Prevention Council

Providing Substance Abuse Education, Information and Referral Services

Ballston Spa police, Saratoga County sheriff officials call for action against drug overdoses

Seen in:The Daily Gazette

Thursday, December 16, 2021

Ballston Spa police, Saratoga County sheriff officials call for action against drug overdoses

BALLSTON SPA – An uptick in narcotics overdoses in the area has prompted local law enforcement to take action by teaming with an addiction recovery center to train individuals on how to properly administer naloxone, the medicine that rapidly reverses an opioid overdose.

Lillian McCarthy, director of the Healing Springs Recovery Community and Outreach Center, will lead a seminar planned for 7 p.m. Feb. 9 in the Christ Episcopal Church, 15 W. High Street, Ballston Spa. Ballston Spa Police Chief David Bush and Captain Daniel Morley of the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Department invited McCarthy to present.

“It’s a huge, huge service, to be able to come out and just take a free Narcan training. Because the reality is you might not know anybody that’s using an opiate. But I’d rather see people have the Narcan and never use it, then need it and not have it, McCarthy said. “I just want to make sure that anybody and everybody that’s affiliated with Ballston Spa or the surrounding areas, or anyone that is interested in learning a little bit more about addiction, and what is happening to please come out to educate yourself.”

Grant funding allows for the free naloxone and training.

“From what I understand, the number of overdoses has increased in Ballston Spa and in the surrounding areas,” said McCarthy, whose center is flooded with requests to help about 1,000 people a month, both in person and over the phone. Local data on the spike in overdoses was not immediately available.

“So this is just a way that they are trying to be a little bit more proactive, to be able to assist the community and share some information with them and find out from the community what else we might be able to do to assist as well,” she said.

“You’ve got to be alive if we’re going to help you get into recovery,” McCarthy said.

The center director attributed the local spike in overdoses to the availability of fentanyl and cocaine. Some addicts’ bodies cannot handle the combination, and they overdose, she said.

The nationwide and statewide problem is not unique to the Ballston Spa area, she said.

According to the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics, the opioid epidemic is a public health emergency, with an average of 136 deaths per day and climbing.

Dr. Bobby Mukkamala, chairman of the American Medical Association’s Board of Trustees wrote an article last week that – in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic – the country cannot ignore that illicit fentanyl is fueling the nation’s drug overdose epidemic and is primarily responsible for the deaths of more than 100,000 people last year alone.

Mukkamala, who also chairs the AMA’s Substance Use and Pain Care Task Force, cited the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration seizing nearly 10 million fake pills last year, many laced with counterfeit fentanyl.

The doctor called for action with evidence-based public health interventions to limit the risks and harms of overdose.

Local statistics on the spike in overdoses were not immediately available. Bush did not return a phone message seeking comment Tuesday, while Saratoga County Sheriff Michael Zurlo said he was out of the office at a conference.

 

Letter to the editor: Allowing underage drinking is a big mistake

Seen in: The Post Star

Wednesday, January 13, 2021

Editor:

This has been an unprecedented time of uncertainty as parents struggle to maintain family stability through the pandemic. While COVID-19 can overshadow many issues, please do not let underage drinking be one of them. Remember that hosting underage drinking parties is never acceptable and is illegal.

Some parents wonder if allowing their kids to drink at home can help them develop “an appropriate relationship with alcohol.” The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism says that some parents take this even further and start enabling underage drinking for other teens in their home, thinking they are providing a controlled environment.

One or two parents attempting to control a dozen or more teens who are drinking alcohol is not a controlled environment. There are long and short term consequences for teens. Those teens are at risk of harming the development of their brains, adverse reactions to the medication they take, sexual assault at the party or elsewhere, and injury to themselves or others. Far more effective than allowing drinking at home is to model good drinking behavior and to have strict rules about underage drinking, the NIAAA found.

Giving kids alcohol doesn’t help them learn to drink responsibly. It teaches them that their parents are OK with them drinking, which only encourages them to push those boundaries further and to experiment more.

The Community Coalition for Family Wellness in South Glens Falls, The Prevention Council of Saratoga County and the Council for Prevention in Warren/Washington Counties are here as a resource and an ally to parents and community members in keeping our kids safe. Reach out to us for resources at ccfwsgf.org, preventioncouncil.org and councilforprevention.org or on social media.

Kelly Stevens, South Glens Falls

Coalition Coordinator, Community Coalition for Family Wellness

Capital Region nonprofits win grants to expand addiction recovery services

Seen in: Times Union

Monday, March 4, 2019

ALBANY — Two Capital Region nonprofits that assist people in recovery from addiction were awarded state funding Friday to establish and expand recovery services in their communities.

Second Chance Opportunities, an Albany nonprofit that helps individuals fresh out of addiction treatment find stable housing and employment, was awarded $350,000 to establish a recovery community center in Albany.

The center will be located at 55 Colvin Ave., where the nonprofit moved its headquarters last November. Co-founder Kellie Roe told the Times Union at the time that she always intended to open a community center in the space, regardless of whether her organization won a state grant, which was awarded through a competitive Request for Applications process.

“The community needs this,” she said. “We’ve been at this too long, we’ve been filling this gap for too long not to give the community this.”

At Second Chance Opportunities, the grant will allow Roe to hire a manager for the community center, a coordinator and a recovery coach.

The Prevention Council of Saratoga County was also awarded funding — $80,000 to expand services at its recovery community center at 125 High Rock Ave. in Saratoga Springs.

The center, known as Healing Springs, hosts mutual aid groups, yoga and meditation classes, and sober social events around the Super Bowl, Labor Day and other holidays. It also provides family support navigators to those who are wondering how to assist loved ones through recovery.

New York has pushed for the creation of recovery community centers in recent years, as the state battles an overdose epidemic and a growing number of people seeking treatment for drug addiction.

The state Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services announced Friday more than $5.1 million in funding to establish 14 new recovery community centers across the state, and expand services at two existing recovery centers.

The centers promote long-term recovery by providing professional staff, peers and volunteers to engage and support people in recovery. Services include peer support, skill building, recreation, wellness education, employment readiness and sober social activities.

PREVENTION COUNCIL OF SARATOGA COUNTY RECRUTING SPEAKERS FOR MONTHLY VICTIM IMPACT PANEL.

The Saratoga County Victim Impact Panel (VIP) is a volunteer group of speakers who participate in presentations about the life altering consequences of alcohol and/or drug impaired driving.  Local courts order DWI offenders to attend these presentations to better their understanding of such consequences and promote better decision-making in the future.  These programs are held on a monthly basis, either in Clifton Park or Ballston Spa.

 The Prevention Council is looking for speakers who are willing to share their stories of how impaired driving affected them or their loved ones, especially from these perspectives:

·      DWI Survivors tell of the grief and painful changes they endure as the result of losing a family member or friend in a DWI crash.

·      DWI Victims describe the injuries they suffered, and continue to endure, from a DWI crash.

 These panels give victims a healing opportunity to share their stories in a meaningful way. At a VIP, victims and survivors of substance impaired driving crashes (or others impacted by the crime, such as law enforcement and first responders) speak briefly about the crash in which they were injured and/or in which a loved one was killed or injured, and how it impacts their lives. They do not blame or judge, they simply tell their stories, describing how their lives and the lives of their families and friends were affected by the crash.
 VIP programs help DWI offenders realize the lasting and long-term effect of their crime by giving a name and a face to the pain caused by impaired driving.  Participants regularly comment on how they have come to understand the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs by listening to speakers’ stories.  The overall goal is to make our community roads safer for everyone.
 If you have an interest in sharing your story, The Prevention Council would like to hear from you.  All prospective speakers spend some time with VIP program coordinators to review their message and determine its appropriateness for the audience.  Once this process is complete speakers can choose when they would like to speak.
 To learn more please contact Jennifer Wood at the Prevention Council at 581-1230 ext. 3610

Saratoga Springs Students Learn About Social Media Safety

March 17, 2016

Featured on TWC News

Links to video can be found here: http://www.twcnews.com/nys/capital-region/news/2016/03/17/saratoga-springs-new-york-students-learn-about-social-media-safety.html?cid=facebook_YNN-Albany

Saratoga Springs students took the day off to learn how to use social media safely and wisely. More than 250 students attended the Safe Spring Student Leadership Conference at Skidmore College Thursday.

Organized by the Saratoga County Prevention Council, the conference allowed students to discuss healthy online habits and behaviors. Students attended workshops about social media safety, media literacy and drug and alcohol prevention methods. Many of the workshops highlighted social media’s ability to skew perceptions of alcohol and drug use.

The Youth Specialist for the Saratoga Prevention Council, Kait Downey, says it is essential to teach students how to use social media appropriately.

“Social media can be a really great tool if it’s used responsibly,” Downey said, “and it’s up to parents and educators to try and help promote the safe and responsible use of it. Just remember to be light, bright and polite.”

Following the workshops, students spent the rest of the day dancing, chatting and snacking.

Overdose drug Narcan training in Saratoga Springs

March 14, 2016

Featured on: WRGB Albany 6 News

Link to full coverage can be found here: http://cbs6albany.com/news/local/overdose-drug-narcan-training-in-saratoga-springs

 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — A one-hour training session on how to use a drug that reverses an opioid or heroin overdose will be offered for the first time in Saratoga County Monday afternoon.

The Saratoga Springs Prevention Council, along with Catholic Charities are putting on the session. The hope is to get the general public involved in the fight against heroin by training them to administer Narcan.

New York is one of a handful of states where more people die every year from a drug overdose, than from car accidents. The number of deaths in the U.S. from heroin increased 6-fold from 2001 to 2014 according to the National Institute of Drug Abuse.

The makers of the reversal drug Narcan say it works within five minutes of administration. The drug knocks out those opiate or heroin receptors in the brain and can help a person start breathing normally again. The drug is given by nasal spray and within the last month independent pharmacies across the state are now allowed to hand out the drug. Both medical and non-medical persons can administer the drug.

“As opioids continue to be used in our county and throughout the country and there are more frequent overdoses than we’ve experienced before it’s important to have this training available and to have people in the community ready to respond,” Prevention Council Executive Director Janine Stuchin said.

The free session will be held at the Saratoga Springs Public Library from 3-4 p.m.

In addition to the March 14 training, other upcoming training dates are April 11 in Mechanicville; April 25 in Moreau, May 9 in Schuylerville, May 23 in Saratoga Springs, June 13 in South Glens Falls, June 27 in Vischer Ferry, July 13 in Hadley, July 25 in Charlton, Aug. 8 in Galway; Aug. 22 in Wilton, Sept. 12 in Clifton Park, Sept. 26 in Stillwater, Oct. 10 in Waterford, Oct. 24 in Malta, Nov. 14 in Wilton, and Dec. 12 in Ballston Spa. All sessions are from 6-7 p.m.

Details on locations and registration are available from the Prevention Council in Saratoga Springs, 581-1230, or on its website.

New effort announced to curb heroin overdoses

March 9, 2016

Featured on: WRGB Albany-CBS6

Link to feature can be found at: http://cbs6albany.com/news/local/new-effort-announced-to-curb-heroin-overdoses

SARATOGA SPRINGS-There’s new partnership to prevent heroin overdoses in our area.

The Saratoga Springs Prevention Council, along with Catholic Charities, have announced new training programs to deal with the growing problem.

The hope is to get the general public involved in the fight against heroin by training them to administer Narcan, a drug used to save someone who’s overdosing.

“As opioids continue to be used in our county and throughout the country and there are more frequent overdoses than we’ve experienced before it’s important to have this training available and to have people in the community ready to respond ” says Janine Stuchin, Executive Director of the Prevention Council.

Training is free and will be open to the public through the rest of the year.

Oct. 16 forum to raise awareness about heroin addiction

October 13, 2014

Story by: Jennie Grey

Featured in: Saratogian

Link to article can be found here: http://www.saratogian.com/general-news/20141013/oct-16-forum-to-raise-awareness-about-heroin-addiction

SARATOGA SPRINGS >> In response to the growing problem of heroin use by local teens and adults, the Prevention Council of Saratoga County is offering a community forum about heroin addiction in partnership with Saratoga Springs Public Library and Recovery Advocacy in Saratoga, a recently formed community organization.

The forum will take place from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 16, in the H. Dutcher Community Room at Saratoga Springs Public Library at 49 Henry St.

The forum will assemble a panel of people from Saratoga, including individuals in addiction recovery, law enforcement, physicians, prevention professionals and concerned families, to raise awareness of the rise in heroin use in the community.

Prevention Council Media and Marketing Specialist LeeAnn Mandrillo explained that heroin is a multifaceted problem.

“Heroin is like a hydra, the mythological beast with the many heads,” she said. “You cut one head off, and two grow back. The toll it takes is frightening.”

According to New York’s Combat Heroin campaign, heroin and opioid abuse have become a serious problem in communities across New York state and the nation. In 2013, there were 89,269 admissions for heroin and prescription opioid abuse treatment in New York state alone, an increase from 63,793 in 2004.

During this same time period, New Yorkers ages 18 to 24 had the largest increase in such admissions. Nationally, nearly a half-million people were reportedly abusing heroin or suffering from heroin dependence in 2012.

In December 2013, 17-year-old Daniel Lewis of Clifton Park was charged with injecting a 15-year-old with heroin at Shenendehowa High School. The incident was the first reported case of heroin use in any Saratoga County school district.

“Heroin is a growing problem that knows no demographic and does not discriminate,” Prevention Council Executive Director Janine Stuchin said. “We know it is related to the abuse of prescription opioid pain medication, where users are switching to heroin because it is cheaper and often more available. We also know the best solutions for prevention in our community are developed from the grass roots up.”

Mandrillo said one key solution to the problem was education. She encouraged people to become knowledgeable about the signs of heroin use and to communicate to others, especially adolescents, the dangers of addiction.

“We should lock our medicine cabinets and dispose of unwanted medications on Drug Take Back Day,” she said. “Parents should speak with their children about alcohol and drug use as early as middle school. Those conversations are really important. We need to talk with rather than at our kids.”

The panel will discuss the heroin crisis, including information about addiction as a disease that requires medical intervention, long-term recovery, the scope of the problem in Saratoga County, available local resources and what the community can do to reduce and prevent substance abuse.

“Tools like this forum open up critical conversations,” Mandrillo said. “We may feel sheltered here upstate, thinking we don’t have the drug issues of the large metropolitan areas — and these programs help us really educate ourselves. We can change public health by how we talk to one another.”

More information about the Combat Heroin campaign can be found at combatheroin.ny.gov/prevention.