Legislators plan heroin forum in Downers Grove

In response to increasing heroin use among teens and young adults in DuPage County, two area legislators say they will team with Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital to bring community service providers and policymakers together to educate parents and families about how to prevent and respond to the public health threat.

The DuPage County Heroin Forum, sponsored by state representatives Patti Bellock of Hinsdale and Sandy Pihos of Glen Ellyn, will feature a panel including officials from the Robert Crown Center for Health Education, DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin and DuPage County Coroner Richard Jorgensen. The panelists will discuss the local heroin crisis including prevention education, treatment resources, law enforcement response and analysis of the trends associated with deaths resulting from a heroin overdose.

The forum is scheduled for 7 p.m. Nov. 18 at Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital, 3815 S. Highland Ave., Downers Grove. The event is free and open to the public.

For details, call Bellock's office at (630) 852-8633 or Pihos' office at (630) 858-8855.