Matthew Cassavechia, a Danbury Public School representative, and Ally K., a community advocate in recovery. Through the speakers’ shared but diverse experiences with addiction, attendees will gain a more comprehensive understanding about this chronic, widespread disease and what roles they can play in stopping it from claiming more lives.