Lancaster County Joining Forces to Host Community Event

Lancaster County Joining Forces will host a quarterly community forum at 7:30 a.m. Friday, Nov. 3 at the Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences in Lancaster.

The event is open to businesses, faith-based and community organizations, schools, and concerned citizens and will focus on the coordination of efforts in Lancaster County to address the opioid crisis.

"The County Commissioners made Joining Forces an official effort because of a consensus it would be beneficial that everyone is moving in the same direction on the opioid crisis throughout Lancaster County,” said Josh Parsons, Lancaster County Commissioner.  “Our group has had a great start and is building momentum by coordinating proven best practices across the spectrum - prevention, treatment, enforcement - and making a real difference."

Presenters will share organizational efforts and updates on the Joining Forces five goals: 

• Strengthen community and individual efforts by increasing access to treatment, implementing prescribing guidelines and offering substance abuse prevention programs
• Saturate the community with unified messaging regarding the proper use, storage and disposal of prescription drugs, as well as where to get help for substance misuse and abuse and mental health
• Improve patient safety by equipping health-care providers with the data and tools needed to improve prescribing methods and increase the use of alternative therapies
• Improve data collection methods and public reporting to measure efforts
• Launch a comprehensive county-wide resources website addressing aspects of addiction

“Too many families in Lancaster County know the devastation caused by this crisis,” said Alice Yoder, Director of Community Health at Lancaster General Health/Penn Medicine. “Ultimately, this is about saving lives and families. It will take organizations and communities across the county to work together in a collaborative, coordinated approach to achieve that.”

Members of the media are invited to attend.

Event details:

What: Joining Forces Quarterly Community Forum

Who: Concerned citizens, businesses, faith-based and community organizations, schools

When:  Friday, Nov. 3, 2017 from 7:30 - 10 a.m.

Where:  Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences, Stoudt Building Multi-Purpose Room, 850 Greenfield Rd., Lancaster, PA
                                              
Attendees: please RSVP by Oct. 25 to Susan Strickler Trace at strace@lghealth.org.