Berkshire County, MA – On Saturday, volunteers will be out and about in Berkshire County for a harm reduction day of action aimed at preventing overdoses.
A coalition of public health groups will lead a countywide effort to continue the fight against fatal overdoses in a region all too familiar with them.“Over two dozen or so community members will be fanning out all across the Berkshires, focusing on bringing lifesaving overdose prevention supplies, resources, and knowledge directly to people’s doors,” said Berkshire Regional Planning Commission Senior Public Health Planner Andy Ottoson of the Berkshire Overdose and Addiction Prevention Collaborative. “So, our primary purpose is raising awareness about changes in the opioid and stimulant supply. We’re especially focusing on people who may use more recreationally. We’ll be distributing Naloxone and fentanyl test strips. We’ll also be encouraging people never to use alone, and especially connect them with services as well, and especially to smash the stigma against addiction.”
Ottoson says as the Berkshires navigate a tainted drug supply, public health officials are trying to specifically reach recreational users who might not know that their party favors could contain life-threating additives.