Battling Opioids: Watch Event & Community Conversation
All summer long people across the Midstate have been reading Dreamland: The True Tale of America’s Opiate Epidemic by Sam Quinones as part of the WITF Transforming Health Summer Read. As the campaign comes to a close, we’ll wrap up with a special Battling Opioids: Watch Event & Community Conversation Tuesday, September 25 at the WITF Public Media Center from 6:30-8pm.
Pennsylvania has one of the highest opioid overdose death rates in the nation. Every day, thousands of Pennsylvanians–mothers and fathers, children, neighbors–struggle to overcome addiction. Rural and urban, rich and poor, the opioid crisis affects all of us.
Neither people nor communities can fight this battle alone. Pennsylvania Public Media stations WHYY (Philadelphia), WITF (Harrisburg), WLVT/PBS39 (Greater Lehigh Valley), WPSU (State College), WQED (Pittsburgh), WQLN (Northwestern Pennsylvania), and WVIA (Northeastern Pennsylvania) are collaborating to produce educational programming that focuses on the opioid crisis and its impact.
“Battling Opioids,” an hourlong television special produced by all the stations, will air on all stations on Thursday, September 27, at 8 pm across the state. You can help increase awareness and reduce stigma in your hometown by joining WITF’s Transforming Health project for a sneak preview and community conversation on Tuesday, September 25 at the WITF Public Media Center from 6:30-8pm.
Watch two emotional stories profiling local women battling addiction. Lisa used heroin until she discovered she was pregnant. Before coming forward for help, Lisa was scared she would be judged for using opioids while pregnant. She feels stigma prevents some pregnant women from getting the help they need. Also meet Paris. She lost both of her parents to complications from their drug use. Following their deaths, she became one of the over 437,000 American children in foster care.
An expert panel will include Jack Carroll, executive director of Cumberland Perry Drug and Alcohol Commission, Dr. Matt Howie, executive director of the York Regional Opiate Collaborative, and Kristin Varner, chief communications officer for The RASE Project.
Watch, learn, and share your thoughts at this community conversation and watch event.
iPhone and iPad users: click here to RSVP.
A collaboration of:
Kristin Varner, Chief Communications Officer RASE Project
This story is part of Transforming Health’s Battling Opioids coverage which is a project of Pennsylvania Public Media. It is supported statewide by Geisinger and supported locally by Capital BlueCross and WellSpan Health.
