Fentanyl is in our Neighborhoods & Schools: What you Need to Know and Do
A Town Hall Hosted by Supervisor Pat Herrity and School Board Representative Laura Jane Cohen, March 28, 2023

Heartbreaking stories of drug overdose, particularly of students, are increasingly prevalent throughout the country, Virginia, and here in Fairfax County. Back in 2016, I hosted an opioid town hall to raise awareness of the dangers of heroin and prescription drug abuse, discuss the steps being taken to address the crisis, and the practical steps that can be taken to reduce the growing epidemic by our citizens and their families. The County has a robust array of services and programs addressing this public health crisis.

Today, we are seeing a disturbing rise in the circulation of fentanyl, a very powerful, often fatal opioid. Fentanyl-laced drugs are being circulated in our community and most concerningly, in our schools. Even though many lives in our county have been saved through the administration of naloxone (also known as Narcan), our overdose data shows that more must be done in order to protect our community.

The town hall I hosted in March 2023 included a panel of County and FCPS experts who shared information about drugs and fentanyl in our schools as well as resources for help with addiction. The panel included experts from the Fairfax County Opioid and Substance Use (OSU) Task Force, Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD), Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board (CSB), and Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS). During the panel presentation, town hall participants were trained on how to administer naloxone, a life-saving opioid reversal drug. At the end of the town hall, all in-person attendees had the opportunity to ask questions and received a usable dose of naloxone. The town hall also delivered a message of hope about the road to recovery for those dealing with addiction.

If you would like to view the town hall, you can watch a recording here.
To view the slides from the presentations, visit this link.

In addition, the following were resources shared at the Town Hall:

Agenda
Emoji Decoded (from dea.gov)
Youth Substance Use Treatment Resources
What Every Parent and Caregiver Needs to Know About Fake Pills (from dea.gov)