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MEDIA ADVISORY: Press Conference - Introduction of the Community Opioid Prevention Education (COPE) Trailer

For Immediate Release: Thursday, February 6, 2020

WHAT:

Press Conference to introduce the Community Opioid Prevention Education (COPE) Trailer.

WHEN:

Monday, February 10, 2020 at 1:00 pm

WHERE:

In front of the Executive Office Building located at 101 Monroe Street, Rockville, MD 20850

SPEAKERS:

Montgomery County Chief of Police Marcus Jones

Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich

Montgomery County Council President Sidney Katz

Associate Superintendent Ruschelle Reuben (MCPS)

Director Raymond Crowel (MC-DHHS)

BACKGROUND:

The COPE Trailer will be a part of the Montgomery County Police Department's Community Engagement Division.  COPE is a partnership with the Opioid Intervention Team (OIT).  That team consists of participants from the Montgomery County Department of Police (MCPD), the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office (MCSO), Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Services (MCFRS), Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS), and the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).    The trailer was purchased through a grant with MCPS with additional funding by the Montgomery County Police Foundation.

The inside of the trailer is built to resemble a bedroom and bathroom that you would see in any home in Montgomery County. Throughout the trailer are items displayed that will be considered minor (yellow) and major (red) indicators that the person living in the bedroom has a problem with opioids or other controlled dangerous substances.  As participants tour the trailer, a guide will point out these items and explain what they are, how they are used, and why they are concerning.  We will also have (fake) examples of different types of controlled dangerous substances like heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, and marijuana.  At the conclusion of the tour, participants can ask questions.  They will also see brochures of all the programs that the County has to offer for addiction and other drug-related illnesses.

This trailer assists a loved one (parent, spouse, friend or other family member) with the ability to identify “red flags", "signals”: articles inside a bedroom or bathroom that might be indicators that there is an opioid problem.  The idea is to identify these things before it is too late.  We want to stop the overdose before it happens.

The trailer will begin its tour of the County in February 2020.

Questions?  Contact the Public Information Division at 240-773-5030 #4

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Release ID: 20-067
Media Contact: mcpnews 
Categories: media-advisory