<body><div><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3VbtP7_0vjj2qnR00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3VbtP7_0vjj2qnR00" width="1320" height="743" >BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C. (WCIV) — September is National Recovery Month.A month dedicated to helping with treatment and recovery for those dealing with substance use disorder. The Berkeley County Coroner’s Office is educating the community through an Overdose Fatality Review Board. It is a year-round effort. The board started after the Coroner’s Office saw an increasing number of fatalities in the county.Members work closely with partnering agencies like local police departments, Sheriff’s Offices, nonprofits and more. The review board focuses on ways to prevent these fatalities through various programs and services.Since the board was founded last June, the first goal was to provide Narcan in the community.This led to its “Leave Behind Program” which puts Narcan in high-risk homes and the community.Another aspect of the board is the lived experience portion. This helps educate the board through people’s real experiences and shows recovery is possible.“We have learned that the motto, nothing about us without us matters most," said Allison Bilton, the outreach coordinator and facilitator of the board. "And it's not smart for us to try to make recommendations if we don't have lived experience with the issues at hand. So we have a few people who have been very dedicated to our board who have lived experience. They're finding success in recovery, and when we come up with recommendations, they're able to guide us and say, it's a good idea, or this won't work for this reason."“They have information and firsthand knowledge that we don't have. So we look to them to guide us,” she added.Bilton says the county’s OFR Board has been so successful it has inspired other counties.This month was the first tri-county overdose fatality review board between Berkeley, Charleston, and Dorchester counties.“We're trying to reduce stigma,” Bilton added.“If we can reduce the stigma, more people will get help," she said. "Some people have a hard time asking for help. Some family members have a hard time. The struggle is real when they're not sure where to go and where to turn. We want these people to know there are options available, there's help available, and we're gonna try to reduce the stigma so that people aren't afraid to speak up, to ask for help and, ask for resources."Bilton shares that one of the board’s biggest long-term recommendations is a detox facility in Berkeley County.She says as of now, people who seek that care have to go to Charleston County.</div></body>

Mountain View, CA

NewsBreak

Berkeley County steps up fight against overdose fatalities with county review board

BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C. (WCIV) — September is National Recovery Month. A month dedicated to helping with treatment and recovery for those dealing with substance use disorder. The Berkeley County Coroner’s Office is educating the community through an Overdose Fatality Review Board. It is a year-round effort. The board started after the Coroner’s Office saw an increasing number of fatalities in the county.