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Pennsylvania newsrooms have been documenting the opioid crisis for many years. But now, in a special project, "State of Emergency: Finding Solutions to the Opioid Crisis in Pennsylvania," they are pooling their resources to highlight the progress made by Pennsylvanians in trying to reverse the growing number of overdose deaths.
Journalists produced textual stories, photos, videos and audio recordings in more than 50 counties to highlight promising strategies and initiatives. This initiative is a joint effort of the Associated Press Media Editors of Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Society of News Editors and the Pennsylvania Associated Press
MAP: Drug-Related Deaths in Pennsylvania Counties »
Adams County [19659005] Building on the Civil War
A building used to treat wounded during the Battle of Gettysburg could be renovated as a rehabilitation center for drug addicts. The former Mercy House, in downtown Gettysburg, would include a reception center with individual and group counseling offices and four apartments for six convalescing drug addicts. The county hopes the center will operate in 2019 and expects it to be maintained through state funding and rental income. – Gettysburg Times
Allegheny County
Serenity Homes
Gus DiRenna, a former heroin user and drug dealer, offers a simple recovery formula: a private room, honest work and a sponsor. He believes he has found a sustainable model that does everything. It hosts people recovering, charging them reasonable rents for single rooms. It connects them to others with more experience in recovery. And he uses some of them in the hard work of converting other properties into shelters for others with similar problems. – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Armstrong County
Banish the trend?
A county in Pennsylvania sees a sharp decrease in opiate overdose deaths. Officials from Armstrong County and elsewhere are asking why and it will last. The Armstrong-Indiana-Clarion Commission on Drugs and Alcohol has tried various tools commonly used to combat the overdose epidemic, including participation in the "Warm Hand-Off" program. This program provides tips and resources to get addicts to treatment – sometimes directly in hospital emergency rooms after an overdose. Beaver County
Journal Against Coroner The Beaver County Times is heading to the courts in a battle with the county coroner on data on drug overdose deaths. The media company wants to investigate a complaint from health officials and law enforcement officials: the ever-increasing number of overdose deaths caused by opioid addiction affects all communities in the county, regardless of their size or their wealth. – The Beaver County Times Coroners on the Front Line Post mortems to determine the type of drug that a victim of overdose had in his system is an important tool. opioid abuse. Bedford County coroner Rusty Styer points out that new drugs such as carfentanil, which can be deadly to the touch, have heightened awareness of the need for extreme caution at the scene. a presumed death by overdose. – The Gazette Courting sobriety A new drug treatment program, based on a deep commitment from the Berks County Judiciary, is working well. A team of judges, probation officers, public defenders and assistant attorneys meet monthly to brainstorm. They have already started programs, including exercise groups, a reading club, and a gardening club. Their goal is to create a greater sense of community for those who have completed these programs. – Reading Eagle Companies Progress More than $ 3 million from a nonprofit organization funded by two dozen companies from the United States. Blair County have allowed the local police to expand its investigations. scale, over the last decade. Grants went to paying police overtime, adding a full-time drug prosecutor, training and equipment, including bullet-proof vests . Contributions also finance treatment and prevention. "The operation Our Town has played a big role in cleaning up what is happening here," Altoona police said. – Mirror of Altoona Overcoming Small Steps Bradford County Coroner Tom Carman saw the number of drug deaths triple in relation to this period last year, but says that there is a lot of difference at the local level. This includes caregivers, schools and even individuals arming with naloxone, and increasing local rehab facilities. – The Daily Review Pathways to Treatment Experts agree that time is of the essence when someone asks for help to recover from Opioid addiction. State and county officials are striving to provide more ways for this person to receive the help they need. – Bucks County Courier Times Treatment in Prison A large majority of inmates, between 70 and 80%, have substance abuse problems, and many of them are in prison. between them detox drugs behind bars. Some penitentiary systems recognize the need to do more to help them maintain their sobriety behind bars and on the outside. – Bucks County Courier Times Children's Agency Butler County staff for children and youth became more proactive in the midst of the opioid crisis. The agency has sent a staff member to the scene of all overdose victims where children are present. Authorities have stepped up pill collection to clean houses of drugs that could be abused by older people as well as by younger family members who live at home. Organizations such as Hope for Broken Hearts offer an ear and strength in numbers for those who have lost loved ones to the epidemic. When opioids hit Cambria County, schools, health care agencies, social services, corporations and law enforcement attack 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 Democratic Tribune. Task Force A group of community leaders from Carbon County meet each month with a common goal: to eliminate 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. – Lecturer Narcan Kits Last year, Governor Tom Wolf announced an effort to combat the opioid crisis on the scale of the state, for funding over $ 63,000 Narcan kits to first responders around 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 Daily Collegian Hot Transfer Tracking Although Chester County, with the highest per capita income of the state, s & rsquo; The county's "healthiest and richest" Pennsylvania is 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. Community Action A DuBois man, stimulated by the pain that opioids inflicted on his family, is spearheading a movement of citizens in the county from Clearfield. 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 Policing In Columbia County, Berwick Police try to help drug addicts, guiding them to the treatment even as they crack 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. The Problem for Everyone Communities throughout 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. Intervention Court The Cumberland County Opioid Intervention Court is the first in the state and the second in the country to review the link between victims of overdose and their relationship with the criminal justice system. The program aims to provide assistance, including drug assistance, in a strict format, as the authors work their way through the system, often for non-drug costs, such as theft. – The Sentinel 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 in Canada. 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 Patriot News 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 Denominational Help Bedford County
Berks County
Blair County
Bradford County
Bucks County
Butler County
Carbon County
Central County
Chester County
Clearfield County
Columbia County
Crawford County
Cumberland County
The Dauphin County
Delaware County
Erie County
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
Rehabilitation House
Genesis House is a halfway house in Fayette County that works to redress the lives of parolees, those who are ordered by the court there and those with complete 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.
Stigma Suppression
Those fighting the opioid crisis in Franklin County have one overarching goal: to end the stigma of addiction and seek treatment for it. If people are embarrassed, the district attorney says, "You do not confront it, it inevitably becomes worse." – Public Opinion
Fulton County
Work Program
Getting a recovering addict Returning to work can be one of the most important steps in completing treatment. It's easier said than done, with the risks associated 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 rate of drug abuse and addiction. 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 Multiple Sclerosis Syndrome Neonatal abstinence – have found passionate 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 city hall worked for educate the community about the aspects of 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 Hands 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 assistance. Battle Plan
Community organizations, government agencies, businesses, and health systems hold quarterly public meetings to coordinate and strengthen 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 analysis, 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 turned 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. While police and some big security companies use drug sniffing dogs, Fred Nell said his small private business is a rarity 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
Lehigh County
Revived and Revisited
Two or Three Days After One Person Overdosed, Lehigh County Police Officers and Addiction Specialists Visit this house to encourage them to seek treatment. Before the launch of the Blue Guardian program in February, officers were frustrated at being unable to do anything after resurrecting someone, especially because that person would likely return to his addiction. Officials hope the model will be adopted in other countries. – The Morning Call
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. 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 most recent treatments for fighting the opioid crisis in Luzerne County is the clinic of medical treatment of dependencies 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
The County of Lycoming
The Bottles of Water
A Veteran Judge of the Little League Passes the Message in Lycoming County on the Dangers 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
Better collaboration among agencies, more funding, a warm transfer program, and more resources including Narcan and deposit boxes help to 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 thing we have against the problem." – Lewistown Sentinel
Monroe County
Medical Marijuana
In April, the Department of Health withdrawal symptoms of opioid dependence to the list of 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 themselves. I 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 Freedom Ministries Provide Home Support and Recovery to Newly Released Convicts Who Fought Again 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
Alternative Orders
Geisinger Health System made efforts to change its internal culture of prescribing opioids, halving its opioid prescriptions and focus instead on a pain management regimen that combines 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 the Station , to hand in their medications and to be immediately counseling on drugs without fear of jail. The goal is to enable people seeking help to bypass 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 detoxification center is at the heart of Northumberland County's attempt to prevent it. 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 assessments for referrals by the police, which could lead people to rehabilitation. rather than to the prison. – The Daily Point
Perry County
Construction of a Community
As a rural county, Perry County is not always able to 39, help its opioid-dependent residents. 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
Sites 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. présence d'un personnel médical qui peut les sauver d'une surdose, et également les relier au 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 des opioïdes 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
Il a commencé avec le partage d'histoires dans un restaurant du comté de Pike sur la façon dont la dépendance a affecté leurs vies. 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 a divisé l'opinion publique Meilleur accord avec les utilisateurs qui l'alimentent: Beaucoup de ceux qui vendent des drogues comme l'héroïne pour soutenir leurs habitudes et qui brouillent les limites entre les fins 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 assistent 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 la drogue dans sa nécrologie, des millions de personnes ont lu le message. 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 dans le 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. Once they are hired, a rehab center that is taking part in the initiative gives them random drug tests to assure employers they are staying on the right path. A state lawmaker plans to make a push for a statewide pilot program operating along the same lines. — 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 force with ne arly 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
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