• 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

Both Chautauqua County Executive Vince Horrigan and Chautauqua County Community Mental Hygiene Services Director Patricia Brinkman coordinated Monday’s Community Forum, which will focus on the continuing prevention efforts to combat Opiate use in Chautauqua. The event is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. at Chautauqua Suites Hotel and Expo Center and is open to the public.

The Forum will feature experts who will discuss current treatment practices, impacts of drug abuse, and community involvement in organizing efforts to combat addiction.

Anticipated speakers include:

• Michael Fox, Research Associate from the Begun Center for Violence Prevention Research and Education;
• Allison Sharer, Director of Prevention Programs with Drug Free Action Alliance; and
• Dr. Robert Meyers – emeritus research associate professor of psychology at the University of New Mexico’s Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse and Addiction.

Several Key stakeholders from the community are also involved with the event, including the Mental Health Association of Chautauqua County. CEO Rick Huber was a guest on WRFA’s most recent episode of Community Matters program and talked about how the drug abuse situation – especially the use of heroin – has reached an all-time high in the area. Huber said according to the recent 2014 county health study, the number of babies being born with an addiction is 2.5 times greater than the state average.

• RELATED: Rick Huber Discusses Drug Addiction in Chautauqua County

In addition to the speakers, the forum will also focus on updating the community and what’s been done to address the drug addiction and abuse problem since the previous forum one year ago.

The forum is expected to last until noon.

On Friday, County Executive Vince Horrigan and County Community Mental Hygiene Services Director Patricia Brinkman announced a Community Forum focused on the continuing prevention efforts to combat drug use will be held on March 16, 2014 at 9 a.m. at Chautauqua Suites Hotel and Expo Center, 215 W. Lake Rd. in Mayville.

The Community Drug Forum will feature experts who will discuss current treatment practices, impacts of drug abuse, and community involvement in organizing efforts to combat addiction. Anticipated speakers include Michael Fox, Allison Sharer and Dr. Robert Meyers.

• Michael Fox, Research Associate from the Begun Center for Violence Prevention Research and Education, will share perspectives and approaches specific to adolescent co-occurring disorders and moving toward risk reduction approaches.
• Allison Sharer, Director of Prevention Programs with Drug Free Action Alliance, will be speaking on community coalition building focused on prevention.
• Dr. Robert Meyers is an emeritus research associate professor of psychology who worked in the clinical research branch at the University of New Mexico’s Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse and Addiction for over 22 years. He will be presenting a treatment model that motivates and encourages substance abusers to seek help called the Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT), which is featured on the HBO documentary, Addiction.

“The Forum will include presentations to guide the community’s role in continuing prevention and treatment efforts including new training models, prevention and community engagement,” said Brinkman. “This is a multifaceted problem facing each of us either within our families, or through our profession and will require innovative strategies that involve law enforcement, treatment programs, crisis services, prevention efforts and funding sources.”

The Community Drug Forum will focus on updating the community about accomplishments achieved since the previous forum in March of 2014. Committees were formed in the spring of 2014 to focus on steering the overall effort, prevention, policy and legislation, law enforcement and treatment. Each committee will be represented and will be reporting their progress since the last forum.

For more information concerning the Community Drug Forum, contact the Chautauqua County Department of Mental Hygiene at (716) 753-4104 or the County Executive’s Office at (716) 753-4211.