Walton County Overdose Prevention Task Force

We’re wearing RED!

Red Ribbon Week is October 23 through 31 and we’re inviting Walton County to join us.

Wear red on Monday October 26 as we bring greater awareness to substance use and misuse and strengthen prevention efforts across our community.

Awareness creates conversation.
Conversation creates opportunity for change.

It’s a reminder that even one person’s bravery can inspire others.

Will you wear RED with us? 🙌

Did you Know: Red Ribbon Week is observed in October

Red Ribbon Week began in 1985 after DEA Special Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena lost his life while fighting to keep communities safe from drug trafficking.

His hometown started wearing red ribbons to honor his courage and to show that they stood for a healthier, safer future. What began as a small act of love and remembrance grew into a nationwide movement.

Red Ribbon Week today is about more than awareness. It’s about families and schools coming together with their communities to choose hope, support one another and celebrate living drug free.

It’s a reminder that even one person’s bravery can inspire millions.

Learn more about Red Ribbon Week and find helpful resources to raise awareness about substance use and misuse in your community.

👉 https://www.dea.gov/red-ribbon/red-ribbon-toolkit

Recovery Month has given us so much to celebrate.

Last week Freedom Life Compass/Freedom Network partnered with NAMI Emerald Coast to bring WRAP® training to our area.

Over the course of two days participants explored practical tools for wellness and recovery. The training focused on recognizing triggers and early warning signs while creating personalized plans that support continued wellness.

We’re grateful for organizations that continue to create opportunities like this.

We’re equally grateful for those who invested their time in this training and will carry these tools back into the communities they serve.

This is how we keep growing recovery support across Walton County and beyond.

Find local recovery and naloxone resources at thepathwayback.com⁠

Knowing how to respond when someone is experiencing an opioid overdose can help save a life.

Naloxone gives us the ability to respond immediately while emergency help is on the way.

That is why making it available throughout Walton County is only part of the work. Making sure our community knows how to use it is just as important.

Our community partners are exploring small video devices that demonstrate how to administer naloxone.

Local trainings are also helping businesses prepare their staff and incorporate naloxone into first aid planning.

If you suspect an opioid overdose:

✅ Call 911 immediately.
✅ Give naloxone if it’s available.
✅ Stay with the person until help arrives.

Find naloxone and other local resources at https://thepathwayback.com/.

There is a pathway back.

In observance of World Mental Health Day, the Walton County Overdose Prevention Task Force and PanCare of Florida, Inc. are hosting an in-person Adult Mental Health First Aid training. There is no cost to participate in this training.

Mental health and substance use challenges affect nearly 1 in 5 adults in the U.S., but most of us have never been taught how to help. Mental Health First Aid changes that.

📅 Friday, October 9 | 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
📍 Florida Department of Health in Walton County
362 State Highway 83, DeFuniak Springs, FL 32433

In this one-day course, you'll learn how to:
✅ Recognize signs of mental health and substance use challenges
✅ Respond to a person in crisis
✅ Connect people with professional help and support
✅ Build skills in trauma awareness, substance use, and self-care

This training is for employers, first responders, law enforcement, hospital staff, and anyone who wants to be ready to help a neighbor, coworker, friend, or family member.

📝 Register here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/mhfa-walton
📧 Question: [email protected] | 📞 850-401-6338

⏰ Registration closes Monday, October 5 at 5 p.m. Seats are limited, so sign up today! There will be some pre-work to complete before the training. Within 48 hours of submitting your registration, you will receive an email with a link and what you need to complete before the in-person training.

Recovery takes a community.

Today we recognize those who continue to show up.

Peers and first responders.
Healthcare professionals and treatment providers.
Community partners and law enforcement.
Volunteers and families.

Often the work happens quietly…

A ride to an appointment.
A warm handoff.
A follow-up call.
A moment of compassion when someone needs it most.

Together, Walton County partners are helping more individuals connect to support and find their pathway back!

COMMUNITY EVENT SHARE

Join recovery partners from across Northwest Florida for Bridging Recovery: Building Hope Together and the launch of the Northwest Florida Freedom Network.

Saturday, September 19, 2026

VIP Meet & Greet with Bev Vance
4:30 PM | Ticketed Event

Resource Fair opens at 5:00 PM
Free Main Event from 5:30–7:30 PM

Crosspoint Church Community Life Center
214 Partin Drive South
Niceville, Florida

The evening will include recovery resources, community voices, educational sessions, opportunities to build connections and a keynote testimony from Bev Vance.

Learn more and RSVP at FreedomNetwork.co/workshops.

Together, we can strengthen pathways to recovery across our region.

One compassionate connection helped an entire family find their pathway back.

Deputy Ramos and Captain Khaliqa Wheatley with the Walton County Sheriff's Office, Florida, along with Stephanie McMinn of BeGenerous, Inc. recently came together to help a mother and her three children find immediate safety, connect with essential services and begin moving toward family reunification.

The details are private; however the lesson deserves to be shared. Compassionate intervention can change the direction of an entire family’s life. When law enforcement, healthcare professionals, peers and community partners work together, families have a greater opportunity to find stability and begin again.

This Recovery Month, we are reminded that recovery starts with connection.

If you or your family need help finding resources, visit www.thepathwayback.com or call 844-FLC-PEER.

The pathway to recovery is different for everyone.

It may begin with a call for help, transportation to treatment, reconnecting with family, access to medication-assisted treatment, or the support of someone who believes recovery is possible.

There is no single path to recovery.
Every step forward is progress.

This Recovery Month, let’s replace judgment with compassion and connect Walton County residents with the support they need.

Call 844-352-7337 or visit thepathwayback.com.

Today, on International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD)we remember the lives lost, stand with the families who carry their absence and honor every life still fighting for a pathway back. 💜

Thank you to our community for standing with us and to our community partners, local officials and committee members who helped bring Bring It to the Light to life.

If you or someone you know needs help or resources, visit thepathwayback.com or call 844-352-7337.

There is a pathway back.