County to hold two countywide forums on heroin epidemic

CENTRAL VALLEY — Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler is sponsoring two countywide forums on the heroin epidemic that is currently gripping this area and the rest of the country.
The events, entitled "The Opioid Crisis: A Public Forum on Education, Treatment and Law Enforcement," will center on Hoovler’s Connect 2 Disconnect opiate-awareness campaign.
The forums will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 3, at 6:30 p.m., in the Monroe-Woodbury High School Auditorium and Thursday, Oct. 19, at 6:30 p.m., in the Minisink Valley High School Auditorium.
The events will bring together law enforcement, county government, drug-abuse educators, treatment providers and the segment of the judiciary that deals with drug issues.
Information will be provided to parents, to children and to educators and other professionals about the scope of the heroin epidemic in the area, the dangers of heroin use, the signs that a loved one might be addicted to heroin, the strategies for dealing with heroin addiction, treatment alternatives and the legal implications of possessing heroin.
The presentations are open to everyone, at either location, and all are encouraged to attend.