Mercy Behavioral Health Care to Present Opioid Discussion Jan. 12

SPRINGFIELD — On Thursday, Jan. 12, Mercy Behavioral Health Care will present a discussion of the issues surrounding the growing opioid problem and what can be done to reverse the trend.

Chris Herren, a former Boston Celtics player and recovering addict, will discuss his journey from addiction to sobriety. Massachusetts Secretary of Health and Human Services Marylou Sudders will speak about the state’s efforts to address the opioid crisis. Dr. Robert Roose, chief medical officer and vice president of Addiction and Recovery Services for Mercy Behavioral Health Care, will provide information about the impact of the opioid problem in Western Mass. and explain how Mercy Behavioral Health Care plans to combat this disease. The event will take place at CityStage in Springfield from 6 to 8 p.m. Doors open at 5 p.m.

Herren has refocused his life to put his sobriety and family above all else; he attends meetings daily to support his substance-free lifestyle and often speaks before groups trying to overcome addiction to share his experiences and road to sobriety. Professionally trained as a social worker, Sudders leads the largest executive agency in state government, a $21 billion state budget with 22,000 public servants, and oversees critical services that touch one in four residents of the Commonwealth. Board-certified in both family medicine and addiction medicine, Roose’s expertise on addiction treatment is highly sought after, primarily in the area of medication-assisted treatment for opioid-use disorder.

The lecture is free and open to the public, but reservations are required, as seats are limited. Register by calling (413) 748-9935 or visiting mercycares.com/waystogive.