TDMHSAS and Partners To Conduct Week Of Events For International Overdose Awareness Day
Events include naloxone trainings statewideNASHVILLE, Tenn.—To mark International Overdose Awareness Day on August 31, the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services and its partners are conducting a week of awareness events to empower people to create change and reduce deadly drug overdoses in their communities.
Planned events include a mass training of TDMHSAS employees and employees from other state departments at the Tennessee Tower on August 29. The 20 Regional Overdose Prevention Specialists who cover all Tennessee counties are also holding trainings in communities statewide.
Who: TDMHSAS, Regional Overdose Preventions Specialists (ROPS), Substance Abuse Prevention Coalitions
What: A week of awareness events including Naloxone trainings leading up to International Overdose Awareness Day
Where: Locations across the state. Click this link to find an event in your area.
When: August 26-31
Why: In 2017, 1,268 Tennesseans died from opioid-related overdose. There is training and medication available that can reverse an opioid overdose. Through the work of the Regional Overdose Prevention Specialists (ROPS) across the state, more than 5,000 lives have been saved, and about 60,000 units of naloxone have been distributed.