​(The following was written by Jennifer Sammartino, Deputy Chief of Staff)
 
Never wanting to be left out, I follow social media closely on new films, books, and news. About two weeks ago I started hearing about the film, “Beautiful Boy,” and I told myself that the next time I wasn’t feeling well, I’d curl up and watch it. After all, I have an entire season of “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” to catch up on. 
 
But after a colleague mentioned it again, and talked about how it hits home for Staten Islanders, I decided to make this movie a priority. I grabbed my tablet, clicked onto Amazon Prime and loaded up the film, directed by Felix van Groeningen, starring Steve Carrell and Timothee Chalamet.
 
Right out of the gate, the film – which is based on the memoirs of David (the father, played by Carrell) and Nick Sheff (Chalamet) – hits the ground running, and the audience is immediately aware that this is a family in the throes of addiction. There won’t be much laughter, but I can assure you there will be tears, as David desperately seeks ways to help his drug-addicted son.
 
Done via flashbacks to Nick as a small child, we see a very idyllic father-son relationship and can’t help but wonder where things went wrong. Here’s a smart kid who gets into the college of his choice, an older brother who is nothing but sweet and fun with his younger half-siblings, yet has fallen into using a myriad of illegal drugs.
 
The movie doesn’t waste time with the “why” of Nick’s addiction – my guess is because the why really doesn’t matter. Or perhaps there is no “why.” Like so many kids, he experimented, but that can’t have been enough.  Regardless, here the family is, despite all of their resources and love and patience, dealing with a situation with which they are totally unfamiliar.
 
It slapped me in the face. This story could have been told here on Staten Island. I immediately recognized the similarities between the Sheff family and so many families on the Island –thrust into a tailspin of fear, disgust, confusion, anger, and hurt.
As someone who knows several families who have been down this road, I saw their pain, I hugged them in their grief, I prayed for them. But I haven’t lived it and if you haven’t either – this movie is an eye-opener.
 
David does research - and even uses drugs himself - to try to understand what is happening with his son. In and out of rehab, Nick finally clicks with a sponsor and manages to stay clean for 14 months. But if you thought the credits were going to roll, you’d be wrong.
 
This film is an emotional roller coaster that mirrors the lives of so many of our neighbors right now. If you’ve ever thought to yourself, “why can’t he just stop?” or “why won’t she just quit?” – this film is for you. Watch this family’s experience, feel their anguish and their happiness and their disappointment. It will help you look at those neighbors differently and prevent you from judging what you and I can’t really understand. 

People usually think of health as only physical, but in reality, mental health is equally, if not more important to our complete health. It is vital to recognize mental health problems early to get treatment where it is needed. People often don’t get care soon enough out of the fear of the social isolation and rejection they may face when family and friends don’t understand their struggles. Mental health problems are very common, and the conversation around them needs to be normalized. Here are five points you should know about mental health:

1. Approximately 1 in 5 adults and adolescents experience a severe mental illness at some point during their lives.
2. Approximately half of chronic mental illness begins by the age of 14, and three-quarters begins by age 24. Unfortunately, mental health issues are often not recognized properly because there is a stigma around talking about it or reaching out for help.
3. The suicide rate is rising in NYC, with suicide being the second leading cause of death in 15 to 29 year olds.
4. Mental health disorders are the leading cause of disability and are a risk factor for substance use and other chronic diseases.
5. Stigma and discrimination often prevent people from seeking mental health care. This is incredibly detrimental to those suffering from mental illness. We need to do all we can to end the stigma around mental illness and help those who are suffering get the proper care.

 
If you need help, New York City has free, confidential mental health support 24/7 that can be reached at 1-888-NYC-WELL (1-888-692-9355). You can also text “WELL” to 65173 to get help for you or a loved one who is coping with issues like stress, depression, anxiety, or drug and alcohol misuse. You can get more information here.

Controlling our deer population is not, by any stretch, the only avenue we are travelling in an effort to control the spread of Lyme disease on Staten Island.  We recently took to the highways to visit the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in the town of Millbrook, in Dutchess County, to meet with the senior scientist overseeing what is called the Tick Project: Dr. Richard Ostfeld.  The Tick Project is a large-scale, long-term experiment to test whether neighborhood interventions can reduce the tick population and prevent tick-borne diseases in individual communities.
 
The five-year project, which began in 2017, is focusing on reducing the number of ticks in people's yards by using two methods, separately or together; both are simple and safe for people, pets, and the environment.
 
The first is the “Tick Control System” (TCS), a simple but ingenious idea that utilizes a small bait box to attracts rodents.  When the rodent enters the box, it is coated with a drop of fipronil, a broad-spectrum insecticide that is the active ingredient in many tick treatments used on pets.  The second method uses Metarhizium anisopliae, (Met52) a derivative of a naturally occurring fungus found in the forest soils in eastern North America.  Met52 is designed to kill ticks, but is not harmful to other insects or arachnids.
 
Dr. Ostfeld reported that “The Tick Project” is now in its 2nd year. Over 2,000 residents in twenty-four Dutchess County neighborhoods have volunteered to participate, and the research is conducted in a randomized, placebo-controlled double blind study – the scientific gold standard.
 
According to the Institute, “by targeting ticks, we anticipate that neighborhoods treated with Met52 and TCS will have fewer ticks and fewer cases of tick-borne diseases. The study outcome will allow us to recommend Lyme disease prevention plans that could be immediately adopted by local municipalities, governments, community groups or neighborhoods.”
 
The need for prevention is stronger than ever, with expanding tick populations and more than 300,000 Americans diagnosed with Lyme disease each year.  In the meantime, here are some facts you should know:
 

• Though most adult ticks remain inactive during the winter, ticks that did not previously acquire a blood meal can be active searching for hosts at any time in the winter when temperatures rise above freezing – so colder weather does not guarantee safety;
• Black-legged ticks favor shaded wooded areas, so hikers are encouraged to stay on cleared paths;
• Mice, chipmunks and shrews carry the Lyme bacterium but apparently do not suffer ill effects; their immune systems fail to even bother mounting a defense to the disease;
• Deer are prime hosts for adult black-legged ticks, as over a hundred ticks can feast on a single deer;
• Researchers recommend that parents use approved treatments such as DEET and permethrin on clothing and footwear to safeguard youngsters playing in possible tick environments;
• A single tick bite can pack a double (or triple) pathogen punch: physicians are diagnosing more cases of Lyme, babesiosis and anaplasmosis in New York;
• Nymphal ticks (mid-point in a tick’s life cycle) are as small as poppy seeds, can deliver the infection to people just as an adult tick can, and are most abundant from May through July.

​We will be following the results of these studies very carefully, and when the time comes we will advocate strongly for these methods to be used on Staten Island. 

The truth is that our quality-of-life here is threatened by many man-made problems, from poor roads to lack of housing options to high taxes to ultra-long commutes.  But we can no longer turn a blind eye to the dangers Mother Nature throws our way – they need to be dealt with as well.

The following blog post was written by Dr. Ginny Mantello, Director of Health and Wellness.
​
If you are a parent dealing with a child on the autism spectrum, you may have heard many different terms, including high-functioning autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, atypical autism, autism spectrum disorder, and pervasive developmental disorder. Understandably, there is a great deal of confusion about the names of various autism-related disorders and what it means to have a child diagnosed on the autism spectrum. In 2013, The American Psychiatric Association attempted to simplify matters by combining the list of developmental disorders into a single diagnostic classification called Autism Spectrum Disorder.
 
Every child on the autism spectrum has unique abilities, symptoms, and challenges. Learning about the different autism spectrum disorders will help you better understand your own child, get a handle on what all the different autism terms mean, and make it easier to communicate with the doctors, teachers, and therapists helping your child. Here are 5 things to know about Autism Spectrum Disorder: 

1. Autism is not a single disorder, but a group of closely related disorders referred to as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Some professionals speak of “the autisms” to avoid addressing the sometimes subtle differences among the conditions along the autism spectrum, as they share a list of common core symptoms.
2. ASD is the fastest growing developmental disorder. The prevalence of ASD has risen to 1 in 64 births, compared to 2004, when the rate was 1 in 125, according to the CDC.
3. People with ASD have difficulty with social communication and interaction, restricted interests, and repetitive behaviors. ASD is diagnosed based on the presence of multiple symptoms that disrupt a person’s ability to communicate, form relationships, explore, play, and learn.
4. Scientists believe that both genetics and environment play a role in causing ASD. Although scientists are still trying to understand why some people develop ASD and others don’t, some risk factors include: having a sibling with ASD, having older parents, having certain genetic conditions, as well as a very low birth weight.
5. Early diagnosis and early intervention are key to improving a child's development with ASD. There is no single medical test that can diagnose it definitively; instead, in order to accurately pinpoint your child's problem, multiple evaluations and tests may be necessary. Early intervention during the preschool years will improve your child’s chances for overcoming his or her developmental delays.

 
Take a look at my segment with NY1 where I talk about these 5 points and the importance of talking with your health care provider about any concerns you may have with your child’s development:
​http://www.ny1.com/nyc/staten-island/week-in-review/2018/04/13/5-things-to-know-about-autism
​

The following blog post was written by Dr. Ginny Mantello, Director of Health and Wellness.
​
Most people may not know that colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States and the second leading cause in New York State. The American Cancer Society has predicted that in 2018 alone, there will be 140,000 new cases diagnosed and about 50,000 deaths from the disease. This means that there are a large number of people who are not being screened early enough. You can reduce your risk of getting colorectal cancer by reducing risk factors.

Here are 5 things to know about colorectal cancer:

1. Colon cancer is the third leading cause of cancer and cancer-related deaths in both men and women.
2. A person’s risk of getting colon cancer increases with age. It also increases based on certain underlying conditions, such as adenomatous polyps, inflammatory bowel disease, ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease, or a family history of colon cancer.
3. Over the past few decades, the overall death rate from colon cancer has been dropping, but there has been a sharp rise in colorectal cancer rate and deaths in younger population. It is important to talk to your doctor, no matter what your age is, if you have any underlying conditions.
4. Colon cancer is linked to certain lifestyle factors, such as smoking, obesity, drinking alcohol, and lack of physical activity. In order for people to reduce their risk factors, it is important for people to be mindful of their lifestyles.
5. Colon cancer is preventable through screenings. It is important to have routine screenings, as symptoms don’t always present themselves. Colonoscopies are the gold standard, but there are other options available, such as an at-home FIT or FOBT test.

​
Staten Island has a free program for those without insurance called the Cancer Services Program. This program, funded through the City Council, is available at both Staten Island hospitals and provides free colonoscopies. You can get more information by calling 718-226-6447.

Talk with your doctor or a health professional if you have any concerns and remember to get screened. 

The following blog post was written by Dr. Ginny Mantello, Director of Health and Wellness.

Cardiovascular disease occurs in the heart and blood vessels and includes numerous problems, like a buildup of plaque, which can lead to heart attack or stroke. You might be surprised to hear that cardiovascular disease is just as deadly in women as it is in men. In fact, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute says 1 in 4 women die of heart disease.

​Certain people have a predisposition to cardiovascular disease, but there are steps you can take to reduce the risk. Please take a moment to read this information on heart disease and pass it along to your friends and family:

• Cardiovascular disease (heart attacks and strokes) continues to be the number one cause of mortality across the Nation, causing 1 in 3 deaths.
• While certain risk factors like genetics, race, and age are not in our control, 70-80% of risk factors for heart disease are modifiable.
• Get your yearly well visit and know your ABC's: A1C or blood sugar levels, Blood Pressure, Cholesterol 
• Talk to your doctor about how to reduce your blood sugar levels, manage your blood pressure, and control your cholesterol.
• If you smoke, talk to your doctor about help with quitting.
• Maintain a normal weight, eat healthy, and get active!

For more information or to get your “My Life Check” assessment, click here. 

The following blog post was written by Dr. Ginny Mantello, Director of Health and Wellness.

​All women are at risk for cervical cancer, a disease of the female reproductive organs, but the good news is that this type of cancer is highly curable when found and treated early.

The American Cancer Society estimates there will be over 13,000 new cases of invasive cervical cancer diagnosed in the United States this year. Therefore, it is important to raise awareness about this disease. Here are a few things you should know about cervical cancer:
​

• Cervical cancer used to be the leading cause of cancer death for women in the US. Due to improved screening techniques, over the past 40 years, the number of cases of cervical cancer and the number of deaths from cervical cancer has decreased dramatically.
• Cervical cancer occurs most often in women over age 30.
• Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the main cause of cervical cancer. HPV is a common sexually-transmitted infection, which many people will have at some point in their lives. Often, it shows no symptoms and will go away on its own. Most women who have HPV will not get cervical cancer, but it is a risk factor.
• Cervical cancer is the easiest gynecologic cancer to prevent through regular testing.
• Early on, cervical cancer may not cause signs and symptoms, so it is important to get screened regularly.
• If cervical cancer is found early, it is highly treatable and associated with long survival and good quality of life for the patient.
• Pap smear and HPV test can screen for cancer. The Pap test only screens for cervical cancer, while the HPV test looks for HPV, the virus that can cause precancerous cell changes and cervical cancer, so talk to your doctor about both.

If you are a woman over 40 years old and are uninsured, you may be eligible for a free cervical cancer screening through the Cancer Services Program. To learn more, call (866) 422-2262.

To learn more about cervical cancer, visit https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/cervical/