USA HEAT made presentations at the East and West Jessamine County High Schools recently.

USA HEAT is the U.S. Attorney’s Heroin Education Action Team, created to battle the ongoing  battles with heroin and opiate abuse in communities around the region.

The presentations began on Wednesday, Oct. 18, and continued through Friday, Oct. 20.

In addition, there was a parents forum on the Jessamine Career and Technology Center campus at 871 Wilmore Rd.

The program is a partnership between the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky and families who have lost a loved one to opiate overdose.

Heroin, Fentanyl, and other dangerous drugs are increasingly available on Kentucky streets, with deadly consequences. The victims of drug addiction and overdose deaths are getting younger.

Abuse of these deadly drugs is not limited to any particular socioeconomic group. The increasing incidence of opiate abuse fuels violent and property crime in our communities, stresses our social services network, burdens our healthcare system, and reaches into our schools.

Most of all, this scourge is devastating Kentucky families and robbing us of the promise and potential of thousands of our citizens who are enslaved by addiction.

USA HEAT seeks to inform communities of what we are up against, and what we can do to fight back. Team members deliver a compelling message, based on the tragedy that they have experienced first-hand. USA HEAT seeks to mobilize our communities to implement a coordinated, effective response to this growing threat.

Acting U.S. Attorney Carlton S. Shier, IV and his staff partner with members of the team to deliver a truly powerful message.