August 31st, 2020 – Today, August 31st marks the 20th anniversary of International Overdose Awareness Day. Tomorrow, September 1st marks the Town of Islip's second annual Islip Goes Purple event, signaling the start of September is Recovery Awareness month.
The Coronavirus and opioid crises have converged, and overdose fatalities that have fallen in recent years seem headed back to all-time highs. According to the CDC, annual overdose deaths jumped 5% in 2019-to 72,000. Real time data collected by the Washington D.C.-based Overdose Detection Mapping Application Program found that overdoses jumped roughly 18% following the state-mandated stay-at-home order in mid-March-with more than 61% of participating counties nationwide-including Nassau and Suffolk reporting increases.
Suffolk County’s preliminary data released in May suggest a 40% increase in fatal overdoses over the 89 deaths reported during the same period in 2019. Early local reporting indicates that Suffolk County, particularly Islip and Brookhaven Towns are significantly impacted.
September is Recovery Awareness Month... the color of recovery is purple. Islip Goes Purple is about supporting those who are struggling with addiction—personally as individuals, as a family or those who have lost a loved one. It is about showing love, compassion and support. It is also about knowing that recovery is possible.
The Town will premiere its first in a series of videos during September Recovery Awareness tonight, August 31 at 6 pm on our YouTube Channel.
Please visit our website, and our Government Access Channels Verizon 1982 and Altice Channel 18 throughout September, for valuable television programming during September, Recovery Awareness Month.
