Community Discussion on Concussions, Injuries, Prescription Drug Abuse and the Opioid Epidemic
School and Community Presentations, Thursday, September 22nd at East Bridgewater Junior Senior High School
Who: East Bridgewater Students Grades 7-12 and all East Bridgewater Parents and anyone in the community or surrounding communities
When and Where: For East Bridgewater Students, EBJSHS Auditorium during school hours, Thursday, September 22, 2016
For Parents and Residents, Thursday, September 22, 2016 at 6:30 PM at EBJSHS Auditorium
Speakers:
Dr. Daniel Muse, Physician in the Signature Healthcare Emergency Department and Director of “SportSmart Program”
William Scannell is a Bridgewater resident, Attorney at Law and a grieving parent of 20 year old son, Emmett, who lost his life to a heroin overdose in April of this year. Emmett was a National Honor Society student who graduated from Bridgewater-Raynham High School in 2014 and was on academic scholarship at Worcester State University when he passed away. Bill has been passionate as a leader in our region as well as nationally in advocating for change in how we, as a society, are dealing with the Opioid epidemic. Bill has created a program where he speaks to young adults, at high schools across the country in which he shares his story about Emmett.
As a follow up to last year’s “SportSmart” program, this year’s discussion will be focused on all injuries, including concussions, the related risk of exposure to highly addictive painkillers, and how our community and region continues to be affected by this health epidemic leading to the risk of addiction to Opioids, including heroin and fentanyl. Prescription drugs are prevalent in most households and many young people believe they are safer alternatives to illegal drugs. Protective factors like involvement in physical activities can also become risk factors if young people are injured in the process.
The East Bridgewater Public School District, East Bridgewater Police, and EB HOPE continue to work together to educate our community about this epidemic which continues to affect East Bridgewater families, of which the substance use disorder victims get younger and younger.
The community is urged to come out to EBJSHS on September 22nd and listen to Dr Muse and Bill Scannell share their experiences.