PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — The United Way of Aroostook, in partnership with Northern Light A.R. Gould Hospital and Aroostook Mental Health Center, will hold a symposium Friday, April 1, on substance use in Aroostook County.
This morning-long event will begin at 8 a.m. at The University of Maine at Presque Isle in the multipurpose room. This event is open to the public. Employers, manager, policymakers and concerned citizens are encouraged to attend.
Pre-registration is advised. More information is available on the United Way of Aroostook’s Facebook page.
The day will consist of several keynote speakers on topics such as: opioids in the workplace, the state’s opioid response, a personal experience and the benefits of Narcan distribution. A large panel conversation will follow with a panel of material experts to foster discussion and answer questions.
There will also be several organizations with informational booths to explore during breaks.
“Part of the United Way of Aroostook’s mission is to identify community needs so we can best allocate the monies we raise and create the biggest impact with those dollars,” said United Way Director Sarah Duncan. “This event came out of one of those discussions where the topic we kept coming back to was drug abuse. It’s a problem we in Aroostook County are currently facing head on.”
Organizers hope the event answers questions like: Where does the problem exist? How bad is it? What are the resources out there for people to use? How can I as an employer, policy maker, town manager or concerned citizen make a difference?
The event’s purposes are, first, to identify resources already in the community for people in crisis to use; second, to bring to light through panel discussion and presentations the issues that are faced by these organizations; and third, to hopefully effect positive change in employers, community leaders and politicians.
Light breakfast will be provided. Registration forms are available at https://forms.gle/rYZw5Xe7p5ambBJBA. Find the event on Facebook: 2022 Aroostook County Substance Use Symposium.
