Each year on Aug. 31, WSHA and other health care organizations across the country observe National Overdose Awareness Day to remember the lives taken by overdoses, without stigma or shame. WSHA has partnered with the Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) to produce opioid stewardship campaign materials, and we invite you to join us in sharing them! The toolkit includes newsletter copy and social media posts that can be shared from Aug. 30 to Sept. 1.
Three-quarters of all opioid misuse starts with people using medication that wasn’t prescribed to them. Typically, this medication was prescribed to a friend or family member. Locking up medications or safely disposing of unused medications can stop them from being misused. Medication take-back programs can also protect loved ones, and community members can find a local program online through the Washington State Medicine Disposal Program. You can also find more resources about how to communicate about this topic in your community from It Starts with One.
We hope you will join us in recognizing this important day. If you are holding any special events as part of your recognition, we would love to hear about it so we can share it with your colleagues from across the state. Please send your information to WSHA Assistant Director of Behavioral Health Brittany Weiner at brittanyw@wsha.org.
Sincerely,
Tina Seery
WSHA Senior Director, Safety & Quality
tinas@wsha.org