Opioid Crisis: Next Wellness Issue at Wilton Library is Sept. 13

The opioid crisis will be discussed by a panel of experts as the next program in the “Get Well, Stay Well” health literary series presented quarterly by Wilton Library and Western Connecticut Health Network.

“Painkillers - Routine Use to Dependence? Recovery and Back to Normalcy” will be the topic on Tuesday, September 13, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Wilton Library located at 137 Old Ridgefield Road in Wilton.

The featured speakers are: Dr. Miriam Delphin-Rittmon, commissioner, CT Department of Mental Health and Addiction (DMHAS), Robert Bepko, R.Ph., administrative director of pharmacy services for Western Connecticut Health Network comprising Norwalk, Danbury and New Milford hospitals, and Daryl McGraw, director of the Office of Recovery Community Affairs at DMHAS. The program will be moderated by Wilton Library Trustee Dr. Saras Nair, former chairman of the Department of Pathology at Norwalk Hospital.

The presenters will cover the use of opioid painkillers, the potential for unintended abuse, the path to dependency and the road to recovery. Dr. Delphin-Rittmon will give an overview on the State’s perspective on the problem of opioid abuse, dependency and recovery. Mr. Bepko will discuss the pharmacology of how these drugs work and Mr. McGraw will focus on the recovery process and resources available to help. The program will conclude with a question and answer session.

“Through our health literary series, our goal is to provide the community with reliable medical education on a wide range of relevant and timely health topics,” said Mrs. Tai-Lauria.

The series is presented free of charge as a community service. For more information, reservations and directions, visit www.wiltonlibrary.org or call 203-762-6334.

About Wilton Library

Wilton Library Association (WLA), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, is at the heart of a vibrant and civically involved community – a community that enables the Library to be the gateway where people discover and celebrate words, images, ideas and possibilities. Since 1895, the library has provided resources and vital services that progressed to meet the changing demands of the times. Today, the Library is a cornerstone institution that provides a solid foundation for community life and reflects the priority the town has placed on the value of learning. A dynamic and evolving collection, access to technology, enrichment programs, classes on all manner of subjects including health and wellness, and concerts are just some of the offerings.

About Western Connecticut Health Network

Western Connecticut Health Network is the region's premier, patient-centered health care organization serving residents of Western Connecticut and adjacent New York. The organization, which is now anchored by three nationally recognized hospitals, Danbury Hospital, New Milford Hospital and Norwalk Hospital, as well as their affiliated organizations. In addition to the three hospitals, the continuum of care offered includes Western Connecticut Medical Group, an integrated physician practice offering primary and subspecialty care across the region, Western Connecticut Home Care, an agency for home health care services, the nationally renowned Western Connecticut Health Network Biomedical Research Institute, the Western Connecticut Health Network Foundation, the Norwalk Hospital Foundation, and other affiliates. For more information, visit TheNewWCHN.org. Share your comments at Facebook.com/DanburyHospital; Facebook.com/NewMilfordHospital and/or Facebook.com/NorwalkHospital.