by Elizabeth Brewington, Overdose Crisis Response Program Coordinator
According to the CDC, in 2020 over 93,300 people died due to an overdose. The Overdose Crisis: The Faith Community Responds works for a more compassionate response to the growing overdose epidemic, and by extension, other forms of substance use. The program was created based on feedback we received from faith communities about an increase in overdoses and struggles of substance use. The adult Sunday School Guide called “Go Unbind Him” has six chapters covering “What are opioids?,” harm reduction, and how to connect harm reduction to our faith. In addition to the chapters, there is an appendix of resources including: “How to reverse an overdose,” prayer/worship resources, and recommended reading. Designed for small group conversations, we hope that this guide will be a starting point for more in-depth discussions about substance use and how faith communities can get involved.