In partnership with Mesa County Opioid Response Group (MCORG) Intermountain St. Mary’s Regional Hospital honored Overdose Awareness Day

(PRUnderground) August 28th, 2024

In a continuing tradition, Intermountain St. Mary’s Regional Hospital joined with Mesa County Opioid Response Group (MCORG) to commemorate International Overdose Awareness Day build a memorial flag display at Lincoln Park in Grand Junction, Colorado.

Raising awareness of one of the world’s most urgent public health crises and reducing the stigma of a drug-related death is the goal of the annual global recognition day.

Community members are encouraged to visit the 1,865 flags displayed at Lincoln Park in remembrance of the Colorado lives lost to drug overdose in 2023. Among the purple flags, 43 white flags will be specifically dedicated to those who have died in Mesa County (a 26% increase from 2022).

Representatives from various community organizations which are part of MCORG will be onsite to provide information and resources to help individuals and families who might be affected by drug dependence.

While nationally the number of overdose deaths decreased by 3% in 2023 from 111,1029 to 107,543 –Colorado overdose deaths increased by 5% in 2023, with 72% of all overdoses being influenced by an opioid (59% were influenced by illegally manufactured fentanyl).

“Overdose numbers continue to fluctuate from year to year and remain one of the leading causes of death in our country, particularly for our younger generations. Locally, fentanyl continues to be a concern, particularly given how quickly it can cause an overdose or accidental poisoning. We need to continue to protect against this through education and naloxone or Narcan distribution,” said Ryan Jackman, MD, medical director, St. Mary’s Integrated Addiction Medicine Clinic.

“Methamphetamine continues to be the primary illicit substance being used, and the major cause of overdose in our community, contributing to 62% of Mesa County’s overdose deaths in 2023. We need to continue to discuss how we will address this as a community,” he added.

Since its opening in 2019, St. Mary’s Integrated Addiction Medicine has been working to increase treatment for substance use disorders. The clinic provides individuals with outpatient treatment options for substance use disorders, including medication for substance use disorders, naloxone, management of co-occurring mental health conditions, along with individual and group therapy.

The St. Mary’s Integrated Addiction Medicine clinic partners with the Colorado Health Network and Colorado Health Institute to improve the community’s access to opioid use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery. The clinic also works closely with regional partners across the Western Slope including MCORG, the Women’s Recovery Center, the Mesa County Department of Human Services, and the divisions of probation and parole to ensure individuals receive coordinated care and services.

For those seeking help with substance use, St. Mary’s Integrated Addiction Medicine can be reached at 970-298-3801, or by visiting the St. Mary’s Regional Hospital Integrated Addiction Medicine webpage at intermountainhealth.org. People can also call the  National Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

About Intermountain Health

Headquartered in Utah with locations in six states and additional operations across the western U.S., Intermountain Health is a nonprofit system of 33 hospitals, 385 clinics, medical groups with some 4,600 employed physicians and advanced care providers, a health plans division called Select Health with more than one million members, and other health services. Helping people live the healthiest lives possible, Intermountain is committed to improving community health and is widely recognized as a leader in transforming healthcare by using evidence-based best practices to consistently deliver high-quality outcomes at sustainable costs. For more information or updates, see https://intermountainhealthcare.org/news.

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Original Press Release.