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International Overdose Awareness Day 2022
15 August 2022
Time to Remember. Time to Act.
International Overdose Awareness Day is recognized globally on August 31st and is the world’s largest annual campaign to end overdose and reduce stigma → Learn more.
AMHS-HPE is collaborating with clients and community partners to host a live event to raise overdose awareness, reduce stigma, and provide resources and support information. #ENDOVERDOSE #IOAD2022
Event Details
Date: Wednesday, August 31, 2022
Time: 2:30 – 4:00 pm
Location: Market Square, Belleville (Behind City Hall on Front Street)
Breaking Through
Local artist/visual storyteller, Sarah Winn, has been creating art since she can remember. Winn’s life took a drastic turn in 2017, but she flipped a negative situation into a positive and started spending the majority of her time focusing on her artistic passion. Her struggles contributed to her coming out of her shell, and she stopped caring about what others thought of her. She started taking acting classes, creating props for plays, and started creating genuine out-of-the-box art that she describes as cheeky with random elements and lots and lots of colour.
Winn shared that she has been a client at Addictions and Mental Health Services – Hastings Prince Edward for many years to help her manage various struggles, including alcoholism. Her connection with the agency presented an opportunity of being part of International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD). Her talent was discovered after showing her counsellor a few of her pieces and when Winn was approached to be part of IOAD, she agreed to create an anti-stigma art piece that will be revealed at Market Square on August 31st and displayed throughout the community to raise awareness about the impact of stigma and addictions and mental health support and services.
Winn feels privileged that she is involved in the IOAD initiative and expressed the importance of reducing stigma. “Society needs to stop judging people on their struggles and start seeing people for who they really are. People need to know that we are just human, and we all have problems,” says Winn.
It didn’t take Winn long to come up with the breaking through stigma concept, which incorporates input from other AMHS-HPE clients and Community Partners on what stigma means to them. Winn will reveal her painting at the International Overdose Awareness Day event on August 31st at Market Square.
*The commission was made possible through a City of Belleville Arts and Culture Grant that was secured by AMHS-HPE. The art will be displayed in the community after the event to continue raising awareness about stigma, the importance of reducing stigma and that addictions and mental health support and services can be accessed by calling 310-OPEN.
Sponsors
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Other IOAD Events
*The Belleville Quinte West Community Health Centre (BQWCHC) took the lead in applying for a United Way Innovation Grant, which is being used to support IOAD 2022 events throughout our counties.
Trenton – Belleville Quinte West Community Health Centre (BQWCHC) staff will provide Naloxone training to the public on August 31st from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm at the Mobile Community Resource Unit (97 Front St., Trenton). A memorial walk of silence will also take place, leaving at 4:30 pm from the Mobile Community Resource Unit and ending at the BQWCHC (69 Catherine St., Trenton).
Addictions and Mental Health Services – Hastings Prince Edward (AMHS-HPE) addiction counsellors will also offer a live streaming of the Belleville event during the day.
Bancroft – On August 31st the local Harm Reduction Network, including AMHS-HPE, North Hastings Community Trust, Bancroft Family Health Team, HPEPH and community members, will create awareness by offering Bancroft residents information from service providers and people with lived experience. There will be Naloxone training and kits, to learn how to respond to an opiate overdose. We will also be offering a unique opportunity for the community to watch the live streaming of the Belleville event. The event will be held beside the Post Office, 26 Station Street, from 2:00 – 4:00 pm.
Tweed – The Gateway Community Health Centre (41 McClellan St., Tweed) is handing out Naloxone kits and will provide Naloxone training on August 31st from 8:30 am – 8:00 pm.
Picton – On August 26th from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm, HPEPH staff will provide Naloxone training and kits to the public at the Hope Centre (46 King St., Picton).
Youth2Youth Hastings & Prince Edward – International Overdose Awareness Day Panel Discussion
Date: Thursday, August 25th
Time: 5-6:00pm
Location: Virtual
Join us and a panel of speakers for a free Q&A to bring more awareness to how our communities are experiencing addiction and overdose. This Youth2Youth panel event developed in partnership with Addictions and Mental Health Services HPE will provide a youth perspective, giving youth the opportunity to engage with local community experts and those with lived experiences to have their questions answered. Please pre-register for this free event to receive the webinar link.
Registration Link: https://bit.ly/Y2Y2022IOAD