Mississippi State University’s Office of Student Affairs and the Collegiate Recovery Community partnered with Stand Up, Mississippi to bring an interactive presentation to campus next week called “Opioids: What Can You Do?”
Amidst the rising overdose numbers across the state and the country, Stand Up, Mississippi and its partnering agencies decided to take their message directly to college campuses across the state. The partnering agencies include the Mississippi Department of Mental Health (DMH), the Department of Public Safety, the Bureau of Narcotics, the Board of Pharmacy, the Mississippi offices of the FBI, the Department of Human Services and the Drug Enforcement Agency.
“Our message is one of hope and empowerment,” said Angela Mallette, outreach coordinator for Stand Up, Mississippi. “We want students to stand up for their friends and families; be brave enough to ask for help if they need it and encourage each other to seek recovery.”
In 2017, there were more than 72,000 overdose deaths in the U.S. according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Data Archive states nearly one million U.S. college students meet standard clinical criteria for current alcohol or other drug dependence. With substance use an ever-present concern on college campuses, officials at MSU felt it was time to begin conversations on campus.
“We’re really excited to be partnering with Stand Up, Mississippi to educate our student population regarding opioids and substance use,” said Blake Schneider, program coordinator for the Collegiate Recovery Community at MSU. “It is events like these that are critical in breaking down the stigma of addiction and encouraging students to seek support. Even if we only deeply impact one student, it will be a huge success; that is one life that we can say that we saved.”
The meeting is at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 9 in McCool Hall, and it will include a discussion with representatives from Stand Up, Mississippi, as well as the Collegiate Recovery Community. This meeting is just one in a series of town hall meetings that are open to the public and being held throughout the state this year to educate communities about the growing issue of opioid abuse.
For more information, please contact Mallette at 601-359-1288, or visit www.StandUpMS.org.