Citing a rise in alcohol and substance use during the COVID-19 pandemic, King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn announced Tuesday that he will host a virtual conference next week for those who struggle with substance abuse or who know someone who does.
Dunn said in a press release that the Zoom conference will have been a success even if it helps just one person find the tools they need to continue their recovery. The conference is intended to become an annual event.
“As a recovering alcoholic with years of sobriety under my belt, I know how challenging navigating the pandemic has been for those who suffer from substance use disorder,” Dunn said, according to the release.
Risk factors for relapse include isolation, stress, depression and boredom, conditions that may all seem familiar to a nation slogging its way through Year 2 of COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions.
The conference will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesday, April 14. It will cover resources for those recovering from substance abuse, as well as educating attendees on the science of addiction.
The conference will feature speakers from, but not limited to, the Department of Community and Human Services, Public Health, and the University of Washington.
Those interested can sign up at https://kingcounty.gov/
