Pittsburgh officials offer resources, support on International Overdose Awareness Day

Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey said he’s met a lot of powerful people.

“I’ve met governors, senators and presidents. But the strongest person I’ve ever met is someone who came through addiction,” Gainey said.

The mayor joined dozens of local organizations, officials and residents Thursday at a resource fair on the City-County Building’s portico to recognize International Overdose Awareness Day.

“If you came through addiction, there is nothing you cannot do. Nothing,” Gainey said during the event.

Local organizations set up tables where people could be connected to resources and additional information on overdoses and substance use disorders.

Gainey urged those in attendance to reach out to the city’s youth to spread awareness about overdoses and other risks associated with drugs.

He also called for more funding for recovery and education programs, rather than incarceration.

“We need to continue to work on the recovery of humanity, because everybody is somebody,” Gainey said. “Everybody is special.”

The city’s Office of Community Health and Safety has distributed over 400 fentanyl strips, while also providing first responders with more than 200 Narcan holsters, said Camila Alarcon-Chelecki, the office’s acting manager.

This summer, OCHS launched a trauma support program to support people who have lost loved ones to overdose, suicide or violence, Alarcon-Chelecki said.

“Too many families have been impacted,” she said. “We remain committed to working with those who have no voice in our communities.”

This comes as Allegheny County saw fewer overdose deaths last year than the year prior. According to the county’s online dashboard, overdoses killed 689 people in 2022, down from 719 in 2021.