WVU to observe inaugural Medical Amnesty Awareness Week and 4th Annual Hazing Prevention Week

West Virginia University will observe the inaugural Medical Amnesty Awareness Week (Sept. 13-17) and the 4th Annual Hazing Prevention Week (Sept. 20-24) as part of a University-wide effort to keep students safe and also aware of their options in case of an emergency.

As part of the Would You? Campaign for hazing prevention and emergency onlooker response, these two themed weeks will educate the campus community on the resources available to ensure student safety.

“WVU has an extremely inclusive Medical Amnesty policy which saves lives,” said Matthew Richardson, chair of the WVU Hazing Prevention Task Force and director of the Center for Fraternal Values and Leadership. “At ‘Breathe, Nolan, Breathe’ presentations across the country at institutions of higher learning, we’ve learned that we are leading the way in medical amnesty programs. Our collaboration with the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities has provided a week of powerful events to engage and inform students about making safer choices.”

Kimberly and TJ Burch, parents of Nolan Burch, will be on campus for an in-person discussion of the documentary and a hazing prevention strategies presentation during Hazing Prevention Week.

Sponsored by the WVU Hazing Prevention Task Force, the campus-wide observance of Medical Amnesty Awareness Week will feature events that include alcohol and other drug training; Recovery Ally training coordinated by WVU Collegiate Recovery; Narcan training through the West Virginia Drug Intervention Institute; a screening of the “Breathe, Nolan, Breathe” documentary and social media campaigns.

-WVU-

CONTACT: Matthew Richardson
Chair, WVU Hazing Prevention Task Force
Director, Center for Fraternal Values and Leadership
304-293-8210; m.richardson@mail.wvu.edu

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