Local professionals came together at the Boys and Girls Club for their 39th Annual Spring Training of the Greater Fall River Child Protection Council (CPC) on June 1, 2016. The event, titled "The Ripple Effect" focused on the ever-widening impact of opioid overdose deaths throughout the community. The event was moderated by City Substance Abuse Prevention Grants Coordinator Michael Aguiar, with opening remarks by Fall River Mayor Jasiel Correia II. Panelists, including SSTAR Prevention Services Director Laura Washington, Southcoast Health Behavioral Health Outreach Coordinator Rachel Davis, Seven Hills Behavioral Health Community Health Services Director Connie Rocha-Mimosa, and Saint Anne's Hospital Addictions Nurse Specialist Stephanie Perry presented on the issue from each of their perspectives. Formed in 1976 as a project of the Clinical Social Work Department of Saint Anne's Hospital, the Child Protection Council deals with issues and problems related to the network of children's protection care. The Council meets on the first Wednesday of each month at the Boys and Girls Club, 803 Bedford Street, Fall River, from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Click here for a one-hour video of the panel presentation and here for a 45-minute video of the question and answer session that followed.. Click here for photos of a previous CPC meeting.. For further information about the Council, contact chairpersons Joseph DaSilva at 508-675-3500

(Top row) Child Protection Council Co-Chair Patricia Roberts and Treasurer Megan Tavares sign people in before Mayor Jasiel Correia II arrives to greet panelists Seven Hills Behavioral Health Community Health Services Director Connie Rocha-Mimosa, SSTAR Prevention Services Director Laura Washington, and Saint Anne's Hospital Addictions Nurse Specialist Stephanie Perry. (Row two) CPC President Joseph DaSilva welcomesMayor Correia and City Substance Abuse Prevention Grants Coordinator Michael Aguiar, who moderated the panel presentations. (Row three) Laura Washington leads off the presentations by describing the problem of opioid abuse from her perspective. (Row four) Southcoast Health Behavioral Health Outreach Coordinator Rachel Davis talks about her role as well as her personal experiences with the crisis. (Row five) Seven Hills Behavioral Health Community Health Services Director Connie Rocha-Mimosa describes her street work with addicts. (Row six) Saint Anne's Hospital Addictions Nurse Specialist Stephanie Perry talks about her understanding of addictions and treatment. (Bottom row) Mr. Aguiar moderates questions from the audience in the second half of the two-hour session.