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Centre County proclaims Overdose Awareness Day, National Recovery Month and Suicide Prevention Month
Summary
The Centre County Board of Commissioners adopted proclamations recognizing Aug. 31 as International Overdose Awareness Day and September as National Recovery Month, and separately proclaimed September 2025 as Suicide Awareness and Prevention Month and Sept. 10 as Suicide Awareness and Prevention Day.
The Centre County Board of Commissioners adopted proclamations on Aug. 26 recognizing Aug. 31 as International Overdose Awareness Day and September as National Recovery Month, and separately proclaiming September 2025 as Suicide Awareness and Prevention Month and Sept. 10 as Suicide Awareness and Prevention Day.
The motions passed by voice vote after remarks from county recovery and suicide-prevention advocates. Carrie (last name not specified), representing the county HOPE initiative, described the county's candlelight remembrance ceremony scheduled for the evening of Aug. 27 at Talleyrand Park, and urged family members, friends and community members to attend. She described continuing stigma around addiction and cited county and state data, saying that, since 2013, “in Pennsylvania alone over 50,000 individuals have lost their lives as a result of a drug overdose death, 181 of those here in Centre County.”
Marissa (last name not specified) of Jana Marie Foundation spoke for the suicide-prevention proclamation. She described upcoming events tied to Suicide Prevention Month, including a Sept. 2 courthouse rally at noon and a World Suicide Prevention Day program on Sept. 10 at the Boalsburg Fire Hall beginning with a 5:30 p.m. community dinner and a 6:30 p.m. program. She listed trainings the foundation offers year-round, including QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer), counseling on access to lethal means, and Mental Health First Aid.
Commissioners and other speakers praised local partners and county programs, including the county’s MAT (medication-assisted treatment) program in the correctional facility, the HOPE initiative, and local Narcan distribution efforts. Commissioners noted that county staff and community partners contribute to the programs and encouraged residents to access training and services.
The board voted to adopt proclamation 39 (Overdose Awareness Day and National Recovery Month) and proclamation 40 (Suicide Awareness and Prevention Month and Sept. 10 as Suicide Awareness and Prevention Day). Votes were taken by voice and recorded as carried.
