The Utah State University Extension’s HEART Initiative will be hosting an evening of education and dinner to talk about the current Opioid Crisis. This free event will be held on Monday, November 4 from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm at the USU-Eastern Multipurpose Room at 400 East 451 North in Price.

“So what it is because it’s the Opioid Epidemic Crisis that we’re having we’re going to be doing a Naloxone/Narcan Training, where they are found, how you can acquire them, how to administer, things of that nature. We’re also going to be talking about Harm Reduction Strategies, Prevention Strategies, as well as for Treatment for Substance Use Disorder that we’re seeing a lot of that is starting to increase,” said Health & Wellness Intern, Justin Sacco. There will be a resource booklet sent home with attendees outlining the different providers, different medication drop-off locations and other related information on the subject.

The HEART Initiative is an acronym for Health Extension: Advocacy, Research, & Training. “Specifically, what we are looking at are pressing public health issues like the Opioid Crisis and one thing that we started and thought that we really needed was to have this collaborative community-based, sort of boots on the ground, grassroots initiative to start the Carbon and Emery Opioid and Substance Use Coalition.  That’s what we have started to really bring our community together and to start to address this epidemic that we are facing,” said Dr. Ashley Yaugher. This program is in its early stages but working with USU-Extension who believes in building knowledge, improving lives through evidence-based and researched-based practices has helped the HEART Initiative really take off.

Everyone is invited to attend this event as there will be childcare provided. “Even if you want to bring your kids, you are more than welcomed to come because the SUN Center at the university is going to be volunteering to watch them. But we do ask for the Community Education event itself is they’re roughly within 17 to 18 years old and up just because of type of education we’re providing,” said Sacco. Parents should include their children in the count for dinner with their tickets and complete the additional registration option so organizers know how many and around what ages to expect for the children’s activity. To register for the event visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/community-education-dinner-tickets-68331420117

For further information on the Community Education Dinner please call (435) 636-3276.