Healthy Acadia screens “The Hungry Heart”

5/17/2016    
5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Blue Hill Town Hall Theatre
18 Union St., Blue Hill, Maine, 04614

Healthy Acadia’s Drug Free Communities Initiative and a wide variety of community partners in the towns of Blue Hill and Bucksport are excited to invite community members to participate in free showings of the award-winning documentary, “The Hungry Heart,” which focuses on the hidden world of prescription drug addiction, and the successes and challenges of recovery.

Two events have been scheduled in May:
Tuesday, May 17 from 5:00-8:00 pm at the Blue Hill Town Hall,
and Friday, May 20 from 5:30-8:30 pm at the Bucksport Middle School.

Hungry Heart 2016Additional dates and venues are planned for the summer and fall. Light refreshments and networking will begin each event and the film will follow immediately. After the film, a facilitated community discussion will provide participants with the opportunity to ask questions, discuss topics of interest, share their views, and hear about resources available in our local communities with a panel of area professionals and community members.

In 2012, Maine topped the nation in the prescription of long-acting or extended-release opioid pain relievers, which are more prone to misuse and addiction than other painkillers, according to a report released last July from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This event is dedicated to increasing public awareness of substance use disorders and mental health issues, and supporting prevention of opioid & prescription drug misuse and addiction. The theme highlights the important role that individuals, communities and families have in helping people lead healthy, productive and substance-free lives.

The scheduled showings take place during National Prevention Week (May 15-21, 2016), an annual health observance dedicated to increasing public awareness of, and action around, substance use disorders and mental health issues. National Prevention Week is held each year during the third week of May, to allow schools to take part in a prevention-themed event before the summer break. Summer is a season filled with celebrations and recreational activities where substance use is prevalent, such as graduation parties, proms, weddings, sporting events, and outdoor activities. Through this event and others, Healthy Acadia aims to involve communities in raising awareness about the challenges of substance use disorders, promoting healthy choices, and implementing prevention strategies.

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