Health care, law enforcement, student, and community leaders will focus on “help, hope, and recovery” as Massachusetts confronts opioid challenge
The UMass Dartmouth College of Nursing, in collaboration with the Leduc Center for Civic Engagement, will host a regional Substance Use Disorders Summit for Young Adults on September 28 at the university’s Main Auditorium, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
More than 400 students from Bridgewater State University, Bristol Community College, Cape Cod Community College, Massachusetts Maritime Academy, Massasoit Community College, and the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth are already registered for the event. Registration will remain open through September 20.
Participating schools are all part of CONNECT, a regional higher education consortium.
The summit, sponsored by The Carney Family Foundation and Chartwells, will include topics such as: A Humane Approach to Caring for Those with Substance Use Disorders and What Does Substance Misuse Look Like at College?
Participants will include:
UMass Dartmouth Chancellor Robert E. Johnson
Dr. Donna White, Chair, Massachusetts Nurses Association Addictions Council.
Dartmouth Police Detective Kyle Costa
Bridgewater Police Officer and Drug Recognition Expert Scott Hile
UMass Dartmouth Police Captain Timothy Sheehan
Dr. Michael Rocha, Cardiologist and Founder of Physicians to Prevent Opioid Abuse & New Bedford Wellness Initiative
Reverend David Lima
Dr. Craig Longo of St. Lukes Hospital
Callie Nunez, RN/ UMass Dartmouth ’17
Ann-Melissa Pognon, UMass Dartmouth Peer Health Educator.
The summit will also offer regional resources for students who are seeking assistance with recovery, or who have family or friends who need support. Narcan training will be provided for a limited number of participants.
This event will be live-streamed at all CONNECT campuses in order to increase student access and participation.. The Summit is the third in a Substance Use Disorders Series, which began at Bridgewater State University in March 2017, and continued at the Bridgewater State University/ Bristol Community College Attleboro campus in April, 2017.