Nonprofit Stories: The Opioid Round Tables

Beginning in 2019 and lasting through the pandemic, we joined Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz and Shatterproof Ambassador and CWC Board Member Dita Bhargava during their statewide Opioid Roundtable series. The series aimed to foster discussion about the opioid addiction crisis in Connecticut, bringing together makers, administration officials, service providers, activists, and community members as a show of support for concrete, decisive action.

As many of you recognize, the crisis has hit Connecticut hard in recent years, devastating communities and ending lives. In commemoration of this point, Ms. Bhargava said after one session, “Overdose rates in Connecticut have increased by 22% from 2019. Connecticut is on track to lose about 1,500 victims this year [2020]. The pandemic has amplified mental health illness. We urgently need all hands on deck to handle this deadly crisis.”

We are honored to be included in the planning and execution of the Opioid Roundtables, and even more thrilled to be able to include a stellar advocate like Dita Bhargava amongst our nonprofit board. As we journey into the next year and look towards solutions for the state and country as a whole, we at the Consortium are dedicated to continuing instep with statewide leadership, making the concerns of the first responders, clinicians, and families fighting this plague our top priority.

For those interested, you can review a 2020 Roundtable session here.