Cascade Community Healthcare and Lewis County Public Health will host the Lewis County Opioid Summit on Thursday, Sept. 10, at Centralia College’s TransAlta Commons.
The free event will bring together community members, first responders, behavioral health professionals, treatment providers and people with lived experience to learn, connect and discuss opioid use, behavioral health, treatment and recovery in Lewis County, a news release from event organizers declared.
A featured panel will bring together Centralia Police Chief Andy Caldwell, the Riverside Fire Authority’s Johanna Aguillard and Jason Shepherd, and Cascade Community Healthcare’s Mindy Greenwood and Ezra Foss for a conversation about how law enforcement, emergency medical services, crisis services and treatment providers might encounter and respond to the same individual from very different perspectives.
Through a guided discussion, panelists will explore what each system sees during a behavioral health or substance use crisis, what options are available, where gaps exist, and how individuals move between emergency response, crisis services, treatment and the community. The conversation will also address how families can support someone who needs help but may not be ready to accept it.
The summit will feature Trinidad Medina, CEO of Great Rivers Behavioral Health Administrative Services Organization, as keynote speaker.
Additional sessions include “When Help Is Hard to Find,” highlighting behavioral health access in rural communities, coordination between systems, jail and community transitions, and medication-assisted treatment (MAT); and “Connecting Youth and Families to Behavioral Health Services,” focused on helping youth and families better understand, navigate and connect with available resources.
The summit is open to everyone, including families, community members, first responders, educators, service providers and anyone interested in learning more about opioid use, behavioral health and local resources.
Lunch and snacks will be provided. Advance registration is encouraged. To register, visit https://tinyurl.com/4d8rsuwt.
