Chester County To Host Narcotics Overdose Prevention Program

PAOLI, PA — Did you know that in 2014, there were 59 drug overdose deaths in Chester County? Or that one in five teens has abused prescription drugs?

NOPE (Narcotics Overdose Prevention and Education) Task Force of Chester County is providing an educational presentation on the dangers of substance abuse for parents and community members on Wednesday, February 17, 2016 at 7:00 p.m.

All are welcome to attend this free and informational presentation that will take place in the Delaware Valley Friends School Auditorium, located at: 19 E Central Ave, Paoli.

NOPE says that family members and experts will explain the facts regarding the issues youth are facing each day, including prescription drug abuse, drug interaction, signs of substance use, addiction, parenting strategies, and where to get help.

The cornerstone of NOPE’s mission is the personal, high impact presentation delivered to middle and high school students throughout the school year. This message is delivered “graphically and emotionally” from several perspectives.

First, from a professional who describes the interaction of drugs on the developing brain, then from a law enforcement official who has the grim task of making death notifications to distraught families and finally, from 2 family members who have suffered the loss of a child to a drug overdose.

The presentation is meant to evoke emotion, organizers say, and demand the attention of the students. Throughout the presentation, real local stories of students who have lost their lives to drugs and alcohol are shared to illustrate the education points and show the reality of the consequences that drug and alcohol abuse can cause.

Following virtually every presentation, NOPE says that a number of students seek help either for themselves or someone they know.

NOPE Task Force is a non-profit 501c-3 organization; the Chester County chapter was formed in 2014. Since inception, NOPE of Chester County has reached over 25,000 students and over 1,000 parents and community members. NOPE’s mission is to diminish the frequency and impact of overdose death through community education, family support and purposeful advocacy. Since its inception in Palm Beach County in 2004, NOPE has been increasing awareness through multi-media and multi-modal presentations. NOPE of Chester County is sponsored by: Thomas P. Hogan, District Attorney, County of Chester, Pennsylvania; PA Attorney General Grant; Chester County Human Services; Chester County Department of Drug and Alcohol; Shane J. O’Donnell (SJO) Memorial Fund; Pamela Stouch Scholarship Fund; The Jonathan Moules Memorial Steps4Hope Foundation; Holcomb Behavioral Health Systems; Community Cares- UPMC; CRC- Bowling Green; and Private Donations.