Addiction
Recovery Center Holds On To Remote Meetings
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“Our numbers in person dwindled down to zero because we weren’t even in the building. But the reach that we made tripled.”
Addiction
A Look At A Lawsuit Filed By NY Municipalities Over Opioid Crisis
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“In my view, the county taxpayers shouldn’t foot a bill for a crisis that we didn’t create.”
Government
New York Lawmakers Discuss Mental Health And Addiction
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Members of the Assembly held an hours-long meeting, speaking with stakeholders in the healthcare industry on what can be done to save the lives of people dealing with addiction and mental illness.
Health
Guilt Complicates Grief After A Fatal Overdose
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“It just replays in the back of my mind, like, ‘Hey, if I didn’t moved out I could have saved her.'”
Addiction
Binghamton Addiction Treatment Center Announces $13M Expansion
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“We need to be ready, and this project is going to be an important tool that we have to address this crisis.”
Addiction
Inside Some PA Rehabs, ‘It’s Like COVID Doesn’t Exist’
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When treatment facilities ignore coronavirus protocols, patients are forced to choose between recovery and safety.
Addiction
Child Wellness: Resources from the Fred Rogers Center
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Fred Rogers had deep compassion for the wellbeing of every child. Inspired by his legacy and drawing from his work, these resources were created and are offered to encourage and support children and caregivers on a variety of issues related to child wellness. These resources are developed and collected by staff of the Fred Rogers Center with support from faculty of Saint Vincent College, many community partners, and students in the Incubator 143 Lab. Extensive research is conducted in the Fred Rogers Archive to build a deep understanding of the many ways Fred worked to support children. This research guides each of the resources you will find below.
Ithaca Watches As PA Nonprofit Opens Nation’s First Supervised Injection Site
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“I think this will have broad ramifications. There are places around the country including Seattle, Boston, Denver, New York, where people have been closely watching these developments.”
Government
New York Governor To Tour States Where Cannabis Is Legal
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Cuomo said he’ll go to California, Colorado, Illinois and Massachusetts in the coming weeks to meet with officials there and find out how they are carrying out the monitoring, sale and taxing of the drug.
Addiction
Gillibrand Seeks Federal Grant Funds For Addiction Services
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U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is introducing a bill to fund community support programs for people who have substance use disorders, and their families.
Addiction
Supporters Of Legalizing Cannabis In New York Say Dedicated Fund Is Key
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“I know the governor has a good heart, and I know he probably will try to make sure that there are resources invested in communities of color that have been disproportionately impacted.”
Government
Will New York Legalize Marijuana In 2020?
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Legislators did decriminalize possession of marijuana, from a misdemeanor to a fine, although people can still be arrested for having the drug on them.
Opioid Addiction In Jails: A New York Prison Doctor’s Perspective
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Rikers Island doctor says drug treatment in U.S. jails and prisons is often shaped by societal prejudice, not science.
Addiction
Opioids A Focus For Delgado On Recent Trip Around District
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Delgado met with people affected by opioids and medical professionals working to provide addiction recovery treatment. He represents New York’s 19th congressional district.
Addiction
ACLU Says A Lebanon County Medical Marijuana Policy Violates PA Law
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Lebanon isn’t not the only county that does this. The Pennsylvania ALCU says it has heard at least seven others have similar policies. The group is hoping its suit has statewide implications.
Judge Rules Proposed Supervised Injection Sites Do Not Violate Federal Drug Laws
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The federal court decision paves the way for the nation’s first supervised injection site to open in Philadelphia. The Justice Department argued that it amounted to “in-your-face illegal activity.”
Government
New York To Offer Tax Credit For Employers Who Hire People In Addiction Recovery
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Starting next year, employers in New York that hire people recovering from drug or alcohol addiction will be eligible for a state tax credit. The $2000 credit covers both full and part time workers.
Government
New York, Connecticut Governors Collaborate On Legalizing Cannabis
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“Because it makes no sense to pass one set of rules in New York when they can just drive across the border to Connecticut and have a different set of rules and vice versa.”
Government
PA’s Governor: The People Want Weed
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For the first time, Pennsylvania’s governor is throwing his support behind fully legalizing marijuana. Republicans say they’re skeptical.
As Drugmakers Face Opioid Lawsuits, Some Ask: Why Not Criminal Charges Too?
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“The Sackler family does not belong in bankruptcy court,” Rep. Max Rose said of Purdue Pharma’s owners. “They belong in handcuffs.” He and others want charges for drug companies linked to the crisis.
Government
New York Governor Plans Lawsuit Against Drug Industry
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Calling it an “industrywide conspiracy,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced his intention to file a lawsuit for the overprescription of opioids that he said has defrauded New Yorkers out of billions of dollars.
Government
PA Gets $55.9 Million To Help People Living With Opioid Addiction
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Those funds have had a drastic effect on reducing overdose deaths and helping people with opioid use disorder to lead normal lives, said Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs Secretary Jen Smith.
Health
PA Hospitals Share Opioid Treatment Strategies Under $10-Million Plan
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Health systems are known more for competition than working together, but when it comes to treating opioid addiction, that may be changing.
Addiction
18 Upstate Hospitals, Health Centers Limit Opioids Prescribed After Surgery
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Researchers now know patients can become addicted to opioids that are sometimes prescribed by the dozens following surgery, and that has contributed to the continuing nationwide opioid crisis.
Addiction
Tompkins County to Open First 24/7 Detox Program
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It’s expected to be up and running next year.
Addiction
As Sports Betting Expands, Gambling Treatment Services Do Too
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Sports betting has expanded to casinos in upstate New York, including Tioga Downs in Nichols. At the same time, there’s now more help for folks with gambling addictions.
Health
Opioid Prescription Guidelines Aim To Reduce Drugs In Homes
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“In the past, that was the big emphasis: to completely eliminate pain. But we’re now starting to understand more that pain sometimes is a necessity in life.”
Government
New York Law Further Decriminalizes Marijuana Possession
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“By providing individuals who have suffered the consequences of an unfair marijuana conviction with a path to have their records expunged and by reducing draconian penalties, we are taking a critical step forward in addressing a broken and discriminatory criminal justice process.”
Addiction
Opioid Crisis Strains Resources At Child Protective Services
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“In the last decade – five years, things have really gotten scarier as far as just how toxic these drugs are.”
Leaders From New York And PA, Including Ithaca, Urge Federal Court To Allow Supervised Injection Sites
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The Justice Department has mounted a legal challenge to block the effort, claiming such a site violates federal drug laws and would enable opioid users.
Government
Anxiety Disorder, Tourette Syndrome Added To Approved Conditions For Medical Marijuana
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“For both conditions, medical marijuana is not first line treatment and should not replace traditional therapies but should be used in conjunction with them, when recommended by a physician.”
Addiction
Advocates Vow The Fight To Legalize Marijuana Will Continue In 2020
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Advocates of legalizing adult recreational marijuana plan to spend the next six months convincing New York lawmakers that allowing the drug to be sold.
New York Legislature Moves To Further Decriminalize Pot
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“It makes the situation much, much better, especially for the black and brown community that has paid such a high price. But politically, the support was not there to pass legalization.”
Addiction
Marijuana And New York State: To Legalize Or Not?
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“Actually I’m pretty optimistic, which is going to surprise a lot of people. This is our chance. This is our opportunity to fulfill the things we were promised at election time.”
Addiction
Survey: Feelings On Pot Follow Political Lines
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The survey found that over 85% percent of Democrats think legalized pot would not raise crime rates. That number is just under 50% for Republicans and 75% for independents.
Government
New Bill Legalizing Marijuana Introduced In New York Legislature
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After the failure to include legalized recreational marijuana in the New York state budget earlier this year, sponsors of the legislation say they are introducing a new bill that they hope stands a better chance at becoming law.
Crime and Justice
PA Sues Purdue Pharma, Noting Role Of Sales Reps In Opioid Crisis
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“They peddled this concept to doctors, claiming that these signs were merely symptoms of under-treated pain, and that patients were actually not being given enough opioids.”
Addiction
Cuomo: Legalized Pot May Not Have Enough Political Support
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“If they are starting to suggest that I need to twist arms, then that’s a bad sign. Because arm-twisting doesn’t work. And it means they don’t have the political support.”
Crime and Justice
‘Major’ Drug Bust Arrests 65 For Heroin, Fentanyl Trafficking In Central, Northern New York
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“When you see 65 of these people being arrested, 65 of the people who are responsible for bringing this dangerous drug into our community locked up, that’s a good day for us.”
Most Americans Say Drug Companies Should Be Held Responsible For Opioid Crisis
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According to a new NPR/Ipsos opioid poll, 71% of Americans surveyed also say the government should do more to curb the epidemic.
Government
How Will Legal Weed Change New York?
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“There’s a lot of cannabis users, there’s a lot of people that use but are afraid to come out of the cannabis closet. Come out of the closet, be loud, be proud, because it’s coming.”
Addiction
State Of Emergency Enters Third Week As Overdose Deaths Plague Broome County
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“Basically, if you overdose on fentanyl, you’re probably not gonna get revived even if someone tries to. It’s a death sentence. It’s very concerning.”
Government
Legalizing Party Pot Brings Opportunities, Concerns For Patients Who Use Medical Marijuana
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Professionals worry about people who might self-medicate – people who don’t qualify for medical marijuana because they have a pre-existing condition that the drug could worsen.
Addiction
Why Legalize Weed? Poll Respondents Say It’s A Sign Of The Times.
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Pollsters said it’s not every day they see public opinion shift so rapidly.
Addiction
Advocates Still Hopeful About Marijuana Legalization
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Marijuana legalization has been left out of the state budget, but advocates say not all hope is lost.
Addiction
New York Tries Again To Tax Prescription Opioids
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New York state has passed a second law to tax prescription opioids, after enforcement of a previous version of the measure was found unconstitutional.
App NEWS
New York Lawsuit Claims Sackler Family Illegally Profited From Opioid Epidemic
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“This lawsuit contains detailed allegations about the Sackler family and their attempt to hide the vast fortunes they collected at the expense of actual lives.”
Government
Supporters Of Legalizing Recreational Marijuana Say Include It In New York’s Budget
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Supporters of legalizing recreational marijuana plan to hold rallies each day at the State Capitol this week.
Government
New York Senator Says Opioid Treatment Clinics Deserve Federal Funds
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Schumer called on Congress to extend funding for a comprehensive opioid and mental health care services pilot program.
Addiction
New York State Eases Restrictions On Addiction Treatment Drug
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Doctors and patients alike are reevaluating their attitudes toward addiction recovery, led by new drugs, new research, and new guidance from the New York state health department.
Government
PA Governor Signs 6th Opioid Crisis Disaster Declaration
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The emergency designation, typically used for natural disasters like floods and earthquakes,t loosens some rules to make it easier for state agencies to help people in times of crisis.
Addiction
Is Legal Marijuana Faltering In New York?
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There are still many unanswered questions about who would be permitted to grow marijuana, distribute it and sell it.
Addiction
PA Lawmakers Seek To Use Vacant State-Owned Buildings For Addiction Recovery
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The plan raises a question lawmakers and state agencies aren’t yet able to answer: How many buildings does the state have sitting around vacant?
Addiction
Addiction Services For Pregnant New Yorkers Focus Of State Initiative
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The health department said Monday that women should know “it is OK to ask for help,” and that their doctors can help treat addiction.
Addiction
Drug Abusers Given Test Strips That Check For Fentanyl
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Fentanyl is responsible for an uptick in drug overdoses and deaths in recent years.
Addiction
How To Stop Overdoses? One PA Lawmaker Wants To Perfect The “Warm Handoff”
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First responders in Pennsylvania—and elsewhere—have been reporting a recurring problem when reviving overdose victims. Often, they’re helping the same people, over and over.
Ton And A Half Of Cocaine Seized At Port Of New York/Newark
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Authorities say 60 packages of the drug worth about $77 million on the street were found in a shipping container.
Addiction
Among PA Voters, Support For Legal Marijuana Defies Party Politics
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John Witzgall and Bob Bolus have a lot in common. Beyond retirement age and living in the Scranton area, they both voted for Donald Trump in 2016. Witzgall, 69, is a school bus driver. Bolus, 76, owns a trucking company. But when it comes to legalizing marijuana in Pennsylvania, they are miles apart.
When Fentanyl Kills A User, Reed Says The Trafficker Should Face The Death Penalty
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Congressman Tom Reed (R-Corning) has re-introduced a bill to increase penalties for people convicted of trafficking the synthetic opioid fentanyl.
Addiction
Finger Lakes Counties Struggle To Find Resources To Combat Opioid Epidemic
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The organization is expanding in an effort to keep pace with the rising rate of fatalities. FLACRA is renovating a five-story building on Main Street in Clifton Springs, Ontario County, to house medically supervised detox and addiction treatment facilities.
Government
Lots Of Support In PA For Legal Weed At Lt. Governor’s First Town Hall Stop
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There was a mother frustrated with marijuana use in her neighborhood; a young borough president eager for new industry; an Army veteran who read a pro-weed poem.
Addiction
Opponents Of Legalized Marijuana Speak Out
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It seems all but inevitable that New York State will legalize recreational marijuana sometime this year, now that the governor and leaders of the legislature all agree that it should happen. But a coalition of groups, including county sheriffs and the PTA, warn of moving too quickly.
Shutdown May Force New York Doctor To Turn Away Patients Addicted To Opioids
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After they reach a certain number of patients, doctors must receive approval from the federal government to prescribe Suboxone, a drug used in conjunction with other therapies to manage opioid addiction.
Addiction
Fentanyl Coming To New York In Larger Shipments, But Border Wall With Mexico Unlikely To Change That
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The government shutdown has now reached day 19 as President Trump pushes for $5.7 billion in border wall funding. The president claims a border wall will help combat the flow of drugs like fentanyl from entering the country. A DEA report from this past November says otherwise. But how are these drugs currently making their way to New York State?
Health
Heroin Vaccine To Be Tested In Syracuse
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Researchers at Upstate Medical University in Syracuse have joined those at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Health in advancing a novel approach to treating heroin addicts. They hope a heroin vaccine can be a factor in the fight against opioid addiction.
Government
PA Updates Plan To Fight Opioid Addiction
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Pennsylvania officials renewed their plans to respond to the opioid crisis that claimed 5,456 lives in the commonwealth in 2017. While some plans discussed at a Monday press conference are continuations of ongoing programs, officials did mention a few new or recent efforts.
Addiction
Syracuse Begins Opioid Court To Help Addicts Accused Of Crimes
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Syracuse begins opioid court to help addicts accused of crimes
broome county
Broome’s District Attorney Won’t Seek Re-Election
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Broome County District Attorney Steve Cornwell says he won’t serve another full term so it would be dishonest to seek re-election in 2019.
Health
Pediatric Opioid Deaths Accelerate Across Country
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The death toll of the nationwide opioid epidemic is still highest among men between 25 and 45, but new research suggests it’s growing increasingly deadly for the youngest members of the population — including infants.
Government
New York Extends Waiver For Detox Treatment
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A New York state health department program that enables hospitals to surpass the usual limit on the number of opioid-addicted patients who can receive in-hospital detox services has been extended another year.
New York’s Path To Pot: Even If State Says Yes, Some Institutions Will Still Say No
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Gov. Andrew Cuomo set the wheels in motion Monday to debate the legalization of recreational marijuana use in 2019. But even if New York State lawmakers ultimately say yes, there will remain some institutions where adult casual use remains banned, while some will be faced with the question of how to regulate its use among its membership.
Crime and Justice
At 10 years old, Buffalo’s Veteran Treatment Court Now Mentors Similar Programs
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Ten years ago, Buffalo became the first city in the nation to introduce a court specifically for veterans who, through support and treatment, could overcome issues that put them in legal trouble.
Addiction
After Strong Demand, PA Mulls More Naloxone Handouts
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The commonwealth is considering holding more mass giveaways of the opioid overdose reversal drug naloxone, after finding even more demand than officials had planned for at a recent event.
Addiction
As PA Gives Out Free Opioid Overdose Drug, Many Sites Run Out
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By time Jeanne Nearhoof, of Lycoming County, and her mother went to a naloxone distribution site Thursday, there wasn’t any left.
Addiction
When New York Legalizes Recreational Pot, Activists Say State Should Pay Reparations
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“New Yorkers lost so much with marijuana prohibition. People lost custody of their children, they got deported, they lost their housing, they lost their jobs, they walked around with records.”
From Cornell to Convict To Criminal Justice Correspondent: ‘I Was So Lucky To Come Out Of This’
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Keri Blakinger spent nearly two years locked up on narcotics charges before becoming a journalist. “I’ve been so privileged in so many ways to end up with hope and second chances,” she says.
Government
PA Prepares To Distribute Free Overdose Reversal Drugs Thursday
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Eighty locations across Pennsylvania are getting ready to hand out free naloxone this Thursday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The effort is intended to make the opioid overdose reversal drug more accessible to people who may need to use it on friends or family members battling addiction.
Is New York Ready For Prescription Heroin?
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In some countries, doctors prescribe medical-grade heroin to patients with long-term addiction. Could it ever happen in New York? A new report from RAND Corporation outlines the pros and cons.
Government
Audit Finds Problems With Opioid Prescription Tracking In New York
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ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – Opioid treatment programs in New York have not been using a state database that tracks opioid prescriptions, according to an audit from the state comptroller’s office released Monday.
Health
Hospitals Join Pilot Program To Reduce Opioid Use In ERs
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A group of 17 hospitals across upstate New York are participating in a pilot program meant to cut down on the number of opioid prescriptions given out after a visit to the emergency room.
Addiction
Suicide Deaths Missing From Opioid Overdose Data, Experts Say
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ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – Today, Chacku Mathai is the CEO of the Mental Health Association of Rochester. But at 15, he wanted to die.
Health
In Tamaqua, A Coffee House Aims To Help People Recovering From Addiction
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The business is the brainchild of Lisa Scheller, who has had her own battle with heroin, and knows first-hand the importance of having a community for people in recovery.
Health
PA Governor Adds Funds For Families Hit By Opioid Crisis
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TRANSFORMING HEALTH – The state plans to spend more to help families impacted by the opioid epidemic raise children.
Government
‘Come And Arrest Me’: Former PA Governor Defies Justice Department On Safe Injection
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In defiance of threats from the Justice Department, public health advocates in Philadelphia have launched a nonprofit to run a facility to allow people to use illegal drugs under medical supervision. It is the most concrete step yet the city has taken toward eventually opening a so-called supervised injection site.
Addiction
Drug Overdose Deaths Have Been Rising For 40 Years, And Opioids Aren’t The Only Problem
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TRANSFORMING HEALTH – A study from University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health shows drug overdose deaths have steadily increased over the past four decades, years before prescription opioids first flooded the streets.
Government
PA Senator Lauds Passage Of Sweeping Opioid Crisis Legislation
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KEYSTONE CROSSROADS – The U. S. Senate passed sweeping legislation intended to combat the nation’s opioid crisis in a 99-1 vote on Monday evening.
Addiction
Schumer Urges Federal Funding For ‘High-Tech’ Opioid Detectors
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ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – New York Senator Chuck Schumer took aim at the conception of the opioid epidemic as an urban concern Friday.
Arts & Culture
New York State Fair Offers NARCAN Training This Year
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ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – Between the 25 cent milk and funnel cake, Narcan training will also be available at the New York State Fair.
Health
One-Stop-Shop For The Region’s Resources For Opioid Addiction
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ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – Researchers at the Rochester Institute of Technology released the region’s first-ever catalog of responses to the growing opioid epidemic.
Government
PA Lawmaker Proposes Drug Testing Potential Abuse Victims, Draws Condemnation
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HARRISBURG, PA (WSKG) — A Democratic state representative is circulating a proposal that has prompted some concern from domestic violence advocates.
Addiction
Staying Off Heroin Through Opioid Replacement Therapy
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Like many others, Stacy Zeigler’s story of addiction begins in a doctor’s office.
Health
Rise In Synthetic Drug Overdoses Concern New York Officials
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SYRACUSE, NY (WRVO) – Another spike of synthetic marijuana overdoses has the law enforcement and health communities looking for answers.
PA Tries An Alternative To Foster Care For Babies Born To Opioid-Addicted Moms
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Infants do better with their parents, studies find, as long as parents have support to get and stay sober. This program starts during pregnancy, to rally and train a strong family support network.
Addiction
New York Health Commissioner To Recommend Legal Pot, Political Opponents Critical
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ALBANY, NY (WSKG) – Governor Cuomo’s administration is moving ahead on a recommendation to legalize recreational marijuana in New York, a move immediately criticized by Cuomo’s republican opponent for governor.
Addiction
Congressman Tom Reed Opposes Supervised Heroin Injection Sites
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ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – Congressman Tom Reed declared his adamant opposition to the use of heroin injection sites recently.
Addiction
Battling The Opioid Crisis Through “Translational Science”
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The Center for Leading Innovation and Collaboration or CLIC hosted the daylong session of meetings, to discuss how to best address opioid misuse and abuse through translational science.
Addiction
90% Of New Yorkers Say Opioid Crisis Is Worse Than Any Previous Public Health Crises
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ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – A new poll from Siena College shows that 90% of New Yorkers say the current opioid crisis is worse than previous public health crises. An overwhelming majority of New Yorkers also supports strengthening prescription monitoring services; 82% say doctors should be punished for over prescribing.
Health
Siena Poll: 62% Of New Yorkers Prescribed Opioids Didn’t Finish Pills
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The latest Siena College poll on opioids says 24% of New Yorkers were prescribed opioids in the last two years. Don Levy, Research Institute Director at Siena College says in the third part of their polling series on the epidemic, they wanted to know what happens in the doctor’s office.
Government
Veto From Governor Kills PA’s Contentious Opioid-Prescribing Bill
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HARRISBURG, PA (WSKG) – Governor Tom Wolf has vetoed a bill that would have created a drug formulary for the state workers’ compensation program.
Addiction
Inter-Party Sniping, A Last-Minute Executive Order Over Opioid Prescriptions
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HARRISBURG, PA (WSKG) — Friday is the deadline for Governor Tom Wolf to sign or veto a bill that would create a drug formulary for Pennsylvania’s workers’ compensation program.
Health
Former Surgeon General: Opioid Addiction Shouldn’t Be Treated As A Crime
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ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – Treating opioid addiction as a crime isn’t an adequate way to deal with this crisis. That’s according to the 16th Surgeon General of the United States, Dr. David Satcher, who returned today to the University of Rochester Medical School, where he completed his residency in 1972 and received an honorary degree in 1995.
Addiction Treatments Only Progressed After Opioid Abuse Threatened Whites, Says NYC Health Commissioner
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ITHACA, NY (WSKG) – Now that white communities have shifted from prescription opioid addiction to heroin addiction, New York City Health Commissioner Mary Bassett says the conversation has shifted from incarceration to treatment.
Health
Why 16 PA Counties Are Suing OxyContin Drug Maker
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HARRISBURG, PA (WITF) – York County Solicitor Glenn Smith knows the county coroner’s phone number by heart. He calls often to get the most recent number of drug overdose deaths, a number that increases almost every day. “As of today?” said County Coroner Pam Gay. “Twenty-two confirmed, another 25 suspected.
Health
Poll Confirms Perceived Stigma Surrounding Drug Addiction
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ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – A recent poll illustrates the stigma surrounding drug addiction. More than three-quarters of New Yorkers who responded to a Siena College survey about the opioid crisis say the moral failings of those who are addicted is a contributing factor in the epidemic.
Anxiety Relief Without The High? New York Researcher Examines CBD, A Cannabis Extract
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An FDA advisory committee last week urged approval of a drug containing cannabidiol to treat a form of epilepsy. Other scientists wonder if CBD might ease anxiety or other disorders, too.
Health
Siena College Poll Shows 1/4 Of New Yorkers Know An Overdose Victim
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ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – A new Siena Poll addressing the state’s opioid epidemic shows that 54% of New Yorkers are personally touched by opioid abuse. Director of the Siena College Research Institute Don Levy says there is no argument that this is an epidemic.
Former New York Prosecutor Named DOJ Point Person For Opioid Crisis
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The scale of the opioid addiction problem is immense. It has become so widespread, touching so many in states across the country that the administration has begun calling it “the crisis next door.”
Health
What About All The Patients Already On Opioids?
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ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) – One day, Rebecca Shriver was at work, helping an elderly patient get to the bathroom, when the patient became unsteady.
Addiction
24/7 Detox Center Opens In Broome County
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Starting Friday morning, people seeking detox services in Broome County can go to the Syracuse Behavioral Health facility. The state funded facility will help patients with detox and stabilization.
Addiction
PA Governor Renews 90-Day Opioid Disaster Declaration
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HARRISBURG, PA (WITF) – Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf speaks in an undated photo. The governor has renewed the 90-day “disaster emergency” declaration for the opioid crisis, a move that he says allows the state government to cut through some rules and help people struggling with addiction.
Government
Schumer Urges Federal Government To Release Budget’s Opioid Funding
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SYRACUSE, NY (WRVO) – Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) is calling on the federal government to release the funding that was included in Congress’ recently passed budget to battle the opioid epidemic.
Across Women's Lives
With More Women Inmates, This New York Prison Allows Them To Keep Their Babies
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Our series takes a global look at the problem: why women are ending up in prison, what it’s like for them inside and how activists are fighting to keep people out.
Addiction
PA Aims To Fight Drug addiction With Data
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HARRISBURG, PA (WITF) – As the opioid epidemic ravages communities, the state has partnered with University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health and the Aetna Foundation to combat the crisis. The Wolf administration hopes to improve its recently launched “opioid data dashboard,” an online, public tool that provides county-level information on things like the number of people saved with the overdose-reversing drug naloxone. Pitt’s role is to help interpret that data, while Aetna is providing a one-million dollar grant. Read full story here.
Addiction
Opponents Say Governor’s Opioid Tax Will Cost Patients
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ALBANY, NY (WSKG) – Governor Andrew Cuomo wants to impose a tax on manufacturers of prescription opioids to help pay for state programs that help people who are addicted to them. But some say it will be patients who will ultimately have to pay the price.
Addiction
PA Budget Plan Add $4.5 Million For Infants, Mothers With Opioid Addiction
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The Pennsylvania governor’s proposed spending plan includes $33 million to combat the opioid epidemic that is ravaging communities and that has claimed the lives of more than 5,000 Pennsylvanians last year.
Government
Command Center Opens To Coordinate PA’s Opioid Relief Efforts
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HARRISBURG (WSKG) — Almost three weeks into a statewide disaster declaration, a new Opioid Operations Command Center is up and running.
Addiction
New York Changes Distribution Of Opioid Antidote
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SYRACUSE (WRVO) – New statewide rules for distribution of Naloxone is affecting one central New York agency that trains people to use the drug, also known as Narcan.
Addiction
Cuomo Proposes Opioid Tax To Pay For Drug Epidemic
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SYRACUSE (WRVO) – One of the new sources of revenue included in Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s proposed executive budget is an opioid epidemic surcharge. The 2 cent tax per milligram of active opioid ingredient on pills would be levied on drug manufacturers.
Government
PA Governor Declares Opioid Crisis ‘Disaster Emergency,’ Waiving Regulations
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HARRISBURG (WSKG) — Governor Tom Wolf has declared Pennsylvania’s opioid addiction epidemic a “disaster emergency.” Usually, that designation is reserved for things like floods or hurricanes. This is the first time a Pennsylvania governor has used it for a health issue. The move is designed to let the state cut through red tape to address the opioid crisis more quickly. Pennsylvania currently has the fourth-highest rate of addiction-related deaths in the country, and while many states are starting to see their rates level off or begin to fall, the commonwealth’s are rising.
Health
PA Governor Set To Declare Opioid Epidemic A Disaster Emergency
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Governor Tom Wolf is expected today to declare the heroin and opioid crisis in Pennsylvania a statewide emergency. He will use his authority to proclaim a disaster emergency, which is is normally reserved for cleanup and relief efforts after natural disasters or storms. READ FULL STORY HERE.
Addiction
Steuben County Pursues Legal Action Against Big Pharma Over Opioid Epidemic
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Steuben County plans to join the chorus of municipalities filing lawsuits over the opioid epidemic. The county legislature gave the unanimous go-ahead to pursue the lawsuit on Monday. Steuben is targeting major pharmaceutical companies and large prescribers. Large prescribers could mean places like hospital systems.
The decision came after the public urged legal action at forums in Bath, Corning and Hornell. The county population is relatively small, but still had 16 overdose deaths last year.
News
Supervised Injection Site Discussed At Tompkins County Legislature
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Advocates for a site where heroin users can safely inject in Ithaca brought their case before the Tompkins County legislature this week. The only operational supervised injection sites in North America are in Vancouver, Montreal, and Toronto. There are none yet in the U.S. Ithaca advocates, principally Dr. William Klepack, said injection sites help reduce the number of overdose-related deaths. Since supervised injection is illegal in New York state, however, one of the legislators’ main questions to advocates was what could be the next steps for supervised injection sites in Ithaca? An answer to that came from the former Tompkins County district attorney.
Addiction
Why Are So Many New York Counties Suing Big Pharma Over The Opioid Crisis?
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ITHACA (WSKG) – Back in the ‘90s, states sued big tobacco to pay for the costs of caring for smokers. Now, New York state counties, including Broome, are trying to sue big pharma over the opioid crisis. And Tompkins County is weighing whether it wants in. It’s pretty attractive. It’s free for the counties because their lawyers just get a cut of the winnings.
News
PA’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program Turns One Year Old
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HARRISBURG (WSKG) — One of the root causes of opioid addiction is over-prescription of addictive drugs. A major reason it occurs is the practice of doctor shopping–when people visit five or more prescribers in hopes of getting drugs. Pennsylvania–along with a number of other states–is attempting to stop doctor shopping by requiring prescribers use a statewide drug monitoring program, which lets them consult a database before handing over opioids or certain anti-anxiety medications. The catalogue uses doctors’ input to track patients who may be shopping around. If a doctor shopper is identified, they’re given an option for treatment–a process known in the health industry as a “warm handoff.” The commonwealth’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program just hit its one-year anniversary, and Acting Health Secretary Doctor Rachel Levine said its impact has been encouraging.
News
PA’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program Turns One Year Old
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HARRISBURG (WSKG) — One of the root causes of opioid addiction is over-prescription of addictive drugs. A major reason it occurs is the practice of doctor shopping–when people visit five or more prescribers in hopes of getting drugs. Pennsylvania–along with a number of other states–is attempting to stop doctor shopping by requiring prescribers use a statewide drug monitoring program, which lets them consult a database before handing over opioids or certain anti-anxiety medications. The catalogue uses doctors’ input to track patients who may be shopping around. If a doctor shopper is identified, they’re given an option for treatment–a process known in the health industry as a “warm handoff.” The commonwealth’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program just hit its one-year anniversary, and Acting Health Secretary Doctor Rachel Levine said its impact has been encouraging.
Addiction
NY State Money Announced For “Open Access” Centers To Connect People To Treatment
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New York State is putting up $450,000 each to fund nine “Open Access Centers.” According to the governor’s office, it’s a way to get people connected to addiction recovery services quickly. The sites will be 24-7. The governor’s office said the centers would immediately assess people who suffer from substance abuse, and refer them to appropriate treatment. Nine regions of the state will each get an Open Access center, including the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes. Central New York already has one planned, through Syracuse Behavioral Health.
News
County Seeks Bidders For Drug Treatment At Broome Developmental
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The Broome Developmental Center is one step closer to becoming a site for addiction treatment. New York’s Office of Addiction and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) will fund 50 beds for medically-supervised withdrawal in Building 1 of the Center, located in the Town of Dickinson. It could eventually have a hundred beds and include more services. In order to get a licensed provider, Broome County has issued a Request for Proposals. Democratic Broome County Executive Jason Garnar said details on other services will depend on the provider, but hand-offs to the next level of care will be necessary. Garnar said local officials did bring community concerns to the state.
News
High Expectations For Possible Treatment Site At Broome Developmental Center
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The shuttered Broome Developmental Center has drawn significant community interest as a possible place for more addiction treatment and related services. But the kind of treatment facility may be a sticking point. In a region desperate for more treatment options, having this site seems like a rare opportunity: there are over one hundred beds, a gym, a cafeteria, access to public buses, and other amenities. The state closed BDC, previously a home for people with developmental disabilities, in 2016. People have been talking about the addiction treatment possibility since then. At a community meeting at the Broome Public Library back in May, there were a lot of residents like Kim Dempsey of Binghamton.
News
Ithaca Detox Center To Open In One Year…Hopefully
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When people in Tompkins County need help with withdrawal symptoms, they have to go elsewhere. They often go to Syracuse or Binghamton. In 2015, 220 people left the county for detox help. But leaving the county isn’t necessarily what a patient wants, according to Angela Sullivan of the Alcohol and Drug Council of Tompkins County. “The need is absolutely there.
Addiction
How Addiction Is Like Riding A Bike
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What happens to your brain on drugs?
Dr. Ruben Baler, health scientist with the National Institute on Drug Abuse, says it’s a learning process, and very difficult to unlearn. He spoke with WSKG’s Crystal Sarakas.
Episodes
Ithaca Wants Supervised Injection. Vancouver Already Has It.
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It’s the last Wednesday of the month in the Downtown Eastside neighborhood of Vancouver – the day when thousands of people living on the margins in this community get their monthly social assistance checks. The streets are full of activity, much of it drug-related.
Addiction
Is Supervised Injection Right For Ithaca?
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You probably heard about the supervised injection site Ithaca proposed last winter; a place where people could inject heroin more safely. Vancouver, British Columbia has had supervised injection since 2003, although it remains a political hot potato.
New Bereavement Center Offers Recovery Support After Overdose Deaths
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People seeking bereavement counseling in the Southern Tier now have another option. Lourdes Hospice was already offering bereavement counseling, but had no space dedicated to it. Most of the employees were out in the field, and places to meet clients became harder to find. In the new Vestal facility, Lourdes has space for group counseling, family sessions, and has a playroom for children who are grieving. The room allows a lot of natural light to shine down on a small white table where kids can draw.
Drug Intervention And Prevention Programs Seek Money From New York State
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Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo is seeking an increase in funding for addiction prevention programs in the upcoming New York state budget. In a letter to Governor Cuomo, Lupardo focuses on two Binghamton programs that she says have worked in the past. The Student Assistance Program, or SAP, is a school-based program from Lourdes Hospital that puts certified prevention counselors into schools. Jill Alford-Hammitt is the program manager. She says before money dried up, they had counseling programs in 10 school districts and today, they’re in only four.
Education
Otherside | Best Social Commentary 2015
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A group of students from Gilbertsville-Mount Upton School District in upstate New York take on the serious issue of addiction. This powerful depiction, through the eyes of youth, earned the categorical honor ‘Best Social Commentary’ in the 2015 Rod Serling Film Festival. Filmmakers are Will Schwartz, Tyler Lindsley, Charlene Heisler, Edward Prostak, and Shelby Burnside. https://youtu.be/4e_ngiPaKWk