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News & Information

Knock Out Opioid Abuse Town Hall Postponed

Release Date: March 10, 2020

This event has been postponed and will be rescheduled at a later date.

Sussex County Office of Substance Abuse and Alcohol Services Joins in Knock Out Opioid Abuse Town Hall

Epidemic - affecting or tending to affect a disproportionately large number of individuals within a population, community, or region at the same time. Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Epidemic. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved January 30, 2020, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/epidemic external link

The Coordinator of Substance Abuse Services and Municipal Alliance Committees, Nick Loizzi, along with a group of local experts will participate in a Knock Out Opioid Abuse Town Hall event at Newton Medical Center sponsored by the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey and the Horizon Foundation for New Jersey (the philanthropic arm of Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey). This free event is open to the public and will take place on Friday, March 13, 2020, at 10:00 a.m.POSTPONED in Newton Medical Center's Romano Conference Center, 175 High Street, Newton, NJ 07860. Doors will open at 9:00 a.m. Discussions will focus on the impact of the current opioid epidemic and possible solutions to it.

The Knock Out Opioid Abuse Town Hall Series brings experts on the opioid epidemic from various fields, including law enforcement, the medical community, government, prevention, treatment and recovery together for community events in all 21 New Jersey counties. The Newton Medical Center Town Hall is being held in collaboration with Atlantic Health System's Newton Medical Center, the County of Sussex Office of Substance Abuse and Alcohol Services, and The Center for Prevention & Counseling. Speakers will include:

  • Anthony Brutico, DO, Medical Director, Emergency Department, Newton Medical Center
  • Francis Koch, Sussex County Prosecutor
  • Tina Aue, Director of Prevention Services, The Center for Prevention & Counseling
  • Katie Calvacca, Recovery Support Coordinator, The Center for Prevention & Counseling; Recovery Coach, Sussex County CLEAR
  • Bill Foley, Athletic Administrator, Vernon Township School District
  • Reverend Robert Griner, Christ Episcopal Church
  • Nick Loizzi, Substance Abuse Services Coordinator, Sussex County Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Substance Abuse and Alcohol Services

"The collaboration among all the departments, agencies, and service providers in our community has been paramount to addressing the opioid epidemic in Sussex County. We continue to work together and strive to bring about effective and positive change in our community," said Nick Loizzi, Sussex County Office of Substance Abuse and Alcohol Services.

Attendees will also have the opportunity to take part in Narcan training, prescription medicine disposal and view a presentation of Hidden in Plain Sight, which portrays a mock teenage bedroom with everyday items that can actually be indicators of drug use or risky behavior.

"Horizon looks forward to continuing the statewide conversation on how to combat the larger opioid epidemic and applying what we learned from the first round of town halls to actionable steps that connect people to localized services and solutions," said Jonathan R. Pearson, Executive Director of The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey. "In addition, town halls will be streamed live so that anyone can attend and experience the discussion."

Residents can visit knockoutopioidabuse.drugfreenj.org external link to register to attend town halls, submit questions for panelists prior to the events, and share their personal stories of how they have been affected by the opioid epidemic.

The website also features information on scheduled town halls, videos from each event and a look into the lives of New Jersey residents who have been affected by the opioid epidemic. It also includes an online continuing medical education program for prescribers and information on parent education through the 5th Grade Parent Alert.

For more information on the Newton Medical Center Knock Out Opioid Abuse Town Hall or to see a list of other upcoming town halls, visit knockoutopioidabuse.drugfreenj.org external link. For information about substance abuse prevention or the Municipal Alliance, contact Nick Loizzi at the Office of Substance Abuse and Alcohol Services by calling (973) 940-5200, ext. 1383 or via email at nloizzi@sussex.nj.us.

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