Opioid, alcohol addiction is focus of PCCCA-hosted event
The head of the Polk School District is hoping an educational event in Cedartown aimed at recognizing the signs of opioid and alcohol addiction will give members of her community some tools to help fight the crisis.
“Too Close to Ignore: The Crisis of Alcohol & Opioid Addiction,” is a free program organized by Willowbrooke at Floyd. It will take place this Thursday, Nov. 2, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Polk County College and Career Academy, 167 Frank Lott Drive, Cedartown.
A free dinner will be provided but registration is required. Register online at www.floyd.org/willowbrooke or call 706 509-3242.
School Superintendent Laurie Atkins said the community’s relationship with Polk Medical Center is an important one.
“We are proud of the continued partnership with Polk Medical Center, and look forward to many more events that promote wellness, awareness and benefits for our entire county,” Atkins said.
The Polk event is part of Polk Medical Center’s Live Well Polk initiative which has led to a partnership between the hospital and the Polk County school system. A goal of the partnership is to create events that result in a healthier community.
“We feel this is an event that can bring awareness of the impact alcohol and opioids have on a community,” said Atkins. “It is our hope that the audience will be able to walk away with an increased awareness of the dangers of addiction, as well as the ability to identify signs of dependency.”
The event will begin with dinner at 6:30 p.m. followed by a lecture and Power Point presentation for the first 20 minutes. A panel discussion will then take place and the public will be invited to ask questions.
Attendees will be given blank cards to write their questions for panelists without having to be identified. Anyone who wishes can ask a question in public.
A similar event in Floyd County will take place Tuesday, Nov. 7, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at The Warehouse at West Rome Baptist Church, 914 Shorter Ave.
Willowbrooke at Floyd, a partnership between Floyd Medical Center and Tanner Health System, is a freestanding, acute care behavioral health facility that provides outpatient and in-patient treatment for children, teens and adults.