PARIS — Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School is dedicating May 22 to substance use disorder (SUD) awareness when it hosts the Western Maine Addiction Recovery Initiative (WMARI) and its consortium partners for an interactive workshop focused on educating youth on the risks and realities of addiction.

Oxford county-based organizations including River Valley Healthy Communities Coalition, the Larry Labonte Recovery Center, Common Ground Counseling, the Oxford County Sheriff’s Department, OPTIONS Liaison, MaineHealth/Western Maine Health (Healthy Oxford Hills) and area school districts are collaborating on a series of presentations and workshops to take place throughout the region.

Representatives of resource groups Students Empowered to End Dependency (SEED) and Johnny’s Ambassadors will also participate.

The event has previously been held at Dirigo High School in Dixfield and Sacopee Valley High School in Hiram. This month will see similar outreach come to OHCHS on Monday and then Telstar High School on Wednesday.

At OHCHS the day’s sessions will begin in the Forum after the start of school with introductions of organizers and presenters to students. From there presentations and panels focused on substance use topics are scheduled, and kids will also choose to attend breakout sessions led by healthcare workers, law enforcement, people in recovery and SUD advocates.

“These outreach days are our groups’ first organized efforts at substance use disorder prevention for youth,” said Kari Taylor, director for WMARI and The HILLS Recovery Center in Norway. “Our goal is to provide information and resources before addictions happen. We plan to make these annual events – we are already working on future programs and hope to to present them earlier during the school year.

“The federal grant we received from the Health Services and Resources Administration (HRSA)- Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) has made it possible to bring fresh resources to ramp up and establish SUD prevention in our communities.”