Aspen CO (8/7/24) - Pitkin County Public Health, with support from the City of Aspen, is excited to announce Community Compass, a new, online navigation tool available to the public that was created as part of the Region 5 Opioid Abatement Council’s 2022-2024 initiatives. Region 5 is composed of Eagle, Garfield, Lake, Pitkin and Summit counties.
The Community Compass website is a hub of information about each local organization offering services related to harm reduction or that has a connection to substance use treatment. Long term goals for the Region 5 Opioid council include: reducing barriers to seeking treatment related to substance use disorder and fostering conversations to better understand the needs of our community members. Harm reduction refers to reducing harm from drug and alcohol use, whether that's through using less, not using, or employing other strategies that reduce harm or potential harm.
The creation and future management of this information hub have been made possible through state funding, managed by the Colorado Opioid Abatement Council (COAC). The COAC provides oversight of the Opioid Settlement Funds and works with the 19 Regional Opioid Abatement Councils to distribute those funds for substance use disorder treatment, recovery, harm reduction, law enforcement and prevention/education programs. Colorado is expected to receive $787 million in opioid settlement funds over the next 17 years.
In the coming months, Pitkin County Public Health’s goals are to promote local resources, to educate our community on harm reduction practices and resources and in turn, to break down stigma in seeking help for substance use issues while normalizing the use of harm reduction practices. Local promotion will include harm reduction and Narcan education, showcasing local resources from High Rockies Harm Reduction available every second Thursday of the month at the Health and Human Services building from noon-2 p.m. and at the Buttermilk parking lot from 4-6 p.m. Additionally, the campaign will feature personal stories, behavioral health resources, and practical examples of reducing stigma, including the use of person-first language.
To learn more about Colorado’s Opioid Settlement Funds Framework, click here.
To learn more about Community Compass and substance use disorder resources, click here.
To see a schedule of services provided by High Rockies Harm Reduction, click here.
Media Contact:
Katie Stetson, Health Promotion Coordinator
katherine.stetson@pitkincounty.com