County recognizes International Overdose Awareness Day
Joyce Kimbler
MEDINA COUNTY – August 31 was International Overdose Awareness Day.
The mission of this worldwide event is to raise awareness of overdose, reduce the stigma of drug-related death, support the families and friends who have suffered loss due to overdose and remember those who have suffered from a drug overdose.
Ultimately, the goal of Overdose Awareness Day is to spread the message that the tragedy of overdose and death from overdose is preventable.
This year the court is very proud that there was an organized event recognizing International Overdose Awareness Day held in Medina County’s first recovery center, Robby’s.
The center was created out of necessity when Medina County’s chief probation officer and Drug Court director, Veronica Perry, recognized that after graduation many drug court participants were still struggling and they had nowhere to turn in the community for support.
Having a recovery center is the last stop on the continuum of care for people with substance abuse disorders and this was definitely a missing link in Medina County’s resources. Perry made the recovery center a reality when she secured a $300,000 state grant and Robby’s opened its doors July 17.
The court expends many resources on individuals suffering from a substance abuse disorders who are non-violent, low-level offenders with the goal of helping them rebuild their lives by restoring them to once again be productive members of their community.
The court decided to partner with the non-profit Robby’s Voice, which is responsible for the day-to-day operations of Robby’s. The court will remain in the partnership for two years overseeing the project with confidence that Robby’s will be self-sufficient by 2019.
Though this was a worldwide awareness event, it is important to recognize Medina County is not immune from the problem of drug overdose. The increase in drug addiction and overdose deaths in Medina County are what led the court to initiate a recovery center in our community and secure grant funding which allowed Robby’s to open its doors July 17. Break the silence.
The mission of this worldwide event is to raise awareness of overdose, reduce the stigma of drug-related death, support the families and friends who have suffered loss due to overdose and remember those who have suffered from a drug overdose.
Ultimately, the goal of Overdose Awareness Day is to spread the message that the tragedy of overdose and death from overdose is preventable.
This year the court is very proud that there was an organized event recognizing International Overdose Awareness Day held in Medina County’s first recovery center, Robby’s.
The center was created out of necessity when Medina County’s chief probation officer and Drug Court director, Veronica Perry, recognized that after graduation many drug court participants were still struggling and they had nowhere to turn in the community for support.
Having a recovery center is the last stop on the continuum of care for people with substance abuse disorders and this was definitely a missing link in Medina County’s resources. Perry made the recovery center a reality when she secured a $300,000 state grant and Robby’s opened its doors July 17.
The court expends many resources on individuals suffering from a substance abuse disorders who are non-violent, low-level offenders with the goal of helping them rebuild their lives by restoring them to once again be productive members of their community.
The court decided to partner with the non-profit Robby’s Voice, which is responsible for the day-to-day operations of Robby’s. The court will remain in the partnership for two years overseeing the project with confidence that Robby’s will be self-sufficient by 2019.
Though this was a worldwide awareness event, it is important to recognize Medina County is not immune from the problem of drug overdose. The increase in drug addiction and overdose deaths in Medina County are what led the court to initiate a recovery center in our community and secure grant funding which allowed Robby’s to open its doors July 17. Break the silence.