BY CANDLELIGHT

Friday, August 3^rd 7:00pm

Independence Academy

460 Belmont St.

Brockton, MA 

Prevent Overdose. Save Lives.

In collaboration with N.O.M.A.D., “Not one more anonymous death”

 Northeast Behavioral Health, Lynn

Open nasal Narcan enrollment available before and after presentation.

Sponsored by: 

Learn to Cope

Mayor Balzotti’s Office

Independence Academy

                                                                                             BAMSI’s  C.O.P.E.Center                              

High Point Treatment Center

Brockton Mayor’s Opioid Overdose Prevention Coalition

Saturday October 29th from 10am-2pm

Brockton Council on Aging

10 Father Kenney Way

Bring back unwanted, unused, expired medications and the DEA will safely dispose of it as part of the National Effort to Reduce Prescription Drug Abuse

Sponsored by the DEA, Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office, Brockton Police Department, and the

 Brockton Mayor’s Opioid Overdose Prevention Coalition

“I’ve been here before, for the Strand Theater fire memorial, remembering the 13 firefighters who lost their lives back in the early 1940’s.  I’ve been here for the Memorial Day observance, remembering military personnel who made ‘the ultimate sacrifice.’  I’ve also been here for New Day’s ‘Flowers for Victims’ remembering victims of sexual assault every spring.  And here we are tonight for the annual Overdose Vigil, remembering loved ones who die, not ‘in the line of duty,’ and not as the result of escalating violence or abuse- except as their addiction escalates and endangers their lives and may finally destroy them and far too often does… It’s what keeps us from being ‘crushed,’ from being ‘driven to despair’ and left there, from being abandoned or ‘destroyed’ by this terrible epidemic that takes the lives of those we’ve loved and continue to love.  Our presence here tonight bears witness to this gift, to what proves more powerful in the end than the most fearful of powers we’re up against in these fragile, vulnerable ‘earthen vessels.”                                                                                                                          Reverend W. McCoy

BY CANDLELIGHT

FridaY, August 5^th

7:00pm

Brockton city hall 

In collaboration with N.O.M.A.D., “Not one more anonymous death” CAB Health and Recovery Services Inc. Lynn       

Open nasal Narcan enrollment available before and after presentation.

Sponsored by: 

Learn to Cope

BAMSI’s COPE Center

               Mayor Balzotti’s Office                             

High Point Treatment Center

Brockton Mayor’s Opioid Overdose Prevention Coalition

Nationwide Prescription Drug

Take-Back Day

Turn in your unneeded prescription medications.

Council on Aging

10 Father Kenney Way, Brockton

April  30, 2011

10:00a.m. - 2:00p.m.

The DEA will collect any expired, unused, and unwanted medications which will then be safely disposed of.

Please help to end prescription drug abuse!

Sponsored by the DEA, Brockton Police Department, and the

 Brockton Mayor’s Opioid Overdose Prevention Coalition

Brockton is again participating in the NATIONAL Drug Take Back Day. Bring any unwanted, unused medications back, no questions asked.

Contact

Maryanne Frangules

Massachusetts Organization for Addiction and Recovery (MOAR)

617-423-6627

maryanne@moar-recovery.org

Deborah Silva

AIDS Action Committee

617-450-1315

dsilva@aac.org

An Act to Reduce Opioid Overdose Deaths (SD D1415)

Sponsored by Senator Steven Tolman

An Act Relating to Controlled Substances and Medical Treatment (HD 02783)

Sponsored by Representative Alice Peisch

An Act Providing Limited Immunity from Prosecution for a Person Who seeks to Obtain Medical Assistance for a Drug Related Overdose (HD 01501)

Sponsored by Representative William Galvin

Summary and Background:

From 2002-2008, 3,859 Massachusetts residents died from opioid-related overdoses (e.g. heroin, oxycodone, or fentanyl)¹.  Most of these deaths could have been prevented. In most cases if 911 is called quickly enough, the victim will survive, but fear of police involvement and criminal prosecution prevents many people from calling for help.  Immediately calling 911 could also help prevent permanent damage to the victim’s brain or body caused by lack of oxygen during an overdose.  The Massachusetts Department of Public Health is a strong proponent of this measure.

What the law will do:

•        Protect people from prosecution for possession of illegal drugs when calling 911

•        Save lives and give people who use opioids a chance to get help for their addiction

•        Increase the likelihood of 911 being called after an overdose

What the law will not do:

•        Does not interfere with law enforcement securing the scene at an overdose

•        Does not prevent prosecution for drug trafficking

•        Does not prevent prosecution for outstanding warrants

What is the difference between the bills?

The 911 Good Samaritan Bills offer limited immunity or protection from drug possession charges against people who call 911 to seek emergency medical attention during an overdose.   Senator Tolman’s proposal includes liability protection for those who:

• Legally prescribe naloxone (Narcan®), a medication that can reverse an opiate related overdose
• Possess and/or administer naloxone to someone appearing to have  an opiate related overdose

Quick Facts:

Ø  The 911 Good Samaritan bill does not interfere with law enforcement efforts to assess the scene of an overdose for public safety. 

Ø  Studies show over 50% of persons interviewed reported they did not call 911 during an overdose due to their fear of police involvement ^{2, 3, 4}. 

Ø  More deaths occur in private settings, where people are less likely to call 911 due to fear of police involvement.  Bystanders are more likely to call for help in overdoses that occur in public settings than in private settings such as homes or hotels and research indicates that the majority of fatal overdoses occur in private settings³.

Ø  In 2008, community assessments were done in Brockton, Cambridge, Charlestown, Fall River, Gloucester, Jamaica Plain/Roxbury, Lowell, Lynn, New Bedford, Revere, Springfield, and Worcester.   Fear of police involvement was the major reason given for not calling 911; a leading contributing cause of Massachusetts fatal overdoses.

Ø  As of December 2010 more than 8,400 persons have been trained how to use naloxone in the state’s overdose prevention program.  As a result, 833 overdoses were reversed, which means 833 persons are alive who otherwise may not be. 

Ø  In 2008, the US Conference of Mayors unanimously urged all state governments to adopt emergency “Good Samaritan” laws.

Ø  New Mexico and Washington State enacted a Good Samaritan law receiving positive reports from community and law enforcement members. Similar life-saving legislation is pending in several other states including Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Illinois, Hawaii, Washington, Oregon, and Nebraska.

About the Good Samaritan Coalition:

The goal of the 2011-2012 Massachusetts 911 Good Samaritan Coalition is to support policy change that leads to the prevention of fatal opioid overdoses in the Commonwealth.  This goal can be accomplished by providing limited legal immunity, or protection, to persons calling 911 seeking emergency medical attention during an overdose.

To co-sponsor this legislation, contact

Jennifer Fay in Senator Steven Tolman’s  office at( 617) 722-1280  or    Jennifer.Fay@masenate.gov

Allison O’Leary in Representative  Alice Peisch’ s office at (617) 722-2800 Ext. 7591 or  Allison.O’Leary@mahouse.gov

Joanne Tierney in Representative Willaim Galvin’s office at (617) 722-2582 or   Joanne.Tierney@mahouse.gov