Monterey County, CA, May 17, 2023 – Join Community Human Services (CHS), Montage Health, Salinas Valley Health, and iHeart Radio at the Opioid Flag Memorial/ Recovery Run 2023 wrap-up, Sherwood Park – Salinas, Saturday, May 20th. The event gets underway at 1 pm – with comments from Salinas Mayor Kimbley Craig. Learn what the City of Salinas and Monterey County partners are doing to address the opioid crisis. View 1,800 flags personally dedicated by those impacted by the Opioid Crisis in Monterey County. 200 Lifesaving Narcan kits will be available free of charge.
The need for Narcan to get into the hands of the public is growing daily. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that more than 100,000 Americans — and about 10,000 people in California — died of drug overdoses in the year ending in April 2021, a nationwide increase of 28.5 percent from the year before. In 2021, more than 800 Californians under age 25 died of fentanyl poisoning – an 18-fold increase from five years ago. Fentanyl accounted for 1 in 5 deaths of California young people ages 15-24 in 2021. Fentanyl is a powerful opioid, 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine.
To reach as many Monterey County residents as possible, the Flag Memorial events have traveled from Monterey to Soledad to Seaside and then Salinas throughout the last month as part of the 2023 Recovery Run. Find out more about the Recovery Run – www.chservices.org.
Proceeds from the 2023 Recovery Run will go to support CHS’ efforts to provide harm-reduction methods to the community, such as Narcan, the opioid overdose reversal medication, as well as high-quality, free/low-cost drug treatment options for Monterey County residents.
CHS operates four drug treatment programs that address opioid dependence – Genesis House, Off Main Clinic, and two Outpatient Drug Treatment Centers – all offering medication-assisted treatment. CHS’ mission is to provide high-quality mental health, substance abuse, and homeless services to help the residents of Monterey County reach their full potential. CHS has served Monterey County as a nonprofit Joint Powers agency since 1969.
Speakers: Salinas Mayor Kimbley Craig, Dr. Reb Close, Montage Health Prescribe Safe Program Manager, Dr. Casey Grover, Emergency Physician, Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula, Robin McCrae, CHS CEO, and testimony from two community members in recovery.