October is National Substance Abuse Prevention Awareness Month. To help bring attention to this issue, the Mobile County Health Department’s Overdose Data to Action (OD2A) program is making available a booklet titled “These Is Hope.”

“The resource booklet is a collaborative effort by the OD2A team,” said John Richardson, an Alcohol and Drug Counselor at MCHD as well as a Peer Recovery Specialist. “We will place the booklets in the community as an easy-to-use reference book for Individuals seeking help from active addiction, or individuals in early recovery where the transition back into society may seem a daunting task sometimes finding themselves in need of shelter, employment and sometimes food.”

The booklet has sections featuring:
• Treatment resources,
• Help hotline phone numbers,
• Advice on harm reduction,
• Signs to recognize an overdose,
• And understanding the medication Naloxone.

“This booklet is of immense importance,” Richardson said. “The booklet is part of the work plan of the OD2A block grant. It highlights health agencies, as well as recovery organizations, where members in early recovery can find a safe place as the transition back into society can be a slow process.”

Richardson can be seen discussing the OD2A program today at 1 p.m. on the latest edition of Wellness Wednesday at https://youtu.be/TWrVM3UZe_w

For more information on the OD2A program, please call 251-410-OD2A (6322).