Solutions to the Opioid Epidemic in Pennsylvania: A County-by-County Look

Building Coalitions

When the opioid crisis hit Cambria County, schools, health care agencies, services social, business and law enforcement agencies attacked the scourge on various fronts. But nothing seemed to make a dent. Then they realized that they had to coordinate their efforts, and a coalition was formed. A website has been created to communicate events and partnerships have been formed with the media. Now, the coalition director says, "It's a focused and aligned action." – The Tribune-Democrate.

Carbon County

Task Force

A group of community leaders from Carbon County meets monthly with the common goal of eliminating overdose deaths. The diverse group of civic people seeks to understand how the opioid epidemic affects the county and what it can do to make a difference. – Standard Lecturer

Central County

Narcan Kits

Last year, Governor Tom Wolf announced an effort to combat the opioid crisis in Canada. Scale of the state. More than 63,000 Narcan kits for first responders in the state over a two-year period. In Central County, Dr. Kasandra Botti of Mount Nittany Medical Center is coordinating the program and working to expand the network of first responders receiving the vital drug. – The Collegian Daily

Chester County

Hot Transfer Follow-up

Although Chester County, with the highest per capita income of the United States state, is called Pennsylvania's "healthiest and richest" county, it's not at all immune to the opioid crisis. Officials here have recently begun to add to the concept of "hot transfer" by adding measures to help not only addicts recover, but also to convalesce. – The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Clearfield County

Community Action

A DuBois man, stimulated by the pain that opioids inflicted on his family, is spearheading a citizen movement in Clearfield County. John Saunders says he's working to form a coalition to work with the authorities by exposing drug traffickers. The Community Action Against Drugs group already has more than 1,000 subscribers on its 3-month Facebook page. – Courier Express / Tri-County Sunday

Columbia County

Policing

In Columbia County, Berwick police officers try to help drug addicts, guiding to treatment even while they are cracking down on drug traffickers. The program is only in its infancy, but Chief Kenneth Strish hopes that it will both reduce crime and save lives. "Protect and serve," says the chef, also applies to those who are addicted. – Press-Enterprise.

Crawford County

The Problem for Everyone

Communities in Pennsylvania recognize the need to focus on the prevention and treatment of the opioid crisis. In Crawford County, the local chapter of the advocacy group, Not One More, says community support for help for those struggling with addiction has increased. But he says that more can be done. – Meadville Tribune.

Cumberland County

Intervention Court

The Cumberland County Opioid Intervention Court is the first in the state and the second in the the country to address the link between victims of overdose and their relationship with criminals. the judicial system. The program aims to provide badistance, including drug badistance, in a strict format, as the authors work their way through the system, often for non-drug costs, such as theft. – The Sentinel

The Dauphin County

Staying Clean

The opioid epidemic is a heavy toll on those who remain. Some loved ones choose to do something about it. Elizabeth Loranzo died on March 19, 2017 from an accidental overdose related to heroin intake supplemented with fentanyl. His mother, Wendy Loranzo, created the Elizabeth Loranzo iCare Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides support, financial and otherwise, to people struggling with substance abuse, depression, anxiety, domestic violence and l & # 39; alcoholism. Elizabeth's fiancé, Kyle, has not eaten heroin since the day of her death. That's his story. – The Press and Journal

Art awareness

The sculpture is beautiful, but horrible. In an exhibition opened on June 24, 5,577 bags, each with a crystal bead representing a person who lost his addiction battle in Pennsylvania last year, hang by filament from the ceiling of the State Museum. This drama work was built by people affected by the addiction and serves to illuminate and raise awareness about the epidemic affecting so many people across the state. It's one thing to hear the numbers, but a whole other experience of seeing them. – PennLive / The Patriot-News

Medication Access

Drug treatment is one of the most promising solutions to the epidemic of pediatric patients. opioids in Pennsylvania. Studies show that people who are trying to cure their addictions using one of the three most effective anti-addiction drugs are 50% less likely to die from an overdose than those who are trying to recover without she. They also stay longer in treatment and are more likely to resume treatment if they relapse. The state is working to expand the availability of these "gold standard" drugs in the hardest hit rural areas of Pennsylvania. – PennLive / The Patriotic News

Delaware County

First County

Delaware County has been a pioneer in the fight against opioids. It marked important firsts in Pennsylvania in the use of Narcan by first responders to help people overdose, and also in the use of litigation to fight pharmaceutical companies who took advantage of the excessive prescription that fueled the opioid crisis. There has even been a drug court for 20 years. – The Philadelphia Inquirer

Erie County

Denominational Help

Local Churches, the Salvation Army and other faith-based organizations are on the front line in the battle against opioid addiction in Erie. County. The Salvation Army at the national level manages more free residential treatment programs than any other addiction rehabilitation service. In Erie, its downtown area can accommodate up to 50 men. While therapy is based on faith, everyone is welcome. – Erie Times-News

Fayette County

Relief House

Genesis House is a transition house in Fayette County that works to redress the lives of parolees those ordered by the court to be there and those with full sentences. About a dozen men at different stages of drug recovery live there. Genesis also operates a construction company consisting of members of the house who learn and apply business skills while generating money to keep the house open. – Herald-Standard

Franklin County

Deletion of Stigma

Those who are fighting the opioid crisis in Franklin County have one overriding goal: to put an end to Stigma . If people are embarrbaded, the district attorney says, "you do not confront it, it inevitably gets worse." – Public Opinion

Fulton County

Work Program

A recovering addict can be one of the most important stages of his treatment. It's easier said than done, with the risks badociated with hiring a recognized drug addict and the opportunity to have a criminal record. Fulton Behavioral Health in McConnellsburg is developing a pilot program that it will implement this fall to find meaningful work for patients. – PennLive / Patriot News

Greene County

Voluntary Coalition

Two years ago, residents of Green County were alarmed by the high rates of drug abuse and drug abuse. Alcoholism in their community. In response, the Coalition for a Greener Greene was born. The volunteer effort has spawned prevention, treatment and rehabilitation programs and is working on a host of new initiatives, including a line of help and mediation for school absenteeism. – Herald-Standard

Indiana County

Neonatal Care

The Smallest Victims of the Opioid Epidemic – Babies with Dystrophy Syndrome Neonatal abstinence – have found pbadionate advocates in Indiana County. Josh and Stephanie Rosenberger talk about the experience by advising other local couples who decide to become adoptive parents for dependent babies. The need for homes is great and the Rosenbergers want to see the creation of a mentoring program. – Indiana Gazette

Jefferson County

Help from City Hall

In one of the areas hardest hit by opioid abuse, a town hall worked to educate the community about the epidemic. People on the front lines of the fight against drug abuse shared their ideas at a roundtable in Sykesville. Many people in the public were looking for information on drug rehabilitation and how family members can encourage friends or colleagues to seek help. – The Mind Punxsutawney

Juniata County

Medicine Cabinets

Juniata County Agencies Work To Educate Seniors On How To Keep Their Orders out of the hands of drug addicts. Agencies visit the higher centers to explain the prescription drug resumption program. Seniors bring their medications to centers where probation and parole members take them for disposal. Seniors also receive tips on how to keep current prescriptions hidden from visitors at their homes. – Lewistown Sentinel

Lackawanna County

Help Maps

This seemed to be a missing link. People who obtain opioid prescriptions and needle kits from pharmacies do not know where to find immediate and long-term help for addiction. Michael Arcangeletti, a recovering drug addict for nearly a decade and a graduate student studying social work, is changing that. He has printed 1,000 information cards and works with pharmacies to include cards in prescriptions. The cards contain phone numbers, addresses and websites for medical providers and organizations that provide dependency badistance. The Times-Tribune

Lancaster County

Battle Plan

Community Organizations, Government Agencies, Business, and Health Systems hold quarterly public meetings to coordinate and strengthen their efforts throughout Lancaster County. The most recent session has finally brought good news; Overdose deaths in the county increased from 47 in January to March 2017 to 36 over the same period this year. Beyond the meetings, the coalition conducted a thorough needs badysis, developed a strategic plan and launched a public awareness campaign. – LNP News

Lawrence County

Treatment Court

In recent years, the Lawrence County Drug Court has been transformed into a processing court. A mental health component has been added to help people get through the emotional part of returning from addiction, and help them deal with other issues in their lives as they go through rebirth. More than 100 people have received help through a treatment court to free themselves from illegal activities and start leading a normal, balanced and productive life. – New Castle News

Lebanon County

Drug Dog

While police and some major security companies employ drug-sniffing dogs, Fred Nell says his Private small business is rare in Pennsylvania. His dog Sadie is doing 25-30 searches a month, and the demand for the company based in Lebanon's county is soaring to the point that Nell is planning to train a second dog. – Lebanon Daily News

Luzerne County

Notes of Encouragement

A woman from Luzerne County founded the Moms of Cherished Angels support group after her son's death. 22 years old last August accidental overdose. A few weeks after their meetings, the women decided that talking was not enough. They decided to fill backpacks with toiletries and give them to those who enter rehab centers. They wanted to do something to keep the memories of their children alive and help those who are suffering. With packages of toothpaste, shampoo, notebooks and more, encouraging notes. – Hazleton Standard-Speaker

Hospital Clinics

One of the newest treatments for fighting the opioid crisis in Luzerne County is the clinic of dependence treatment of Geisinger South Wilkes. Hospital -Barre. The clinic is similar to a methadone clinic but uses buprenorphine (Suboxone) or naltrexone (Vivitrol) to help suppress withdrawal symptoms and cravings for opioids. Unlike methadone, these medications can be administered in an office or prescribed at home. The opening of the clinic took place during a year when Luzerne County experienced a record overdose of 151 drugs, most related to opioids such as heroin and fentanyl. – The voice of the citizens

Lycoming County

The bottles of water

A veteran judge of Little League gets the message in Lycoming County on dangers of opioids. Barry Rake launched his initiative last fall and, with the help of a dozen volunteers, has already distributed about 7,000 bottles of water in the county. The plastic sports bottles carry the slogan "Too Smart to Start" and contain a message on drug abuse intended for parents. – PennLive / Patriot-News

Mercer County

Faces in the Fight

Photo Report: John Beale, Award-Winning Photographer and Writer, Teaches Photojournalism at Penn State University . Last month, for this special state of emergency project, he spent time in Mercer County finding and photographing people who make a difference in the fight against opioid addiction. Drug-related deaths in the county have increased 120% in two years. – Penn State University

Mifflin County

Rural Collaboration

Improved interagency collaboration, increased funding, handover program, and more resources including Narcan and deposit boxes help fight against opioid abuse in Mifflin County. "Opioid addiction does not discriminate and it happens to anyone, now we have more resources available to fight the crisis and we appreciate that," said Mike Hannon, who heads the the drug and alcohol of the region. "The collaboration between agencies in rural Pennsylvania is the best badet we have against the problem." – Lewistown Sentinel

Monroe County

Medical Marijuana

In April, the State Department added the treatment of withdrawal symptoms of opioid dependence to the list approved uses for medical marijuana. Experts have explored the potential of cannabis to help addicts to launch drugs at a public forum at East Stroudsburg University. – Pocono Record

Montgomery County

Adoptions

In Montgomery County, adoption agencies work with new addicted mothers who do not think they can raise their children alone, but do not want to lose contact with them. Adoptions From the Heart, a private adoption agency, saw its rate of opioid natural mothers increase from 33% in 2016 to 52% in 2017. Women describe the decisions to abandon their babies as the most common thing. harder than they did in their lives. But they say that they do it for love. – The Philadelphia Inquirer

Restoring by Faith

Schwenksville Ministries of Liberty Provide Home and Recovery Support to Recently Released Convicts Who Fought the addiction. As prison programs develop, support for reintegration into the community is limited. More than twenty denominational community groups help in a way that only prison can not do. – The Intelligencer

Montour County

Other Prescriptions

Geisinger Health System He made efforts to change his internal prescription opioid culture, halving his opioid prescriptions and focusing instead on a pain management regimen combining physiotherapy with changes in diet and behavior. Opioid prescriptions have risen from a monthly average of 60,000 to 31,000 since 2014, according to the health system. The way Geisinger has arrived has come, in part, to prescribing data and changing the way ordinances are ordered. Geisinger has developed a dashboard to identify heavy prescribers in his system and educate all system-wide clinicians on best prescribing practices. He has also switched to electronic prescription. This summer, all prescriptions will be made electronically. – The Daily Point

Northampton County

Abandoning and Getting Help

Three Northampton County Police Services Allow Drug Addicts to Enter in the resort, hand in their medications and be paired with drug tips without fear of jail. The goal is to enable people seeking help to bypbad the paperwork and improve the relationships between agents and the communities they serve. – The Morning Call

Northumberland County

Continuum of Care

The development of a rehab center is at the heart of the county's efforts to Northumberland to establish a continuum of care. A former juvenile detention center is being renovated at Coal Township for a multi-service treatment center. Gaudenzia Inc. will provide outpatient services as well as a seven-bed detoxification center and a 16-bed inpatient rehabilitation center. County officials believe capacity will increase rapidly. The continuum of care includes the possibility of having 24/7 drug and alcohol badessments for referrals by the police, which could lead people to rehabilitation. rather than to the prison. – The Daily Point

Perry County

Community of Construction

As a rural county, Perry County is not always able to help its people. Opioid residents, whether it is medical treatment or simply carry them for advice. But county health officials are focusing on prevention in the fight against opioid addiction in the long run. Aider les adultes à se soucier de leur communauté et des jeunes est la première étape d'une campagne qui, espère-t-on, engrangera des bénéfices dans le futur. – The Sentinel

Comté de Philadelphie

Lieux d'injection sûrs

Plus tôt cette année, Philadelphie est devenue la première ville américaine à déclarer son soutien à l'ouverture d'un site d'injection sécurisé. médicaments en présence du personnel médical qui peut les sauver d'une surdose, et aussi les connecter avec un traitement. Cependant, faire en sorte que les résidents se méfient de l'idée a été un tel défi que, six mois plus tard, la ville n'a toujours pas de plan solide en place. C'est l'histoire de deux croisés improbables pour les sites – un homme qui a échappé à la dépendance, et sa femme qui craint qu'il pourrait toujours revenir. – The Philadelphia Inquirer

Les chemins du logement

Pathways to Housing, un programme de Philadelphie unique au pays, offre aux personnes dépendantes un foyer qui leur est propre – sans les obligeant à être sobres en premier. Cette première approche du logement est de trouver un fort taux de réussite non seulement pour sortir les sans-abri de la rue, mais aussi pour donner aux gens la stabilité dont ils ont besoin pour commencer le dur travail de rétablissement. – The Philadelphia Inquirer

Biais contre les médicaments

Les chercheurs en toxicomanie disent que le meilleur espoir pour une récupération soutenue de l'utilisation d'opiacés est un traitement médicamenteux pour atténuer les fringales et les douleurs de sevrage qui renvoie tant de gens à la drogue malgré leurs meilleures intentions. Pourtant, les groupes de 12 étapes définissent la plupart du temps le rétablissement comme l'abstinence totale, laissant les patients qui aimeraient que les autres se sentent seuls et stigmatisés. À Prevention Point, l'agence de services sociaux de Philadelphie qui est, entre autres choses, le seul échange de seringues officiel de l'est de la Pennsylvanie, les femmes en convalescence partagent leurs expériences – y compris comment le traitement médicamenteux a fait toute la différence dans leur vie. – The Philadelphia Inquirer

Comté de Pike

Groupe de soutien

Tout a commencé par le partage d'histoires dans un restaurant du comté de Pike sur la façon dont la dépendance affectait leur vie. Les quatre amis se sont plaints de ce que les autres membres de leur communauté vivaient sans avoir aucun endroit où demander de l'aide. En ce moment, à l'été 2016, ils ont décidé de créer Hope4Pike. Depuis lors, l'organisation à but non lucratif a créé un groupe de soutien et sensibilise le public que les toxicomanies de drogue et d'alcool sont des maladies traitables. "En tant que nation, nous avons été lents à réagir à cette épidémie", a déclaré Susan Ficken, l'une des fondatrices du groupe. "Nous ne nous sommes pas contentés d'attendre que quelqu'un d'autre agisse." – The Times-Tribune

Comté de Potter

Programmes de diversion

L'épidémie d'opiacés divise l'opinion publique sur la meilleure façon de traiter avec les utilisateurs qui l'alimentent: Beaucoup qui vendent des drogues comme l'héroïne pour soutenir leurs habitudes et qui brouillent les limites entre les extrémités respectives dans une chaîne d'approvisionnement. Des tribunaux de traitement de la toxicomanie ou des programmes de déjudiciarisation des prisons comme celui du comté de Potter sont apparus en réponse ou parallèlement à ce débat. Ils offrent aux détenus un traitement au lieu d'une peine d'emprisonnement et incarnent la croyance croissante que les drogues constituent un problème de santé publique et devraient être traitées comme telles. C'est l'avenir de la guerre contre la drogue, et il vit ici, haut sur le plateau d'Allegheny, dans le nord de la Pennsylvanie. – PennLive

Comté de Schuylkill

Tribunal de traitement

Le canton de Schuylkill a ouvert un tribunal de traitement de la toxicomanie en 2017 pour lutter contre la crise des opioïdes et autres formes de la toxicomanie. Après avoir suivi un traitement en milieu hospitalier, les participants au programme badistent à des audiences hebdomadaires, où les participants lisent des essais sur la façon dont le programme les a affectés. Des sanctions sont imposées aux participants qui violent les règles du programme. Cette année, les premiers diplômés devraient finir. Avec cela vient le rejet des accusations portées contre eux. – Le républicain-héraut

Comté de Snyder

Nécrologie honnête

Lorsque Bridget et Brian Farrell ont partagé le poème de leur fille sur la lutte contre l'abus de drogues dans sa nécrologie, des millions. Delaney Farrell est morte d'une overdose d'héroïne l'été dernier à l'âge de 23 ans. Elle a fait la chronique de sa bataille pour rester propre et sobre dans un journal et des lettres à ses proches. Ses parents espèrent que ses mots pourront aider les autres dans leur lutte contre la dépendance. – Le Quotidien

Comté de Somerset

Emploi programme

Un programme du comté de Somerset cherche à aider les adultes à se rétablir de la dépendance en leur trouvant un emploi intéressant. La Chambre de commerce affirme que cet effort contribue également à répondre aux besoins des employeurs qui font face à une main-d'œuvre réduite en raison de la crise des opioïdes. Les candidats choisis pour le programme ont montré un engagement continu à transformer leur vie. Une fois qu'ils sont embauchés, un centre de réadaptation qui participe à l'initiative leur donne des tests de dépistage au hasard pour s'badurer que les employeurs restent sur la bonne voie. Un législateur de l'Etat prévoit de faire un effort pour un programme pilote à l'échelle de l'Etat opérant dans le même sens. — The Tribune-Democrat

Sullivan County

Courthouse help

Sullivan County is a rural, low-income area with less than 17 people per square mile, and brings many challenges to those battling with addiction. A Better Today provides counseling and other outpatient services right in the county courthouse. — Daily Review

Susquehanna County

Drug drop boxes

Getting unused prescription painkillers off the streets is one way counties are fighting the opioids overdose epidemic. Rural Susquehanna County has used both a drop box and a collection van to give residents a convenient way to dispose of their medications. Neighboring Hazleton in Luzerne County has also started sending a van out on rounds to scoop up unused prescriptions. — The Times-Tribune

Tioga County

Supporting children

An intervention effort led by the Tioga County Opioid Coalition has dramatically improved coordination among agencies and schools dealing with families affected by opioids. Quick responses by children and youth caseworkers are working as a form of much-needed early intervention. Their ability to get into homes allows staff to reach more people, because not everyone who overdoses ends up hospitalized. — PennLive/Patriot-News

Union County

Inmate relapse prevention

Wait time is an enemy of addiction recovery and, too often, a delay of days or weeks between leaving jail and landing an open spot in a rehab program is enough to facilitate a relapse. Union County launched a relapse-prevention education program at its jail aimed toward helping inmates stay sober upon release before beginning therapy. Up to eight inmates attend 90-minute sessions over eight weeks with a drug and alcohol counselor from White Deer Run in Lewisburg. Inmates undergo cognitive behavioral therapy, studying stages of change — from the initial stage of not recognizing one’s addiction exists to the final stage of maintaining sobriety. — The Daily Item

Washington County

Club serenity

A club in southwestern Pennsylvania has more members than it wants, and still keeps growing. Club Serenity’s mission is to provide peer support and mentoring for those battling addictions. Its 12-step meetings can attract as many as a staggering 500 people. — Herald-Standard

A sympathetic ear

A man who spent 37 years in addiction was in danger of throwing away more than three years of clean living when he decided to confide in a supervisor at work. He received a sympathetic ear, and that made all the difference. "Some of us need outside help. We’ve got to go talk to people,” he said. — Observer-Reporter

Opiate blocker

A woman who battled heroin addiction for five years, and did several stints in jail, decided to be one of the first two people in Washington County to volunteer for a program that combines injection of an “opiate antagonist” with outpatient treatment. If a person who receives the shot tries to get high using an opiate, the medicine blocks it. The woman says other treatment didn’t work at all. “There were times when I’d get out of jail and do drugs within that hour,” she said. “This time it was really different, and the shot had a lot to do with it.” — Observer-Reporter

Wayne County

A communal battle

What began as a father’s quest four years ago to try to protect his children from addiction has grown to a hands-on heroin prevention task for ce with nearly 4,000 members online. Wayne County Heroin Prevention Task Force members provide Narcan training and kits to residents, speak about the dangers of opioids to students, help addicts and their families and safely dispose of found needles at parks, playgrounds and elsewhere. — The Times-Tribune

Wyoming County

Extended care facility

With a growing need for extended care facilities in rural areas to treat drug addicts, a Wyoming County father and daughter plan to open the Endless Mountain Extended Care. The intensive, inpatient program for men is the first of its kind in the county. Arianne Scheller, 38, a licensed counselor, teamed up with her father, Stephen Scheller, who began his fight to overcome addiction when she was in high school. “He came to me and said, ‘You have the degree, I have the sobriety. Let’s do something,’ ” she said. — The Times-Tribune

York County

Changing police mindset

Police and recovering addicts once had a strictly adversarial relationship. When the two groups sat down for a conversation, it helped change attitudes on the force. The meeting was organized by the York area chapter of Not One More, a national support group that work to raise awareness and prevent drug abuse on the local level through education and community partnerships. — York Daily Record