Inaugural Fentanyl Awareness and Education Day at PBSC spotlights opioid crisis

Last year, Florida lost more than 7,000 people to drug overdoses—most involving fentanyl. In Palm Beach County alone, 528 lives were cut short.

Confronting this devastating reality, more than 100 people gathered in person—joined by many more online—on Aug. 27 at Palm Beach State College’s Loxahatchee Groves campus to recognize Fentanyl Awareness and Education Day.

The day is now observed each year on Aug. 21, thanks to legislation championed by PBSC alumna and State Rep.  Anne Gerwig, who sponsored House Bill 259.

“One pill, one mistake and one moment of exposure can be fatal not only for its users but also for our first responders out on the front lines,” she said during the event which was held in collaboration with her office and PBSC's Dr. Floyd F. Koch Honors College.

The College organized the event to underscore the critical need for open discussion, proactive education, and community partnerships to save lives and offer hope as fentanyl continues to devastate families and communities. Another event recognizing the day will be held at the Lake Worth campus from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 25.

“Our responsibility doesn’t just stop at education,” added PBSC President Ava Parker, J.D. during the event. “Another part of our responsibility as a college is to be a beacon of information, light and service within our community.”

Experts share education and prevention tactics
The event featured presentations from experts, first responders, and advocates who stressed the importance of awareness, prevention and compassion in addressing the opioid crisis.

PBSC professor and alumna and Project Overdose team member Allison Jimenez gave a presentation on opioids and the different types, how to recognize an overdose, the mission of Project Overdose and more. Jimenez also demonstrated how to use Narcan, the life-saving medication that can reverse an opioid overdose.

She noted that Palm Beach County was known as the “pill mill” during the early 2000s due to doctors overprescribing medications even though their patients didn't need it for their pain.

She warned how quickly dependence can take hold.

“After three days you can develop a tolerance to opioids which is why many people ended up developing a substance abuse disorder.”

Jimenez also issued a stark warning about counterfeit pills that are often laced with fentanyl.

“This crisis isn’t just about addicts or traffickers. Too often fentanyl hides in counterfeit pills that look just like your prescription drugs taking the lives of people who never even knew they were at risk. You can now buy these counterfeit pills on apps or on college campuses. This is terrifying because you have no idea what you are buying.”

The broader impact and community response
Sam Bovard, community relations director at The Hanley Foundation, explained what addiction is, how it contributes significantly to the fentanyl crisis, and shared a six-year national leap in law enforcement pill seizures containing fentanyl, from 49,657 in 2017 to over 115 million in 2023.

Zaid Muvdi, EMS captain of Palm Beach County Fire Rescue, reported the department responds to 3,000 opioid-related calls per year—approximately eight calls every day—and highlighted their ongoing efforts to educate the public and distribute Narcan within the community.

Broad coalition joins the fight
Partner organizations in attendance included Palm Beach County Fire Rescue, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, Rebel Recovery, The Hanley Foundation, the Palm Beach County Behavioral Health Coalition, PBSC’s Psychology and Human Services Student Club, and Project Recovery.

Additional speakers included Kimberly Lancaster, executive dean of the Loxahatchee Groves campus; Elizabeth Dorow, regional outreach director of the Hanley Foundation; and Stephanie Huff, a PBSC student and former addict who bravely shared her recovery journey.

The event powerfully reinforced that opioids impact cannot be ignored—but with education, preparedness, and community support, lives can be saved. For more information on how you can save a life, visit www.projectoverdose.org.

To see photos from the event, view the Fentanyl Awareness Day with Anne Gerwig Flickr album.