The five bills that were signed include a bill that decriminalizes possession of opioid antagonists which are drugs used to help prevent drug-related overdoses.

Another bill establishes a program that allows the use of medication assisted treatment for people who are incarcerated. The expansion of treatment in state and local facilities is aimed at helping people overcome substance abuse and lessen the likelihood that they will suffer a drug-related overdose after leaving jail.

The possession and sale of hypodermic needles and syringes also has been decriminalized.

An online directory for distributors of opioid antagonists will be created under one of the signed bills. This directory will be maintained by the Office of Addiction Services and Supports on their website.

And the fifth piece of legislation signed expands the number of eligible crimes committed by individuals with a substance use disorder that may be considered for diversion to a substance use treatment program and updates the term “substance abuse” to “substance use.” This ensures judges can order an individual to treatment instead of incarceration, allowing them a greater chance for successful, long-term rehabilitation.

The legislature also will vote to accept $996,000 in settlement monies from Johnson & Johnson. The State Attorney General’s Office approved the settlement with Johnson & Johnson as part of the litigation regarding the opioid addiction crisis.

The county will receive the settlement over a 10 year period, the same period of time that Johnson & Johnson will agree to cease the manufacture, sale, and promotion of opioids and opioid products in New York State.

The settlement restricts 79% of the settlement toward approved uses such as treating opioid use disorder; supporting people in treatment and recovery; addressing the needs of criminal-justice involved persons; and supporting law enforcement and first responders.

Other grant monies the legislature will consider include $25,000 in Safe Summer 2021 Funding from the New York State Office of Children and Family Services. The money is to be used to support positive youth development activities for youth at risk of being perpetrators and victims of gun violence in high gun violence neighborhoods and census tracts throughout the state.

The Legislature also will vote on using $90,000 of American Rescue Plan funds, split evenly between the Dunkirk and Jamestown airport. The monies will go toward costs related to operations, personnel, cleaning, sanitization, janitorial services, and combating the spread of pathogens at the airport.

• AUDIO ALSO AVAILABLE ON SOUNDCLOUD

There’s been a rise of drug overdoses and overdose fatalities in Chautauqua County during March and April 2020. WRFA’s Jason Sample talks with Patricia Brinkman, director of the Chautauqua County Department of Mental Hygiene, to learn more about the recent crisis and also to share details about what resources are available for people dealing with chemical dependency.

In response, the Chautauqua Substance Abuse Response Partnership is urging county residents struggling with addiction to seek treatment, advising them that “Now is the Time.” Now is the time to seek help, including medication-assisted treatment (MAT), for several reasons:

• Deadly amounts of fentanyl have been present in the local drug supply;
• Financial, social, psychological, and physical stresses of living through a pandemic increase risk; and
• Access to treatment, including MAT, has never been easier.

Outpatient clinics across the county are working to make access to treatment available for anyone in need, including those for whom travel to a clinic is a barrier.  Telehealth options for medication and for counseling are available through The Resource Center, The Chautauqua Center, UPMC Chautauqua, the Chautauqua County Department of Mental Hygiene, and the TLC Health Network. Contact and other information can be found at CombatAddictionCHQ.com.

“Now really is the time for anyone struggling with an addiction and/or emotional pain to seek help through one of the outpatient behavioral health clinics throughout the county,” said , Patricia Brinkiman, Chautauqua County Community Mental Hygiene Services Director. “The risks and dangers of these days are great, but so too are the options for help.”

The Chautauqua County Crisis Hotline, 1-800-724-0461, is available if you are experiencing a personal crisis or are in emotional distress.

]]> https://www.wrfalp.com/chemical-treatment-providers-urge-residents-to-seek-medicated-assisted-treatment-if-dealing-with-addiction/feed/ 0 34223 https://www.wrfalp.com/high-risk-of-overdose-continues-in-chautauqua-county/ https://www.wrfalp.com/high-risk-of-overdose-continues-in-chautauqua-county/#respond Fri, 03 Apr 2020 17:55:02 +0000 http://www.wrfalp.com/?p=33933 45 reported overdoses in March – 2 fatal

– MEDIA RELEASE –

MAYVILLE – The Chautauqua County Department of Health and Human Services (CCDHHS) is warning people that there has been a spike in overdoses in the past month, and that may be a sign that a strong batch of heroin is in the area.  From March 29 to March 31 alone, there were two fatal overdoses and three non-fatal overdoses reported.  A large cluster of drug overdose deaths has also been reported in Erie County, NY.  Due to circumstances, officials believe this spike is due primarily to street drugs, especially heroin, being laced with fentanyl.

“From March 1 to March 31, there were 45 overdoses in Chautauqua County that we are aware of and sadly, two of those were fatal,” said Christine Schuyler, Director of Health and Human Services. “This is very scary. On average, 19 overdoses per month were reported in 2019. If you are with someone who experiences an overdose, call 911, and administer naloxone (Narcan) if it is available.”

Although the focus of attention at this unprecedented time is the COVID-19 crisis, substance misuse and the overdose crisis have not relented.  Current evidence suggests that it has become more dangerous to use drugs from the street as the amount of fentanyl in street drugs is rising and it can be found in heroin, meth, cocaine and marijuana.

“Remember – don’t use alone, test your drugs with fentanyl test strips, and have multiple doses of Narcan available,” said Schuyler.  “There is help and there is hope.”

The MHA has many resources to assist individuals suffering substance use disorders and their families.  Per Steven Cobb, Executive Director of MHA in Chautauqua County, “MHA will help anyone.  There is no requirement to stop using, and no judgment from an MHA coach.  We are willing to help you use in a safer way, get food, find stable housing, and get medical care.”  Recovery Coaches from the Mental Health Association (MHA) are available to help anyone get connected with treatment seven days a week by calling 716-661-9044 from 8 a.m. to 12 midnight.

Access to MAT (medication assisted treatment) in Chautauqua County is now readily available through TLC Health, UPMC Chautauqua, The Resource Center, The Chautauqua Center, and The Chautauqua County Mental Health clinics. The Chautauqua County Crisis Hotline, 1-800-724-02461 1-800-724-0461, is available if you are experiencing a personal crisis or are in emotional distress.

Evergreen Health Services in Chautauqua County has seen higher than normal reports of Narcan use from their patients in March.

“This overdose crisis is a public health issue as well as one of stigma. As a health care provider serving patients every day in Chautauqua County, we know we need to make resources accessible in a manner that is as non-judgmental as possible,” said Emma Fabian, senior director of harm reduction at Evergreen Health. “Narcan is a medication that has the ability to block the effects of opioids and overturn an overdose – and it’s readily available to community members at our Syringe Exchange Program in Jamestown. We are proud to be one of many partners in the area working to reduce the risk of fatal overdoses by providing harm reduction tools.”

Evergreen Health is a good resource of health information and services for people who use drugs; they remain open (320 Prather Ave. Suite 100, Jamestown, NY – note temporary change of location during COVID-19 pandemic), and have Narcan kits to distribute.  There is no cost for a kit, and training only takes about 10 minutes.  Visit www.Evergreenhs.org  or call 716-541-0678 for Evergreen’s most up to date hours, locations and services.

Chautauqua County government and its partners encourage people who use drugs, and their family members, to take advantage of local resources for harm reduction and recovery. People who use drugs and their families should obtain a naloxone (Narcan) kit if they do not have one on hand, and should be prepared to call 911. Visit https://combataddictionchq.com/ to learn about chemical dependency services available throughout the County.

The New York State 911 Good Samaritan Law allows people to call 911 without fear of arrest if they are having a drug or alcohol overdose that requires emergency medical care or if they witness someone overdosing.

If you use drugs, build a safety plan that works for you.  Your health and life matter.  Anyone who uses drugs can overdose.  Know the facts:

• Fentanyl is in the drug supply.
• Fentanyl is 50-100 times stronger than heroin.
• A small amount of fentanyl can cause an overdose.
• Fentanyl is mixed into heroin and can be added to other drugs such as pills, cocaine, and crystal meth.
• Naloxone DOES reverse the effects of fentanyl.
• A drug-free period will lower your tolerance
• Mixing drugs, medications and alcohol increases the risk of overdose.

• MOBILE APP USERS: LISTEN VIA SOUNDCLOUD

Originally airing on Thursday, July 25, 2019.

WRFA’s Jason Sample talks with local advocate Rick Huber to get his thoughts on the current state of chemical dependency in the community as well as what more can be done to reduce the numbers and also help those dealing with addiction.

Rick Huber

Rep. Tom Reed (R-Corning)

WASHINGTON – Chautauqua County’s representative in Washington, DC took time out during a conference call with regional media on Tuesday to criticize lawmakers in the state capitol for pushing ‘extremist policies.’

Congressman Tom Reed (R-Corning, NY 23) took aim at state lawmakers in Albany for proposing legislation promoting Supervising Injection Facilities (SIFs) for people battling opioid addiction in five cities, along with supporting a plan to shutter two prisons this coming fall – one of which is located near his Southern Tier district.

Reed said that Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal (D-Manhattan) last month introduced a introduced a new bill (A0060) that called for the creation of a pilot program of up to five supervised injection sites around the state. People addicted to drugs would be able to use at the sites under safe conditions in order to reduce the number of overdoses and related deaths that have become all-to-common in recent years due to the opioid epidemic.

Reed also went on the attack against the decision to close two state prisons due to low inmate populations, including the Livingston Correctional Facility – a medium security prison in Livingston County which employees nearly 400 employees and houses close to 900 inmates. The other prison is located in Harlem.

For now, it’s not clear if Rosenthal’s legislation will be able to pass both the State Assembly and State Senate and be signed by the Governor in time before the end of the legislative session next month.  As for the two prions, state corrections officials have said the closures will eliminate approximately 1,200 vacant beds without impacting the safety and security of the 52 remaining facilities.

But the fact the injection site proposal is just that – a proposal – at this point, and the prions are being shuttered because of reduced inmate populations didn’t stop Reed from blasting both as being examples of ‘extremist policy’ from Democrats that control Albany.

“It shows us the danger of the radical left agenda that the Democratic Party in Albany is now controlled by,” Reed said. “To me this Democratic Party is no longer the party of your grandmother and grandfather. It has been taken over by that extreme wing and that loud, vocal minority that is forcing the Democratic Party to leave any resemblance of reasonable priorities.”

While Reed has attacked heroin injection sites in the past, including using the idea to target his opponent in the 2018 election (Democratic candidate Tracy Mitrano had said she would support a community’s right to choose whether to open an injection site or not because they “keep addicts alive for treatment and curb the spread of communicable disease”), this is the first time he’s been critical of the state for closing down prisons.

WRFA asked Reed why he equates shutting down a facility due to low inmate numbers, a decision based on simple economics, as being an example of an ‘extreme policy’ from the left.

“It would beg the question as to what you believe prisons are for,” he responded. “Obviously they are were bad people have to go to potentially be rehabilitated and also to serve their payment for justice that’s due for the victims of their crimes that they have engaged in. So the assessment that somehow we have excess capacity in our prison system that warrants the closure of these prisons is something that we’ll – we’ll double check those numbers. But I will tell you, closing those prisons to me is being done in a very – especially on a 90-days notice, is my understanding of what they are looking at here. And so I seriously question those numbers and whether or not this is the correct policy when it comes to closing prisons in our state.”

Back to the injection sites, Congressman Reed cited studies from both the State of Vermont and Australia saying they show the danger of injection sites.

In Vermont, a state penal said it believes the state’s limited resources are better spent on proven treatment models and syringe service programs to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.

The study from Australia does list dangers associated with SIFs, but the overall conclusion actually supports them rather than condemning them, stating, “It is difficult to accurately assess the benefits arising out of SIFs, as they have generally been instituted as part of a range of public health measures.  There have been no reports of overdose deaths in any of the SIFs and data suggest that public drug use has declined in cities with these centres.”

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Recorded on Tuesday Jan. 15 and originally airing on Thursday, Jan. 17, 2019.

WRFA public affairs director Jason Sample talks with Chautauqua County executive George Borrello to review his first year in office as well as discuss some items on his agenda for 2019, including Chautauqua Lake, economic development, the battle against opioid addiction, and more.

George Borrello

According to Agett, the decline in fatal overdoses for 2018 is anywhere between 12 and 68 percent, depending on how many current overdose investigations result in a conclusion that they were drug-induced fatalities.

A report citing data from the Chautauqua County Department of Health and Human Services says the 2018 rate of drug overdose deaths has declined by at least 12 percent compared to 2017.  The data also shows that the decline could be as much as 68 percent, but is dependent on how many pending overdose investigations turn into drug-induced fatalities.

County health officials attribute the decline of fatal drug overdoses to a variety of likely factors, including an increase in availability and use of naloxone to counter the effects of opioids, a shift in drug use from opioids to methamphetamine and an increase in access to drug treatment and recovery resources.