Category: Substance Abuse

Encouraging Staten Islanders to safely dispose of unused medications

4/27/2018

On Friday, April 27th, Borough President James S. Oddo joined with Dennis Gonzalez, Acting Regional Director of the US Department of Health and Human Services, and representatives from NYPD and the recovery community outside the 122nd Precinct to announce the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day locations on Staten Island. National Prescription Drug Take Back Day took place on Saturday, April 28th.

“Staten Island is doing everything imaginable to push back against this epidemic, and I am proud to see that,” said BP Oddo. “We are doing lots of great things here, but we still need help. We need everyone to come together, law enforcement, the recovery community, elected officials, and especially the federal government.”

"In New York, every week, 70 people die due to a drug-related overdose," said Dennis Gonzalez. "It has to start with us, as individuals, in our homes. One way to do that is by cleaning out our medicine cabinets."

Chris Pancini, a former addict and recovery advocate, noted, "Through my experience of drug addiction, and the hardships of my life, this is near and dear to my heart. I know for myself that experimenting at 13 years old brought me to a really hard bottom. The first pill that I took could be removed from your medicine cabinet tonight."

If you missed National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, you can drop off unwanted prescription medications at the following locations throughout the year:

NYPD 120th Precinct, 78 Richmond Terrace
NYPD 122nd Precinct, 2320 Hylan Boulevard
NYPD 123rd Precinct, 116 Main Street
Delco Drugs, 3833 Richmond Avenue
Super Health Pharmacy, 6400 Amboy Road
Ocean Breeze Pharmacy, 1817 Hylan Blvd
Randal Manor Pharmacy, 395 Forest Avenue

Partnership uses technology to address opioid epidemic

4/2/2018

CHESS Health, a leading technology provider serving addiction treatment and relapse prevention, announced it has partnered with Staten Island Performing Provider System (SI PPS), an alliance of clinical and social service providers serving Medicaid and uninsured populations of Staten Island residents, and the Staten Island Borough President's Office. The partnership was struck to leverage CHESS Health’s A-CHESS Platform, including the Connections smartphone app, to enhance drug prevention and substance abuse treatment programs in SI PPS’s partner network across the borough.

The A-CHESS Platform including the Connections smartphone app, uses relapse prevention tools and condition-specific content to enable patients and their care team, including peer specialists, to connect 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This facilitates proactive, continuous engagement and faster intervention.

“Our office is determined to leave no stone unturned in our efforts to combat the opioid epidemic on Staten Island,” said BP Oddo. "When my staff presented their research highlighting the effectiveness of the A-CHESS Platform and corresponding smartphone app, it became clear that this tool could be a game-changer for the borough’s treatment community. Of course we turned to one of our most dependable partners, the SI PPS, to jointly fund this pilot effort which we anticpate will save lives.”

“We are delighted to join SI PPS and Borough President Oddo in their efforts to fight substance abuse in the Staten Island area,” said Hans Morefield, chief executive officer at CHESS Health. “One of the biggest obstacles to treatment success is relapse shortly after treatment. A-CHESS gives patients the tools to avoid relapse, right in their pocket.”
“We see the A-CHESS Platform as an integral part of our substance abuse treatment strategy,” said Ashley Blauvelt, director of project management at SI PPS. “Preventing relapse is essential to providing high quality care and avoiding preventable hospital admissions and readmissions.”SI PPS is one of 25 systems across New York State that receives funding through a Medicaid redesign grant via the New York State Department of Health for the Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment (DSRIP) program. DSRIP is an initiative with a goal to reduce preventable hospitalizations by 25% by 2020, and one that leverages technological innovation to improve outcomes for populations with chronic conditions like substance abuse disorders.

The Borough President’s Office has been on the front lines in the battle against opioid abuse from introducing evidence-based prevention programs into Staten Island’s schools to increasing access to life-saving Naloxone to an ongoing major data initiative in partnership with Johns Hopkins University and Northwell Health. CHESS Health is eager to contribute its expertise and proven platform to amplify the impact of these comprehensive efforts.
A-CHESS will be part of a year-long pilot program jointly funded by SI PPS and the Staten Island Borough President’s Office, to provide a continuum of services to recovery centers, outpatient counseling, inpatient detox, residential treatment and other recovery groups. Per Blauvelt, “We chose CHESS Health in part based on the need to provide data to validate outcomes from the pilot, a requirement to substantiate financial support to PPS partners for the grant.”

You can see a video about the app below:

New initiative to develop borough-wide data strategy in battle against opioid epidemic

2/9/2018

On Friday, February 9th, BP Oddo announced that his office is taking steps to develop a borough-wide data strategy to combat the opioid epidemic on Staten Island. The 90-day initiative, which will include public engagement and the convening of an expert panel, will yield a data roadmap that can be used to monitor progress and shape further efforts.

The goal of the effort is to take a comprehensive look at the opioid crisis on Staten Island and develop a focused data strategy that will enable an accurate assessment of the progress made to date, and help identify priority issues where more work is needed. The Office worked closely with Northwell Health on ensuring that both the clinical and non-clinical needs of the Staten Island community impacted by the opioid crisis would be addressed.

The process is expected to yield a total of 10 to 15 high priority measures. This campaign is designed to build on the momentum forged by the hard work being done every single day by treatment providers, law enforcement, government entities, and by many others engaged in this desperate battle to save lives.

To get the best ideas from across the Borough, the Office of the Borough President is seeking public input on key measures in six areas: Surveillance, Prevention, Reversal, Treatment, Diversion, and Recovery. The public comment period will be open for 30 days, beginning on Friday, February 9, through the following website: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/OpioidResponseSI

Members of the public are invited to submit comments.

The Office has also assembled an Opioid Data Working Group of nationally renowned experts from CUNY College of Staten Island, New York University, Northwell Health, and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. The panel will review public input, available data, and best practices across the country and propose a set of critical data points on the opioid epidemic and its response. The Opioid Data Working Group consists of:

●       Chinazo O. Cunningham, M.D., M.S.: Professor and Associate Chief of General Internal Medicine at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
●       Anthony C. Ferreri, DBA: CEO of Staten Island University Hospital from 2003 to 2014 and Senior Advisor to the Borough President.
●       Marc N. Gourevitch, MD, MPH: Professor and Chair of the Department of Population Health at the NYU School of Medicine.
●       Jonathan Morgenstern, PhD: Assistant Vice President for Addiction Services at Northwell Health and Professor of Psychiatry at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine.
●       Nora Santiago, Urban Policy Analyst/GIS Specialist at CUNY College of Staten Island.
The Opioid Data Working Group will consult with the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Office of the District Attorney, Staten Island Performing Provider System (PPS), Staten Island Partnership for Community Wellness, and the New York City Police Department in conducting their work. The group will also receive support and technical assistance from the Bloomberg American Health Initiative at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. They will produce a draft report, which will then be made available to the public for a 30-day comment period. Comments on the draft report may be submitted anonymously if commenters choose.

“It is important to acknowledge the impact of the great work being done on the ground to change the trajectory of this crisis,” said Borough President Oddo, “But we won’t declare victory until there is not a single overdose death in our borough. That’s why we are accelerating our efforts to make headway in this fight. We are launching a concerted effort—modeled after a successful initiative pioneered by Rhode Island—to identify key measures of progress in our battle against the opioid crisis. Put simply, we want to rally all of the important efforts on Staten Island around a set of clear, quantifiable priorities.”

Earlier this year, BP Oddo joined with District Attorney McMahon and the NYPD to announce that they have projected 30 fewer deaths from drug overdoses on Staten Island than there were in 2016—a 26% decrease. The report also noted that there were 286 Naloxone saves in 2017—200% more than in the previous year.

“Opioids have become one of the most deadly public health crises we have ever faced, especially here on Staten Island,” said Michael Dowling, President and CEO of Northwell Health, the state’s largest health care provider and private employer. “Defeating it will require a holistic approach that addresses clinical and nonclinical needs. With Borough President Oddo’s leadership, this initiative creates an opportunity for strong collaborations with clinicians, community based organizations, government and criminal justice officials. The impact of our collective efforts will ultimately save lives.”

District Attorney Michael McMahon said, “As the drug epidemic continues to claim the lives of our loved ones across the borough, it is crucial that our efforts are coordinated and focused on where we can best make a difference. I would like to commend Borough President Oddo for sponsoring the Data Initiative, to help guide our partners in law enforcement, local government, health, and beyond to the most effective and efficient responses to this deadly scourge.”

“I commend the Borough President for his tireless work to engage the community on the opioid epidemic,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett. “This new initiative will complement and extend the City’s work around opioids, engage Staten Island residents in effective practices, and further our work throughout the city to turn the opioid overdose epidemic around.”

“Using data effectively is critical to preventing overdoses and saving lives,” said Rhode Island Governor Gina M. Raimondo. “In Rhode Island, our work to strategically and comprehensively track measures around prevention, treatment, rescue, and recovery contributed to the modest success we saw in 2017, when overdoses were down by roughly 8% over the previous year. I commend the Borough President on his goal to use data to inform an overdose response plan that addresses the specific dynamics of this crisis in Staten Island.”

“As an anchor institution, the College of Staten Island is a critical partner in the borough-wide fight against the opioid epidemic. We are pleased to join the Borough President’s data initiative by contributing the College’s intellectual capital and expertise in the areas of health science, data analytics, and data mapping to this important effort,” said President William J. Fritz, College of Staten Island.

Following the panel and public comment period, a final report will be released in May.

Opioid epidemic resource website launched

7/24/2017

On Monday, July 24, BP Oddo joined with DA Mike McMahon to announce the launch of SIHOPE.org. The website contains various resources related to the opioid epidemic, ranging from information on addiction treatment services to ways to report drug activity in your neighborhood. As part of the public awareness campaign, lawn signs will encourage Staten Islanders to visit the site.

“Getting the word out about all of the efforts undertaken on the opioid epidemic is really important,” noted BP Oddo. “The District Attorney’s new website is making it a little easier with one central location for folks to access information.”

"It's a one-stop shop for those battling addiction, those with a loved one who is struggling, or those who simply want to get involved in helping end this horrible crisis," said District Attorney Michael McMahon.

To check out the website, click here.

Too Good For Drugs 2017 graduates honored at ceremony

6/2/2017

On Friday, June 2nd, BP Oddo joined with members of the NYPD to congratulate students who participated in this year’s Too Good For Drugs program at New Dorp High School. The curriculum is co-taught in the classroom by an NYPD police officer and a school teacher. Too Good For Drugs teaches children how to handle peer pressure, deal with outside influences and make healthy decisions through interactive games and skits.

The program, which is in its third year, took place in every 5th grade class on Staten Island. The program was also piloted for 7th graders in four middle schools and for freshman at New Dorp High School.

At the ceremony, BP Oddo and members of the NYPD spoke about the dangers of addiction and encouraged students to act as leaders in and out of the classroom. At the end of the ceremony, students took a pledge to abstain from tobacco, alcohol and drugs.

BP Oddo, who noted that he wants to see the program expand even further, told the graduates, “Through this program, you are going to be part of the solution. We need you. We can’t win this battle without you. We need your help in the pushback in the fight against addiction.”

“The idea here was not just to give you coping tools, but to mold yourself into that leadership role,” said Assistant Chief Edward Delatorre, Borough Commander of NYPD.

About 7,900 students participated in the program this year.

Drug Prevention Portal Launched

5/12/2017

On Friday, May 12th, BP Oddo joined with the Staten Island Performing Provider System (SI PPS) to launch the Drug Prevention Portal, a new website that tracks data in the battle against the opioid epidemic. The website includes information on Naloxone saves, overdose deaths, Emergency Department visits and hospital admissions. In addition, it provides resources for the families of those suffering from addiction, including contact information for treatment providers and information on where to get Naloxone kits.

The idea for the Drug Prevention Portal came from the BP’s Policy team, who found a similar dashboard that compiles data in Rhode Island. Working in conjunction with the PPS, they adapted it for Staten Island’s specific needs.

“Late in 2016 my Policy staff presented to me exciting information about the Rhode Island Dashboard that has been such a useful tool in that State as they battle their own opioid epidemic,” said BP Oddo. “We agreed that we simply have to bring something similar to Staten Island. We immediately asked our partners at the SI PPS, who have the experience, access to data, and technical capability to undertake such a project, to consider building our own local dashboard. It is exciting to see it released to the public. Let me be clear, this is not data collection for the sake of data collection; rather this dashboard will be a real time resource for those who need assistance, as well as policymakers as we continue to look for new ways to fight this deadly epidemic.”

“By creating this web service for our partners, providers and the community, we have been able to provide an invaluable resource for improving the health and wellness of its users. The site centers on tackling the drug epidemic by bringing together useful data sources, key research and other tools for users to access in an easy to use and convenient online platform. We are very excited to hear about the user experience of the site from our various partners, and hope to continuously improve and build upon this new addition to our arsenal in the fight against substance abuse,” said Celina Ramsey, Director of Health Literacy, Diversity & Outreach at SI PPS.

Check out the portal here: www.sidrugprevention.org

HOPE Initiative Redirects Addicts to Treatment

2/15/2017

On Wednesday, February 15th, BP Oddo joined with District Attorney McMahon, NYPD Assistant Chief Delatorre and health professionals to announce the Heroin Overdose Prevention and Education (HOPE) initiative, which redirects low-level drug offenders to community-based health and treatment services instead of jail and prosecution. The goal of HOPE is to reduce drug overdoses and improve public safety by getting those suffering from addiction onto the path to recovery.

The program allows eligible offenders to meet with peer coaches to provide them with a naloxone kit and talk to them about the program. The peer coach will also encourage the individual to visit a community based Resource and Recovery Center, of which there are two on Staten Island – one that runs 24 hours on the North Shore by Community Health Action of Staten Island, and another that operates on the South Shore by Christopher’s Reason and the Resource Training Center. If the individual decides to pursue treatment, the case will not be prosecuted.

“We have to think outside the box on this issue,” said BP Oddo. “We’ve begun to do that with our Too Good for Drugs and HOPE initiatives. We need to work together with law enforcement, health professionals and community-based organizations to help educate the next generation about the dangers of opioids and get those in need into treatment. This initiative is just one part of our multi-faceted approach to dealing with the opioid epidemic.”

“This effort recognizes that substance abuse illness is both a public health and a public safety crisis that is endangering our community and demands urgent collective action. Too often in our criminal justice system, individuals suffering from substance abuse disorder find that treatment or services are too far out of their reach or offered too late in the process to have meaning in their lives. Putting this effort in place has been an extraordinary example of the power that government can harness and mobilize across multiple disciplines to tackle a crisis effectively,” said District Attorney Michel McMahon.

In 2015, Staten Island had the highest rate of overdose death of any of the five boroughs and one of the highest rates in all of New York State. Last year, the NYPD reported more than 90 suspected overdose deaths on Staten Island and an additional 74 overdose-reversals with the drug Naloxone made by the NYPD.

Every Staten Island Elected Official Joins Borough President Oddo in Signing onto Letter to Governor and Mayor saying: “Thank you; We Need More Help” on Opioid Epidemic

1/12/2017

“Thank you; we need more help,” is the message of a short letter drafted by Borough President James S. Oddo and signed by every other elected official on Staten Island to Governor Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio.

The letter, dated January 10, 2017 and addressed to Governor Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio reads in total as follows:

“We sincerely thank you for all you have done to help us fight the opioid epidemic plaguing Staten Island.

“We desperately need more help.

“We are hopeful we can all get in the same room in the near future to figure out how we can do even more.”

Ironically, within hours of sending the letter, the Governor sent out a press release announcing a slew of new proposals in his State of the State to combat this epidemic state wide.

“I certainly welcome the Governor’s new proposals, and look forward to learning more about them,” said Borough President Oddo. “In fact, they are an indication of how important it is to get in the same room to discuss all our efforts and discuss what more can be done. At our December 2, 2016 meeting I hosted at Borough Hall, my colleagues and I agreed that the crisis is so pervasive and serious that we must be working with the highest reaches of the state and city government to solve it. This letter appealing to the Governor and Mayor for their direct engagement with us asks just for that. Does the request reflect a bit of chutzpah on our part? Perhaps. But the cause is that important and the consequences of inaction too serious.”

Besides Borough President Oddo, the bipartisan group of elected officials signing onto the letter was: District Attorney Michael McMahon, Congressman Dan Donovan, State Senators Andrew Lanza and Diane Savino, Assembly Members Michael Cusick, Matthew Titone, Nicole Malliotakis, and Ron Castorina, and Council Members Steven Matteo, Joe Borelli, and Debi Rose.

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