Health & Wellness

Health and Wellness Information

Welcome to FWA’s Health and Wellness homepage! The one stop shop for all the things you need to know about Accessibility, Healthy con-going, and health and safety related policies.

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Furry Weekend Atlanta is excited to expand our offering of health and wellness services, educational opportunities and accessibility programs.

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Partnership with the Fulton County Board of Health

For FWA 2023, we are expanding our incredible partnership with the Fulton County Board of Health to bring more education, health, well-being and harm reduction services to our attendees.  The Board of Health will be on-site during our event offering an array of services and educational opportunities for both our staff and attendees.  

Services offered at various times throughout our event:

  • Free on-site rapid STI testing for HIV, Hepatitis C & Syphilis
  • Private, 1 on 1 sexual health counseling with healthcare providers

Educational opportunities for attendees presented by the Fulton County Board of Health:

  • “Healthy Furries 101” education panel - how to keep yourself safe and healthy before, during and after con
  • Sexual health educational panel

Educational opportunities for FWA staff provided by the Fulton County Board of Health:

  • Introductory training for select FWA staff members on the recognition of opioid overdose and the administration of Naloxone
  • Training on the recognition of party drug / stimulant overdose.

Partnership with the Georgia Harm Reduction Coalition

For FWA 2024, we invited Georgia Harm Reduction Coalition, well-being, and harm reduction services to our attendees.  The Georgia Harm Reduction Coalition will be on-site during our evening portion event offering an array of screening services, educational opportunities, and preventative products. This addition grants additional resources into the evening hours to all attendees and staff.

Services offered from 6pm-11pm (or later):

  • Free health screening services, including HIV, Hepatitis C, Syphilis, and COVID-19
  • Health status education, counseling on risky behaviors, and recommendations for protective measures against HIV, HAV, HCV, and COVID-19
  • Training and distribution of condoms, Narcan, and Fentanyl Strips

Cleaning and Sanitization

Our venue partners are working hard to ensure that cleaning and sanitization standards are met for our event. For more information, visit the venue partners websites regarding their commitments to cleanliness

 

Medical and Emergency Services

We will have paramedics and a first aid room available on-site. Please contact any staff member, come to our Ambassadors desk or contact con operations at 404-682-4392 if you require medical assistance. 

In the event of a serious emergency, please dial 911.  For emergencies that occur within hotel guest rooms, it is also a good idea to notify the front desk that you’ve dialed 911 so they can assist responders in locating you.

 

Accessibility

Our accessibility team is focused on making sure that each of our guests feel welcome and included in the event. Here are some of the services that our Accessibility team provide at the event:

Social Comfort Cards: 

Stop by the Accessibility desk inside of Registration to pick up a set of three Social Comfort Cards. These cards provide an easy visual queue to our guests to know what your comfort is with social situations at any given time.

  • Red ”?” Card - I’m very tired and need to recharge. Please give me space. 
  • Yellow “?️” Card -  I'm feeling a little tired, overwhelmed or burnt out. I would like to socialize with close friends only for a bit.  
  • Green “O” Card - I'm feeling social and ready to mingle and possibly meet new friends! Feel free to say hello.

Accessibility Card:

Stop by the Accessibility desk inside of Registration to pick up an Accessibility card that lets our staff and security know that you have specific requirements around accessibility to our events. These cards inform our team that you will need accommodations such as a chair while waiting in long lines, seating close to exits during events, or other accessibility needs.

Our accessibility team can be found in Registration. If you need assistance for anything, please visit the Ambassador desk on the Marquis level of the Marriot. For any emergencies you may be experiencing that need immediate assistance please call 911.

Quiet Spaces

Conventions can be hectic and overstimulating. We recognize that a safe space that’s easily accessible is important to our guests. We’re excited to bring back Tranquility and Serenity rooms for Furry Weekend Atlanta 2024.

Tranquility Room (Silent Space) – Marriott Lobby Level L400s

This room is for our guests that need alone time in a pseudo private, comfortable environment. Out of the way of the hustle and bustle of the convection space, our Tranquility rooms is a quiet room for individual guests. Find a place to sit down and relax and remember to respect guests with total silence while inside.

Serenity Space (Small Gatherings) – Marriott Lobby Level L400s

This room is for our guests that need to get away from the hectic convention experience and need someone to support them through that time. This room is a quiet room for small gatherings (2-3 people) with items to engage in quiet distraction like coloring pages, fidget toys, and Legos. Speak at a low volume, use headphones when playing music, and respect any other groups that may be in the space with you.

For both spaces, if you have any issues please speak with the room coordinator or reach out to the Ambassadors Desk on Marquis Level.