On Wednesday, October 11, Assemblywoman Mary Beth Walsh hosted a community panel and conversation surrounding the important and pervasive issue of heroin and opioid addiction. The forum, which took place at the Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High School as part of the district’s Parent University program, brought together several local stakeholders who have had firsthand experience with this problem for an honest and heartfelt discussion about substance abuse and what we as a community need to do to combat this widespread concern.

The free event featured several expert panelists, including Saratoga County Director of Community Services Dr. Michael Prezioso, Saratoga County Sheriff Michael Zurlo and Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the DEA David T. Zon, along with local treatment and addiction specialists and Marytheresa Galante, a local mother who tragically lost her son to an opioid overdose last December. Each offered their differing insights on the heroin and opioid epidemic, providing attendees with an educational opportunity to learn about the risks these drugs pose to our community, the signs of addiction and the available resources to help overcome abuse.

“Not only did Wednesday’s Heroin and Opioid Abuse Forum offer attendees the opportunity to ask questions and discuss this issue with an extremely knowledgeable panel of experts, but even more importantly, it fostered an extremely productive dialogue surrounding a problem that can be very difficult for many to talk about,” said Walsh. “Heroin and opioid addiction is a terrifying reality that affects our children, loved ones, neighbors and classmates indiscriminately, and it will truly take a team effort to reverse these trends, raise awareness and protect our community. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all of our local partners who made this week’s event so successful, and to urge those who attended to build on this momentum and encourage their friends and loved ones to join this important and worthwhile conversation.”