DeKalb County Commissioner Larry Johnson is hosting the second annual National Opioid Summit at the Porter Sanford Performing Arts Center, 3181 Rainbow Drive, Decatur from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 26, according to a press release.
The event will be held in partnership with STAND Inc., Aetna, Fulton DeKalb Hospital Authority, Emory Healthcare and DeKalb Community Service Board.
The National Opioid Summit is expected to draw participants from all over the country with the primary focus of strengthening the local response to the opioid epidemic by providing a continuum of care through education, advocacy and collaboration.
Opioid-involved overdose deaths have been rapidly increasing in Georgia since 2010, driven largely by increased use and misuse of prescription opioids (e.g., oxycodone and hydrocodone).
From 2010 to 2016, the total number of opioid-involved overdose deaths increased by 117 percent, from 426 to 929 deaths, and the rate increased by 111 percent, from 4.3 to 9.1 deaths per 100,000 persons.
Commissioner Johnson, who is the chairman of the Large Urban County Caucus in the National Association of Counties, representing over 150 million people, sees firsthand the impact of this menace around the country.
“We must continue to collaborate in the different counties to fight this opioid epidemic,” Commissioner Johnson said. “We cannot do this by ourselves; it takes all of us to tackle this crisis.”
Community stakeholders, policy makers, citizens and other interested parties are encouraged to attend.
Information: 404-371-2425 or www.larryjohnson.com.
About the Author
