In response to the opioid crisis, Putnam officials have created a Suicide and Overdose Fatality Review Team — a multi-disciplinary group designed to conduct in-depth reviews of select local deaths in an effort to better understand and prevent future tragedies. The team’s leaders include the county’s Director of Mental Health Paul Tang, Dual Recovery Coordinator Lauren Johnson, and Director of the Child Advocacy Center Marla Behler, along with Shanna Siegel of the Putnam County Department of Health and Megan Castellano of Guardian Homefront.

Our Homefront Executive Program Director, Megan Castellano, participated in a Suicide Prevention Roundtable organized by Senator Pete Harckham. “The mental health crisis in our communities is a pressing issue that requires a multi-faceted approach,” said Harckham.

Putnam County Department of Parks and Recreation and Guardian Revival have been working over the past three years to make the Guardian Dog Park project happen. The 50,000-square-foot accessible and contained area will be used for residents to recreate with their dogs in a safe setting.