Facing Down Fentanyl Town Hall
On Wednesday, March 27th, COAST Ventura County hosted the second Facing Down Fentanyl Town Hall at Pacifica High School in Oxnard.
Our moderator for the evening, Gabe Teran, MS, of Next Gen Community Consulting, led a Q&A discussion with a robust group of panelists that covered numerous disciplines and included Ray Gonzales in education, Dawn Anderson, RN in healthcare, Jaime Villa for first responders, Ruben Ortiz for treatment, and James Ramos for lived experience.
The centerpiece of the 90-minute town hall was the question-and-answer period that had attendees asking questions around the availability of naloxone, what’s being taught in our schools and the prevalence of fentanyl in our community.
There were subject matter experts available to answer questions in addition to the panelists, represented by Law Enforcement, the Medical Examiner, the District Attorney and leadership of the county Behavioral Health Department.
The conversation provided information about talking to your children about drugs, resources available to the community, and how to receive help if you or a loved one is experiencing substance use disorder. Additionally, three local mothers shared their stories of loss in an impactful and motivating video. There were resource tables at the event so that attendees could get one-on-one information from experts in their fields.
COAST Ventura County, the alliance of county partner agencies, remains committed in this effort to keep county residents informed and safe from the dangers of fentanyl.