The University System of Maryland at Hagerstown will host a community town hall on the subject of drug overdoses and their impact in Washington County on Wednesday, October 11 starting at 6:30 p.m.
Emily Keller, the special secretary of opioid response, and the team at the Maryland Opioid Operational Command Center (MD OOCC) have hosted town halls all over the state for the last several months.
In partnership with Washington County Health Department (WCHD) and the University System of Maryland at Hagerstown (USMH), the Maryland Opioid Operational Command Center will host a Washington County Town Hall on Wednesday from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the USMH Hospitality Center located at 55-59 W . Washington Street, Hagerstown.
The town hall will feature presentations from the special secretary of opioid response, Emily Keller, the Washington County Health Department director of behavioral health, Victoria Sterling, and peer specialist, Melanie Watts.
“Making sure the Opioid Operational Command Center hears from all parts of the state of Maryland is crucial as we coordinate the statewide plan to combat overdose morbidity and mortality. I look forward to hearing from the residents of Washington County, a county that has been impacted greatly by the overdose crisis, to hear their needs and then take their feedback to address these issues across the state,” said Special Secretary Keller.
“Washington County has made progress in combating the opioid epidemic, but we still have work to do. With the help and support of the community, we know we can make a difference in our community and in the lives of those in Washington County who have been impacted,” added Washington County Health Department director of BHA, Victoria Sterling.
Attendees of the town hall will have a chance to speak and share their ideas to support people with substance use disorders, and for preventing overdoses in our communities.
This event is open to the public, and all are welcome to attend. Registration is requested due to capacity limitations. Go to https://oocc-washington.eventbrite.com/ to register.
Community members who are unable to attend in person can watch a live stream of the event. To attend virtually, go to this link on October 11 at 6:30 pm: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEmbK2WslXs.
Attendees can specify they want to make public comments when they register for the event. Attendees who register to speak will be given two minutes and will be called on in the order in which their registration was received, time permitting. For more information, email help.oocc@ maryland.gov.
The Opioid Operational Command Center is Maryland’s principal coordinating office for addressing the opioid and overdose crisis. The OOCC works to increase collaboration at the state and local level to promote access to compassionate, person-centered care by supporting substance-use programming across five pillars: prevention, harm reduction, treatment, recovery, and public safety.
The OOCC can be contacted by email at [email protected].
