Benefit Concert Will Aid Strongsville Anti-Opioid Program

BEREA, OH — On Sunday, Baldwin Wallace College will host a benefit concert for Safe Passages, a police-assisted addiction recovery program.

The concert — called "We Do Recover" — will feature performances from Baldwin Wallace faculty members and speakers, and a special performance from singer-songwriter Logan Bruce. The event will be held in Gamble Auditorium, part of the Kulas Musical Arts Building.

The event will start at 3 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are $10 for adults, and $5 for seniors and students.

The Strongsville Police Department rolled out a four-pronged approach to the raging opioid crisis in August 2017. The unveiled plan included a tine for the Safe Passages program.

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The Ohio State Highway Patrol and Strongsville Police struck a deal, allowing state troopers to more aggressively patrol the city's stretch of highways, freeing local officers to staff the Safe Passages initiative.

The city received a $83,542 grant from then-Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine's office to help launch Safe Passages. Portions of the funding also go to a quick response team that will aid in-crisis addicts. The police and fire departments, along with the Strongsville faith community, will send a team of specialists to meet with overdose survivors and their families. The specialists will go over treatment options, referrals, recovery support and other options for people battling addiction.

Strongsville had to administer 73 doses of Narcan — an overdose antidote — in 2017 alone.

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