Hope Recovery Center of Newport announces Art In the Parkevent for International Overdose Awareness Day, August 31, 2018 12 PM to 4 PM
Newport, RI: The Hope Recovery Community Center of Newport County of Parent Support Network of Rhode Island invites the community and all partners to the Art in the Park event to help raise awareness together on this 4th International Overdose Awareness Day, August 31, 2018. This event is one of several taking place across the state of Rhode Island as we work together in response to the overdose public health crisis.
We are committed to promoting recovery and saving lives by bringing the community together towards supportive recovery services that lead to healthier lives, families, and communities. We celebrate all positive contributions towards recovery from substance misuse and mental health disorders and seek to reduce the stigma that prevents people from seeking help.
This expressive arts event will commemorate International Overdose Awareness Day and feature the creation of a large group mural painting, therapeutic rock painting, commemorative bracelet making, symbolic T-shirt making, and drumming. For the kids…puppet making and Origami demonstrations.
There will be a focus on the education and distribution of fentanyl test strips: these are free strips that can test for the presence of fentanyl in a substance. Fentanyl is a potent opioid that is a driver of overdose deaths in Rhode Island and is common in the drug supply, including heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine. An amendment passed this year, to the Good Samaritan Overdose Prevention law, firmly makes the distribution and use of fentanyl test strips legal. Harm reduction efforts such as fentanyl test strip and naloxone distribution are recognized as critically important tools, used hand in hand with prevention, treatment and recovery strategies, to keep our friends, family and neighbors alive. Rhode Island is one of the first states to widely distribute fentanyl test strips.
By bringing the community together we hope to raise awareness, create discussion, and celebrate recovery. Most individuals have, in some way, been affected by the opioid crisis. It has grown to epidemic proportions. It’s time to act by implementing effective methods which target these complex issues; simultaneously moving towards healing our communities.
All are invited free of charge.
It will take place on Friday, August 31st, from 12:00pm-4:00pm At Eisenhower Park in Washington Square, Newport, RI