AAUW and the Mental Health Association Partner to Discuss Heroin Epidemic

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Kia Briggs, executive director of the Mental Health Association, will serve as the keynote speaker for a program regarding the heroin epidemic.

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AAUW

The American Association of University Women (AAUW) in partnership with the Mental Health Association in Chautauqua County are sponsoring a panel discussion to address the local heroin epidemic on Thursday January 19th from 6:30-8:00 p.m. in the Community Room at the Prendergast library located at 509 Cherry St. in Jamestown. The program will focus specifically on the epidemic’s impact of women, how women can lead positive change, and action steps that can be taken in the community to address the epidemic.

Kia Briggs, executive director of the Mental Health Association, will serve as the keynote speaker for a program regarding the heroin epidemic.

The keynote speaker of the event is Kia Briggs, Executive Director of the Mental Health Association. She will be joined by a panel of local women, both community members and professionals, who will offer a variety of views and knowledge regarding the issues locally. The panel includes: Dr. Lillian Ney, Julie Apperson, Leanna Luka-Conley, Lori Keller and Heather Brown.

The event will also include scenes from the local play, Least Resistance, performed by the Winged Ox Players an outreach theater group of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church. The play itself brings the audience face to face with the stories and struggles of neighbors, friends, and family dealing with the heroin epidemic. Each scene is either influenced by a conversation with someone affected by addiction in Chautauqua County, or written by the individuals themselves. For more information regarding this play, please contact Richard Olson-Walter at 716.579.8156.

This event is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will also be served. For more information please contact Janet Forbes at jlforbes@hotmail.com or 716.490.2616.

AAUW advances equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy and research. To find out more about AAUW, go to www.aauw.org or http://jamestown-ny.aauw.net. Any person with a two year degree or higher is welcome to join AAUW.