WEST CHESTER, PA — Chester County will mark International Overdose Awareness Day on Aug. 31 with a public remembrance in West Chester after overdose fatalities declined 20% over four years, though 57 people died from accidental overdoses in the county in 2025.
The Chester County Department of Drug and Alcohol Services will hold its annual “Night of Light” from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Historic Courthouse. The event will include a luminary ceremony honoring people who died from overdoses and those working toward long-term recovery, along with speakers and resource tables.
Fifty-seven flags representing the lives lost to accidental overdose last year will also be displayed at the Historic Courthouse, Chester County Justice Center and Government Services Center.
Jamie Johnson, executive director of the Department of Drug and Alcohol Services, attributed the four-year decline in overdose deaths to cooperation among county departments, community providers, families and other partners.
“One life lost is too many, and we continue to strive for zero overdose fatalities in Chester County,” Johnson stated. “This collaboration shows that prevention happens, treatment is available, and recovery works.”
The observance comes as Chester County prepares for September’s Recovery Month, a national campaign focused on substance-use prevention, treatment and recovery. County officials are using the events to encourage treatment while seeking to reduce the stigma associated with substance use disorders and overdoses.
The county can fund treatment for people who are uninsured or underinsured and seeking services, according to the Department of Drug and Alcohol Services.
County officials are also encouraging residents to carry naloxone, commonly known by the brand name Narcan, and learn how to administer it; safely store medications and dispose of unused prescriptions; discuss substance use and healthy coping strategies with children and teenagers; and use support programs available to families and caregivers.
More information about Night of Light is available at www.chesco.org/5845/Recovery-Month. Information about county drug and alcohol programs and treatment resources is available at www.chesco.org/DrugandAlcohol or through the Chester County Information and Referral line at 866-286-3767.
Additional Recovery Month resources are available through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration at https://www.samhsa.gov/about/digital-toolkits/recovery-month/toolkit.
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