MARQUETTE — In recognition of May being Mental Health Awareness month, many agencies and organizations are hosting events to bring awareness to an issue that effects millions of Americans.

Throughout the month, the Peter White Public Library hosted a number of events called Your Mind Matters. Today’s lunchtime session was about suboxone in opiate addiction.

Mindy Flanigan from UP Health System – Marquette talked with several members of the community about medications that are used to prevent withdrawal when someone is doing through a drug detox treatment.

“We work with addicts that struggle with opiate addiction and are looking to no longer have to look for it through the street,” said Flanigan.

“They can come to an outpatient clinic and get medications for up to a week or a month at a time. We require a drug contract. We require that we have releases for their primary care physician in order to continue to work with other medical issues.”

There was no charge to attend today’s session.