International Overdose Awareness Day

Grant County Health District is hosting our second annual International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD) event in Grant County. Each year, local communities participate in IOAD as they come together to acknowledge the profound grief felt by families and friends whose loved ones have died or suffered permanent injury from a drug overdose.

Drug overdose is one of the world’s worst public health crises. Over the past two decades, drug overdose deaths have surged in various parts of the world, including Grant County, where 61 overdose-related deaths were reported between 2018 and 2021.

Details – On Thursday, August 24th, from 5:00 PM to 7:30 PM at McCosh Park (401 W Fourth Ave, Moses Lake), GCHD will host a community resource fair as part of this year’s IOAD event. Local organizations will be present and prepared to connect community members to services and support available within our county. Discover tools to prevent substance misuse and overdose, including medication lockboxes and access to local community support. All Grant County residents interested in exploring opportunities that could assist you or someone you love, are encouraged to attend this event.

In addition to the resource fair, this event will serve as a tribute to families and individuals impacted by overdose. Attendees can dedicate a white flag in remembrance of someone lost to overdose or a purple flag in recognition of someone saved with Narcan.

Resource Registration – Organizations that wish to participate in IOAD as a resource are encouraged to sign up on our website. The deadline for registration is Thursday, August 10^th. https://granthealth.org/overdose-prevention-awareness/

By joining this event, the people of Grant County will be part of a global movement promoting understanding, compassion, and positive change in the face of the opioid crisis. Let us stand together in solidarity to remember those we have lost, support those in need, and work towards a safer and healthier community.