In an effort to raise awareness, reduce stigma and promote community-wide efforts to address and prevent overdose deaths, Trillium is hosting a virtual Overdose Awareness Symposium on Friday.
The symposium will provide eduction and awareness about the realities of overdose, including its causes, warning signs, prevention strategies and available resources for support and recovery, said Jennifer Mackethan, communications and marketing director for Trillium.
Mackethan said the symposium will be an interactive experience with speakers covering current drug trends, how overdose response teams work and recovery options in eastern North Carolina.
Guest speakers will highlight new information, answer questions, provide prompts for consideration and keep attendees engaged during the four hour session.
"Building awareness and understanding helps save lives," Mackethan said. "Organizations represented by these speakers will help explain the symptoms of an overdose and how medications like naloxone can help reverse the effects."
According to North Carolina Overdose Epidemic Data, the estimated overdose death rate in North Carolina in 2024 was 27.7 out of 100,000 residents.
Mackethan said this means that more than 3,000 people died from an overdose.
However, this does reflect a 32% decrease in overdose deaths from 2023, according to North Carolina Overdose Epidemic Data.
"While numbers are improving, it is still a statistic that is too high," she said. "Through education about services available, sharing about harm reduction strategies, and offering recovery opportunities, we hope to lessen this impact."
Mackethan said August is recognized as Overdose Awareness Month, and the symposium will occur just days before International Overdose Awareness Day on Sunday.
The symposium is free and open to the public, with American Sign Language and Spanish translation available.
The online symposium will begin on Friday at 9 a.m. and end at 1 p.m.
To register online visit https://registration.socio.events/e/overdoseawareness.