Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Health topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
City proclaims Aug. 31 Overdose Awareness Day; health officials urge harm‑reduction
Summary
The Eau Claire City Council proclaimed Aug. 31, 2025 as Overdose Awareness Day and heard public‑health staff describe local overdose trends and harm‑reduction tools including Narcan availability and community workshops.
The Eau Claire City Council on Aug. 26 proclaimed Aug. 31, 2025 as Overdose Awareness Day and recognized local efforts to prevent drug‑related deaths.
Council President Emily Bergey read the proclamation noting that “Eau Claire County has lost 125 community members to a fatal drug overdose between 2018 and 2024,” and that 87 of those deaths were related to opioids. Sarah Dilivan Pospicell of the Eau Claire City County Health Department, who spoke with department colleague Peggy O’Halloran, said the county is focusing on prevention and harm reduction and urged residents to learn about local resources. “Overdose deaths are preventable,” she said, citing tools such as Narcan and fentanyl test strips and announcing a public workshop and a flag display to mark lives lost.
Health staff highlighted local harm‑reduction steps already in place: medication disposal resources, community education through the Eau Claire Health Alliance, and a self‑serve Narcan vending machine located in the Eau Claire County Jail lobby. They encouraged residents to attend a What Do You Know About Opioids workshop at the public library on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. and to review the county’s opioid and overdose data dashboard for more information.
The proclamation and remarks were presented as awareness and prevention measures; no formal action beyond the proclamation was required of council.
