SLO overdose awareness day returns Aug. 31

– The County of San Luis Obispo Behavioral Health Department will sponsor the 6th annual Overdose Awareness Day event on Aug. 31 at Mitchell Park in San Luis Obispo from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. The free event aims to provide a safe space for community members to learn about the opioid crisis and obtain Naloxone kits to help prevent overdoses.

“Overdose Awareness Day is a vital opportunity for our community to come together, not only to remember those we’ve lost but to take meaningful action to prevent future tragedies,” said xDirector of the San Luis Obispo Behavioral Health Department Dr. Star Graber, “By educating ourselves, supporting one another, and utilizing life-saving tools like Naloxone, we can create a safer, healthier future for everyone in San Luis Obispo County. Together, we can make a difference.”

In 2023, 106 community members in San Luis Obispo County died from overdoses, with 83% involving opioid drugs. Attendees will have the chance to participate in overdose response training, including how to use Naloxone, the only medication that can reverse an opioid overdose. Each participant will receive a free Overdose Reversal Kit.

“This event is not just for people who have lost a loved one, it is for our entire community,” said SLO Behavioral Health’s Opioid Safety Coordinator Jenn Rhoads, “Overdose Awareness Day is a chance for the public to have safe conversations about the dangers of opioids and fentanyl, hear about experiences from neighbors, learn prevention strategies, and overall help destigmatize overdose. Overdose does not discriminate; it has affected all walks of life in SLO County and it’s going to take all of us together to stop it.”

Community members who cannot attend the event can still obtain free Overdose Reversal Kits by ordering online at www.NaloxoneNowSLO.org or visiting various community distribution sites, including Behavioral Health Drug and Alcohol Clinics in San Luis Obispo, Grover Beach, Arroyo Grande, Paso Robles, and Atascadero.

More information about the Opioid Safety Coalition and Behavioral Health Overdose Prevention can be found at www.slocounty.ca.gov/osc. Residents seeking substance use treatment services can call the SLO Behavioral Health access line at (800) 838-1381.