SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Sponsored by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, more than 325 educators, school nurses, counselors, mental health clinicians, public health professionals and others with an interest in student health have convened today at Sacramento State University for the Opioid Awareness Summit for Educators and Public Health Professionals.
The summit is focused on four specific goals 1) building awareness of the scope and state of the national opioid epidemic and its impact on young adults in our region; 2) destigmatizing opioid misuse to provide for more effective treatment interventions; 3) encouraging beneficial conversations with students if approached about drug misuse; and 4) building awareness of the warning signs that a student or child is misusing opioids.
Participants will hear from medical, public health and law enforcement professionals about the science of addiction, treatment options, ready-for-use resources for educators, and best practices for implementing an opioid awareness program in their own schools. Additionally, U.S. Department of Justice policy and current enforcement efforts will also be discussed.
U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert said: "Opioid trafficking and opioid misuse are some of the most urgent law enforcement and public health challenges facing our country today and need education and prevention, treatment, and enforcement. Today’s Opioid Awareness Summit for educators brings together all of these and highlights our office’s ongoing commitment to keeping communities safe by preventing drug misuse and overdose deaths."
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is sponsoring the summit along with the Sierra Sacramento Valley Medical Society, the Sacramento State University, Sacramento County, The Well at Sac State, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
