Saginaw Township View

Opioid crisis forum set for Nov. 13 at Sherwood Elementary




Prescription drug abuse is a serious problem in Michigan, with deaths related to prescription drug overdose on the rise across the state.

Statistics from www.michigan.gov state that from 1999 to 2016, the number of deaths involved in opioidrelated overdoses increased from 99 to 1,699, more than 17 times, in Michigan.

“Data from the Michigan Automated Prescription System (MAPS) reported 11.4 million prescriptions for painkillers in 2015 were written, about 115 opioid prescriptions per 100 people,” the site said.

To that end, Saginaw Township Community Education has slated an opioid crisis forum for parents and community members on Tuesday, Nov. 13 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Sherwood Elementary, 3870 Shattuck Road.

The forum, open to the public, is intended to give information surrounding opioid addiction. It will include several presenters and many opportunities for questions and an open discussion for attendees.

Presenters for the opioid crisis community forum are set to include: a mother who will share her personal journey; representatives from Covenant Healthcare, Ascension St. Mary’s Hospital, Mobile Medical Response, MMR, Saginaw County Mental Health, and Saginaw Township law enforcement.

Steve Elliott, director of community services for Saginaw Township Community Schools, said the goal is to create an open dialogue with the community and also break the stigma surrounding addiction.

“More and more this is being seen in the news. This is something happening right here in the county and within the township,” Elliott said.

“It’s been classified as a disease rather than an addiction, and they’re finding out some people are simply more susceptible to (becoming addicted), according to the structures of their brains. We want to get the word out, let people know the warning signs to look out for, and try to break the stigma around addiction.”

“We want this event to be a true forum, a place where people can get information and ask questions,” he said.

This is the first time a forum with an opioid topic has been hosted by Saginaw Township Community Education. The group, that serves as one facet of community services for the district, hosts community forums annually. Previous topics have included human trafficking, and insurance and driving information for parents of young (teenage) drivers.

Two types of prescription drugs are the leading cause of misuse: painkillers (opioids) and tranquilizers (benzodiazepines), according to www.michigan.gov. Opioids include illegal drugs such as heroin, and prescription pain medicine. Common opioids used to treat pain include oxycodone, hydrocodone, morphine, methadone, and codeine.

For more information about the Nov. 13 community forum, call Elliott at (989) 399-8029.

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