Springfield

AIDS Project of the Ozarks (APO), Better Life in Recovery, Missouri State University School of Social Work, and the Southwest Missouri Drug Poisoning Coalition will be hosting a Springfield-based Harm Reduction Summit at the Darr Agricultural Center in Springfield, MO on August 31, 2023 in honor and recognition of International Overdose Awareness Day. The event is being provided for free. Following the summit will be an event held on the downtown square in Springfield, MO to assist people in the community to access resources and to honor and remember those we have lost to overdoses in the last year.

The keynote speaker for the event is Roz Pichardo. Roz Pichardo works for Ceasefire PA, in the Kensington area of Philadelphia, PA. Roz is the focus of the documentary Hello, Sunshine and is a featured person in the documentary Tipping the Pain Scale. The summit will feature a showing of the film Tipping the Pain Scale followed by Roz Pichardo talking about her life, experiences, the film, and a Q&A. Later in the day, the event will feature multiple people involved in harm reduction and recovery in Springfield, MO talking about resources and facts concerning the opioid epidemic – with a local focus on the Springfield and Missouri community. The event will feature speakers from multiple disciplines, backgrounds, and experiences who are working on the ground to implement harm reduction in Springfield. Disciplines included cover a wide swath of current harm reduction and recovery aspects: Law Enforcement, Epidemiology, the Faith Community, Risk Reduction, Recovery Housing, Medication Assisted Treatment, Behavioral Health, and more. We will also be hosting a naloxone/NARCAN training during the event.

There will be a break for lunch midway through the day. Food will not be provided at the summit.

We are offering the ability to table at the summit. This event will give you and your organization the chance to directly interact with people who have identified an interest in harm reduction and may have need of your services. Tables are $250 for non-profit organizations and $400 for for-profit organizations. Any proceeds from the event will go to directly benefit the work of the Southwest Missouri Drug Poisoning Coalition which is a Springfield-based organization connecting organizations and people working in the harm reduction and drug use field to work together to implement education, recovery, and direct on-the-ground work for people who use drugs. Please contact Sierra Freeman at sierra.freeman@apo-ozarks.org if you are interested in having a booth at the summit.

Following the summit, we will be hosting an event at the downtown Springfield square with live music, food, and resource tables. This event is free to the public.

Missouri Credentialing Board CEU’s available. Social Work CEU’s pending accreditation.

Please share to any of your contacts who may be interested in attending this event.

If you would like to attend the summit, please sign up at: https://forms.gle/UFdhFq39veamLB6g8
If you have any questions please contact Sierra Freeman at sierra.freeman@apo-ozarks.org or 417-881-1900