The Mercer Council hosts its 9th Annual International Overdose Awareness Day event on Thursday, August 29, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at Veterans Park (North) in Hamilton.
International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD) is celebrated globally on August 31 of each year with the aim to create better understanding of overdose, reduce the stigma of addiction, and promote change to reduce the harms associated with drug use.
Mercer Council is a private, nonprofit agency dedicated to the prevention of substance misuse and its harmful consequences, and offers high quality, evidence-based prevention education and community resources on substance use disorder and behavioral health.
The August 29 evening of reflection and community support features a keynote speech from Dr. Kaitlan Baston, commissioner of the NJ Department of Health, and also provides the community with access to prevention, recovery, and treatment resources, and offers grief and family support. The event culminates with a candlelight vigil to honor those who have been lost.
Dr. Baston, a prominent figure in the fields of addiction and family medicine, has been a vocal advocate for comprehensive addiction treatment and harm reduction. Her commitment to public health and her extensive experience in combating substance use disorders have made her a pivotal figure in the fight against the overdose crisis. Returning for her second year as the keynote speaker, Baston addresses the ongoing overdose crisis and shares insights on statewide initiatives to combat substance use disorders and support recovery.
“Our vision for New Jersey is that every person struggling with substance use is able to receive immediate, comprehensive, evidence-based care that enables them to live long, satisfying lives. Addiction should be treated as routinely as other chronic diseases like high blood pressure or diabetes — so that anyone with substance use disorder could walk into any clinic, at any time and get access to life-saving harm reduction interventions and medications for treatment,” Baston said.
“As we observe International Overdose Awareness Day, let us also remember that our efforts in addressing addiction are deeply tied to equity. It’s about bringing those who are struggling in the shadows into the light and treating them with the dignity they deserve. As we honor and reflect on loved ones lost to this disease, we will channel that energy into the change we want to see for those suffering.”
Learn more or register to attend by visiting www.mercercouncil.org/IOAD. If you would like to honor or commemorate a loved one during the candlelight vigil, indicate this when completing the event registration form.
In a blog post on the Mercer Council’s website ahead of the event, mental health clinician Ian Smith, who works with the council’s ASYSST Program serving high school students in Ewing, explored the nature of grief and healing power of community.
As International Overdose Awareness Day approaches, it is crucial to acknowledge the profound grief felt by families and friends of those who have lost loved ones to drug overdose. Grief is real; it is raw, it is painful. But it is also an intrinsic part of the human experience, and has been for as long as we have existed.
Grief is the natural response to any significant loss, especially the death of a loved one. As grief is a natural response, so is it a necessary part of the healing process. It is through grieving that we begin to heal, finding ways to move forward in life while still cherishing the memories of those we’ve lost. Avoiding the grief process can have profound negative effects, making it all the more important to embrace it fully.
The Healing Power of Coming Together. IOAD provides the unique opportunity for those affected by overdose to mourn publicly, perhaps for the first time, in a safe environment that is free from guilt or shame. Mercer Council’s event is an all-important reminder that no one must endure the pain and suffering of loss alone. Together, we can walk through the journey of healing.
On August 29, we will come together as a Mercer County community to observe International Overdose Awareness Day 2024. Guests will have opportunities to gather valuable resources from local treatment and recovery organizations; they will be able to memorialize loved ones at our Memorial Table and Candlelight Vigil; and perhaps most importantly, they will have the chance to be supported in their grief, by professional resources and by fellow members of the community that have shared in their mourning.
