Public forum on heroin and opioid addiction

State Rep. Dom Costa, D-Allegheny, will host a public forum on heroin and opioid addiction with area law enforcement, health care professionals, and drug and addiction specialists from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, July 27 to discuss ways to work together to combat the epidemic.

The forum will take place in the Sharpsburg Borough Building, 1611 Main St., Sharpsburg, 15215.

Confirmed featured speakers include:

• Pennsylvania Drug and Alcohol Programs Secretary Gary Tennis

• Latika D. Davis-Jones, Allegheny County Department of Human Services

• Allegheny Health Network Center for Inclusion Health Director Stuart Fisk

• Alice Bell, overdose prevention project coordinator, Prevention Point Pittsburgh.

Allegheny County Sheriff Bill Mullen will discuss PROJECT D.U.M.P., an initiative that he started to help residents safely eliminate unused and expired narcotic medications.

Magisterial District Judge Elissa M. Lang, local municipal law enforcement officers and emergency medical specialists also will attend to answer questions on a local level.

A sworn Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office evidence technician also will be available at this event to take any medications that you no longer need and dispose of them. All seized medications are legally disposed of through evidence destruction orders.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heroin and opioid overdoses are the leading causes of accidental deaths, killing more Pennsylvanians than those involved in deadly crashes. This epidemic crosses all social, geographic and political lines.

A recent study by the Pennsylvania State Coroners Association reports that seven Pennsylvanians die every day due to a heroin or prescription opioid overdose.

There will be a question-and-answer session with the public after the presentations. Those with questions can contact Anita Boehm in Costa’s office at 412-361-2040.