On a recent warm evening at the College of Staten Island, Borough President Oddo and the Staten Island Performing Provider System (PPS) hosted a comprehensive session for physicians, nurses and other healthcare professionals, focused on creating solutions to the substance abuse epidemic on the Island.
The session – presented to a pretty full theater - was well received and focused on not only identifying the problem in patients, but reducing stigma by integrating support and treatment into primary care offices. The presenting physicians – both with the city’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) – also gave examples of “unlikely” patients who were living with addiction, including a grandma who said no one would sell her heroin because no one would believe she used it. The reality is, there is no “typical addict.”
DOHMH's Drs. Jessica Kattan and Hillary Kunins both gave informative presentations on treating addiction with medication (including prescribing information), which has been shown to be more successful than treatment without medication, they said.
Dr. Salvatore Volpe, Director of the Staten Island PPS and Dr. Ginny Mantello, Health and Wellness Director for the BP, hosted a Q&A session after the presentations.
The session – presented to a pretty full theater - was well received and focused on not only identifying the problem in patients, but reducing stigma by integrating support and treatment into primary care offices. The presenting physicians – both with the city’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) – also gave examples of “unlikely” patients who were living with addiction, including a grandma who said no one would sell her heroin because no one would believe she used it. The reality is, there is no “typical addict.”
DOHMH's Drs. Jessica Kattan and Hillary Kunins both gave informative presentations on treating addiction with medication (including prescribing information), which has been shown to be more successful than treatment without medication, they said.
Dr. Salvatore Volpe, Director of the Staten Island PPS and Dr. Ginny Mantello, Health and Wellness Director for the BP, hosted a Q&A session after the presentations.
