YOUTH ATHLETIC CONFERENCE TO ADDRESS HOW THE
OPIOID EPIDEMIC IS AFFECTING STUDENTS ATHLETES
Gloucester County, NJ - On Friday, February 23, from 9:00am to 1:00pm Gloucester Regional Addictive Substance Prevention (GRASP) Coalition will be hosting at Rowan College of Gloucester County a youth athletic conference entitled “POINTS PENALTIES PILLS” aimed at addressing the opioid epidemic and the effects on student athletes.
GRASP is encouraging all Athletic Directors, Athletic Trainers, School Personnel, Parents/Guardians in Gloucester County to attend this event. The day will consist of expert practitioners, solutions oriented workshops, and an engaging panel discussion. This is a free event that only requires prior registration to attend. For those who request it, CEU hours will be given.
The inception of the conference came from the GRASP prescription/heroin committee as they worked together to bring solutions to prevent prescription drug abuse and collaborated with The New Jersey Department of Education (DOE) and New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Ave Altersitz, Executive County Superintendent of Gloucester County, became involved as a part of the DOE’s commitment to the students in Gloucester County: “Too many young athletes are losing their lives to addiction. It's important that parents and school employees are educated about the overprescribing of opioids and the signs of addiction. Our children's lives depend on this knowledge.”
The conference is one of the many ways the GRASP coalition works to help educate and spread awareness consistent with the coalition’s mission of preventing the abuse of addictive substances through strategic community partnerships. Our stakeholders come together once a month and participate in various subcommittees that representing our three areas of focus: 1) alcohol abuse/underage drinking, 2) marijuana and tobacco, 3) prescription drugs and heroin.
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