Harford County to host 2025 Symposium on Addiction & Recovery Strength in Community: Building Resilience and Wellness Together Registration is now open to attend the 2025 Harford County Symposium on Addiction and Recovery. This all-day event will be held on September 12 from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. at Mountain Christian Church, 1802 Mountain Road in Joppa and will focus on elevating recovery and substance use service needs as well as promoting resilience and wellness in the community. The event will feature keynote speaker Ryan Hampton, a national addiction and recovery advocate and author, plus a variety of workshops including Relapse Prevention with Sheamus Moran of Harbor of Grace; Coordinating Treatment and Recovery, with Shawn Martin of the Harford County Local Addictions Authority; Drugs and the Elderly with Butch Henderson of Shoprite Pharmacies; First Responder Perspective with Sandi Gallion of Harford County Office of Drug Control Policy; Overdose and Fatality Rates in Maryland with Gregory Frailey, Behavioral Health Systems, Baltimore - Maryland Harm Reduction Training Institute (BHSB-MaHRTI); and Women in Recovery with Jennifer Aguglia, Ashley Treatment. The afternoon plenary will feature a panel consisting of the Opioid Restitution Fund award recipients. “Our community is not immune to the impacts of addiction and substance abuse,” County Executive Bob Cassilly said. “Harford County is committed to saving lives and supporting recovery; this symposium brings together experts, advocates, and community members to confront addiction head-on and strengthen our collective response to this ongoing crisis.” Additionally, the Core Trailer and Hope House will be on site for touring. These mobile educational tools were created in partnership with the Harford County Sheriff’s Office, Harford County Government and other agencies and help show the warning signs of controlled substance use and provide interactive learning scenarios. Early sponsors for the event include Harford County Public Library and Ashley Addiction Treatment. Additional sponsorship opportunities are still available. Registration is required and there is a cost to attend; $30 for residents and professionals in Harford County and $45 for those outside of the county. Visit www.harfordcountymd.gov/Symposium to register or for additional event information and sponsorship opportunities. The mission of this annual symposium is to educate the public and professionals on issues surrounding drug and alcohol abuse, intervention, prevention and treatment. Continuing education credits in the fields of prevention, addictions and social work will be authorized for professionals upon completion of the day’s events. For more information on drug control programs and trainings in Harford County, contact the Harford County Department of Housing & Community Services’ Office of Drug Control Policy at 410-638-3333 or www.harfordcountymd.gov/services/drugcontrol. (fb)

Harford County Executive Bob Cassilly was honored to join the students and staff of Havre de Grace Elementary School to recognize the hard work of students during the school's Patriot Program assembly. Harford County Public Schools Havre De Grace ES (fb)