The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia and Georgia Department of Public Health Northwest Health District will host a community gathering designed to increase awareness of and connect residents to local resources available to help prevent opioid use, overdoses, and deaths. This free, family-friendly event, “Spring Into Wellness: An Opioid Prevention and Recovery Community Resource Fair,” takes place on Tuesday, May 14, from 4 P.M. to 7 P.M., at the Champions Center at LakePoint Sports on Stars Way by Lakepoint Parkway in Emerson.

Concerns about Bartow County’s 32 opioid deaths in 2022 and the county’s 29.9 age-adjusted opioid death rate – compared to just 18.6 for the state of Georgia – led the organizers of this community event to prioritize this public gathering of stakeholders and concerned citizens. Local public health officials have also noted recent, alarming nationwide increases in illicit fentanyl exposures in children younger than six years old as cause for critical concern.

The event organizers have outlined several goals:

  1. To increase community awareness of and access to prevention and recovery resources
  2. To share inspirational stories from local community members who have overcome opioid misuse disorder
  3. To learn about fentanyl overdose-prevention strategies for youth and families

Organizers expect several dozen resources for opioid overdose prevention to participate and provide information to the public.

U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan, Dr. Gary Voccio, and several Bartow County officials will welcome attendees and speak briefly at the event.

Anyone wishing to attend may register at https://shorturl.at/gmJS4. But registration is not required.