In follow up to the successful Heroin Is Here Town Hall series hosted in the Buffalo Trace Region last year, another series of town hall meetings will address the disease of addiction.
Sponsored by the Buffalo Trace Agency for Substance Abuse Policy, "Breaking the Chains: Understanding the Disease of Addiction" town hall series begins April 20 and will continue through May 18.
Lauren Penrose, with the Regional Prevention Center of Comprehend, said this round of town hall meetings will be solution focused in the battle against alcohol and all forms of drug addictions.
Penrose said the meetings will have a similar format as the Heroin Is Here, with two to three speakers and time for questions and answers between the audience and presenters.
"A lot of people don't realize addiction is a disease...we want to make sure people leave with the tools needed to deal with addiction," Penrose said.
Topics will include prevention strategies, addiction in general, resources available for family members and friends, recognizing symptoms of addiction, treatment options and treatment center locations and counseling and support groups available locally.
Penrose said more than 500 people attended the heroin town hall meetings in 2014. From those meetings, it was uncovered that people need concrete information about what addiction is and real solutions to help deal with the addict and situation.
Two of the featured speakers are mothers of children who have battled addiction: Sally Kalb and Trish Kirkland. Kalb and Kirkland will provide first-hand knowledge of resources available for families, friends and even co-workers of those struggling with addiction, Penrose said.
The "Breaking the Chains" town hall meeting schedule is as follows:
April 20, Lewis County Extension Office
April 27, Mason County Extension Office
May 4, Fleming-Mason Energy
May 11, Robertson County Senior Center
May 18, Bracken County Extension Office
All town hall meetings will be held from 6 - 8 p.m. with a light meal provided. For more information, contact the Regional Prevention Center of Comprehend at 606-759-7799.
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