• LISTEN TO WRFA’S RECENT HOPE & HEALING INTERVIEW

The series of events is being put together by the Hope Chautauqua Coalition, which is comprised of members of the Chautauqua Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Council, the County Mental Health Association, Evergreen Health Services, Chautauqua Tapestry, the Chautauqua County Department of Mental Hygiene, local faith leaders and WCA hospital – along with other community members.

The major event for the week will take place on Monday with the “Hope and Healing for Chautauqua” presentation at the Chautauqua Suites and Conference Center in Mayville.

The purpose of the daylong event will be to promote hope, highlight resources, and strengthen substance abuse efforts in Chautauqua County. The program starts at 9 a.m. with registration beginning at 8:30 a.m.

Hope and Healing for Chautauqua will include presentations, speakers, and addiction resources for the community.

Tracy Strawberry

The event will feature two keynote speakers, Tracy Strawberry – founder of Strawberry Ministries and author of “Clean Sober & Saved, a Christ-Centered Recovery Program” – and Robert J. Meyers, Ph.D. – Research, Associate Professor Emeritus Psychology, University of New Mexico – Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse and Addiction.

Several other health experts will be on hand to lead discussions involving addiction and support and Chautauqua County Executive Vince Horrigan will also be in attendance as a special guest speaker.

In addition to the Hope & Healing event at Chautauqua Suites, several other events and activities are planned for the week, starting on Saturday June 11 and continuing through Friday, June 17.

Events include:

• Training for Christ-Centered Recovery Ministries Programs
  Saturday June 11, 2016 – 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
  Zion Covenant Church, 520 Fairmount Ave., Jamestown NY
  Register at 488-9310
• A Day of Prevention and drug Awareness
  (Featuring Strawberry and key community leaders)
  Sunday June 12, 2016 – 4 to 6 p.m.
  Healing Word Ministries Church of God, 1006 W. 3rd St., Jamestown NY
  www.Facebook.com/events/1730506043901353
  
• Hope & Healing for Chautauqua
  Monday June 13, 2016 – 9 a.m to 4:30 p.m.
  Chautauqua Suites & Expo Center
• Opioid Overdose Response / Narcan Training
  Tuesday June 14, 2016 – 4 p.m.
  CASAC – 501 W. Third St. – Suites 3 & 4 Sprinchorn Building, Jamestown, NY
• Hope Chautauqua Partnership for Success Action Plan Update & Environmental Prevention Training
  Wednesday June 15, 2016 – 10 a.m. to Noon
  St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Jamestown NY
  Register by calling 664-3608
• Chautauqua Bright Spots Recognition Program
  Thursday June 16, 2016 – 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
  YWCA Auditorium – Jamestown, NY
  Register by calling 664-3608
• Four Components of Heroin Addiction
  Friday June 17, 2016 – 9 a.m. – Noon
  JCC Carnahan Theatre – Jamestown, NY
  Register by calling 664-3608
• Hope & Healing UCAN Chapel
  Friday June 17, 2016 – 12:45 p.m.
  Mental Health Association of Chautauqua County – Gateway Center, Jamestown NY

For more information on the Hope and Healing for Chautauqua and related events call Julie Franco at (716) 664-3608 or visit www.Facebook.com/HopeChautauqua

The MHA, located in the rear of the Gateway Center on Water St. in Jamestown,  provides peer-to-peer support for individuals battling drug addiction in the area. Huber said that so far in 2016, there’s been more people coming into the MHA compared to 2015 and also previous years when the opioid and heroin epidemic first took hold in the area.

“We’ve already doubled this year what we saw last year and it’s just going to keep increasing,” Huber told WRFA. “My office is downstairs in the facility and there’s always new people going by that I haven’t seen before. There’s a group that I [meet with] every Thursday and I had 20 new people in that group that I hadn’t met, so we’re seeing new people on a daily basis.”

Huber also said that unfortunately, there’s also been an increased number of drug-related deaths in 2016 compared to previous years.

“They’re getting worse. We had 16 deaths in the Jamestown area in March alone, and we get a couple more every week,” Huber said. “We’re seeing more of the family members start to speak out,  not only in our community but across the state. We’re seeing obituaries posted that are saying that their child died because of an overdose. That’s good that they’re talking about it. We need to get away from the stigma and get the awareness out there and we’re seeing that happen.”

While Huber indicates that the MHA has seen an increase in visitors and there’s also been an increase in overdoses, he added that more is being done to raise awareness about the problem, and that state and local health officials are working toward improving services to provide better assistance to those battling addiction. On the treatment side, he mentioned the effort by WCA hospital to increase the number of beds for its in-patient rehab program. He said he’s also continuing to push for a residential facility that could provide the long-term help that is sometimes required to battle addiction.

On the public awareness front, he said he’s also pleased with the effort by a number of groups in the area. That includes the Hope Chautauqua Coalition – which is coordinating the Hope & Healing for Chautauqua Week – taking place from June 11 until June 17 at several different areas throughout the county.

More information on the Hope & Healing week can be found on Facebook at the Hope Chautauqua Page. WRFA also recently featured an interview with organizers of the event during our May 19 edition of Community Matters.

Anyone interested in learning more about MHA or seeking help can call (716) 661-9044 or visit mhachautauqua.org.