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Mayor William Flanagan convened a day-long Drug Abuse Summit at the new Morton Middle School on Saturday, November 2nd, 2013, to bring attention to the problem of drug abuse in the City and to efforts to provide prevention, treatment and improved court procedures in drug-related cases. About one hundred officials, treatment providers, family members and members of the general public were on hand to hear remarks from Congressman Keating, District Attorney Sam Sutter, State Senator Michael Rodrigues, State Representatives Alan Silvia and Carole Fiola, City Councilors Linda Pereira and Joe Camara, School Committee Members, Gabe Andrade and Robert Maynard, Police Chief Dan Racine and Bristol County Sheriff Hodgson. They then listened to workshops on prevention by Tobacco Control Officer and Special Operations; treatment by representatives of SSTAR, Saint Anne's Hospital and Habit OPCO; and enforcement by member of the Fall River Police Department, the District Attorney's Office, Probation and the Sheriff's Office. The day concluded with a wrap-up session by Health and Human Services Director Henry Vaillancourt, MD. Click here for the Herald News article. Click here for a two-hour video of most of the Summit. For more information, contact Dr. Vaillancourt at 508-324-2401

(Top row, left) Fall River Youth Services Coordinator and Health and Human Services Director Dr. Henry Vaillancourt pick up conference materials from Neighborhood Coordinator Perry Long at the registration desk. (Top row, center) Fall River Police Chief Dan Racine, Mayor Flanagan, and City Councilor Joe Camara talk with Congressman Keating before the Summit begins. (Top row, right) Laurin Mancini, Shoshanna Raposa and Kimberly Monteiro pose for a photo in front of their display for Child and Family Services in the resources room. (Row two) Mayor Flanagan welcomes participants and then introduces Congressman Keating to speak on the problem of prescription drug abuse. (Row three) District Attorney Sam Sutter talks about the numbers of drug-related cases he prosecutes every year before Fall River Tobacco Control Officer Marilyn Edge and Fall River Police Lt. Brett Kimball talk about efforts to remove drug paraphernalia from City stores. (Row four) Laura Washington of SSTAR, Brittany Lynch of Saint Anne's Hospital, and Sara Duggan of Habit Opco describe the treatment resources in the City before Mary Powell and another participant pose questions from the audience. (Bottom row, left and center) The audience takes a break and then returns to view a display of drug paraphernalia confiscated by Fall River Police.(Bottom row, right) Partners Executive Director Dr. David Weed comments on the national leadership the City enjoys in working to prevent drug and other health-related problems.

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