GOW opioid task force

Press release:

The proper way to dispose of medications will be the focus of Thursday’s quarterly meeting of the GOW (Genesee-Orleans-Wyoming) Opioid Task Force.

The meeting will be livestreamed via Zoom, starting at 9:30 a.m. It is expected to last for an hour.

Scott Wilson, superintendent of the Orleans County Jail, has agreed to make a presentation on National Drug Take Back Day, which is scheduled for this Saturday, with locations in the three counties.

Wilson has worked closely with this event for the past few years. In his presentation, he will discuss the organization of these events, collection of medications and their proper disposal, and the impact this day has on our community.

This meeting is open to the public and the community is invited to join and share any questions they may have.

“With National Drug Take Back Day coming up on April 24th, we felt this would be a great topic to cover with the members of the Task Force and our community,” said Christen Ferraro, GOW Opioid Task Force coordinator.

Ferraro noted that prescription opioid misuse is an ongoing and escalating epidemic as 70 percent of opioid dependence, overdoses and deaths begin with leftover drugs in the medicine cabinet.

“It is important to help remove the risks that leftover medications pose to you, as well as your families and friends. With this meeting, we hope to increase awareness of safe disposal methods, as environmental studies have shown that flushed medications flow into our water supply and negatively impact the fish we eat and water we drink,” she added.

To access the meeting link, go to www.gowopioidtaskforce.org. Once registered, participants will receive a confirmation email with Zoom information and a link to join.

Press release:

The GOW Opioid Task Force will be hosting its second virtual Quarterly Meeting at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 21^st.

This meeting will focus on highlights from the past year, plans for 2021, and how we have adjusted our efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, local addictions professionals will speak on how the pandemic has directly impacted their agencies, treatment services, and any trends they are seeing in our community. 

“It is important we continue the conversation surrounding the opioid crisis and discuss ways we can help amidst the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Christen Ferraro, project coordinator. “People in our community are still struggling and in need of additional support. This virtual setting of our Quarterly Meeting helps us to stay connected and reach even more people across our tri-county region.”

This meeting is open to the public and the community is invited to join and share any questions they may have.

Please visit the GOW Opioid Task Force website for more details and to register. Once registered you will receive a confirmation email with Zoom information and a link to join.

Press release:

With Christmas just two days away, many people in our community aren’t experiencing the joy that the season brings, but are struggling with substance use disorders and the resulting feelings of depression and loneliness.  

Leaders of the local law enforcement agencies and fire department involved with the Public Safety Assisted Addiction Recovery Initiative want residents in those situations to know that they understand and are available to help them on a road to recovery and sobriety.

PAARI, a program of the GOW (Genesee, Orleans, Wyoming) Opioid Task Force, is a joint venture of the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office, City of Batavia Police Department, Le Roy Police Department, and City of Batavia Fire Department that provides support and resources to create non-arrest pathways to treatment and recovery.

Those dealing with substance use issues can connect with these agencies throughout the coronavirus pandemic and holiday season to access safe and nonjudgmental support, said Christen Ferraro, task force coordinator.

“We appreciate our law enforcement and fire department locations for continuing to offer this line of assistance to our community,” she said.

City of Batavia Police Chief Shawn Heubusch said his department is “committed to helping those in our community that need help the most.”

“We have worked closely with the Opioid Task Force and Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse to make the City Police Department a place that anyone suffering from substance abuse can come to and be connected with services, no questions asked,” he said. “If you or a loved is in need, you can access the Department 24/7 by coming to Police Headquarters located at 10 West Main Street and ask to speak with an officer. They will connect you with a peer advocate from GCASA to help you on a road to recovery.”

City of Batavia Fire Chief Stefano Napolitano echoed Heubusch’s sentiments.

“The City of Batavia Fire Department, located at 18 Evans Street, is pleased to provide a judgment free and safe area of refuge for those seeking assistance in dealing with substance abuse,” he said. “Having the ability to partner with so many agencies to assist those in time of need coincides with our department's mission.”

Genesee County Sheriff William Sheron said his office is “proud” to participate in the initiative.

“We fully recognize that addiction has no boundaries, and we are committed to providing assistance to anyone at any time,” he said. “Please do not hesitate. Let us help you obtain the treatment that you deserve to overcome your addiction.”

For more information, contact Ferraro at cferraro@gcasa.org.

When it comes to commitment and dedication to battling opioid addiction in rural areas, the Genesee-Orleans-Wyoming Opioid Task Force shines brightly.

That’s the viewpoint of the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health, which has awarded the local collaborative organization with a 2020 Community Star.

The award is given to only one rural entity in New York State.

“We are deeply honored to be recognized by the NOSORH,” said Christen Ferraro, GOW Opioid Task Force project coordinator. “It is a tribute to the efforts of the hundreds of people in the tri-county area who volunteer their time and work together to help end opioid addiction and overdose.”

The honor is being presented in conjunction with National Rural Health Day on Nov. 19, according to the NOSORH.

Ferraro said an e-book publication featuring the GOW Opioid Task Force’s story, along with the other winners, will be released on that date on the NRHD website. The link to the story also will be posted on the GOW Opioid Task Force website – www.gowopioidtaskforce.org – and on its Facebook page.

The NOSORH singled out the local outreach for its flexibility in delivering key services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

When the pandemic hit Western New York, the task force shifted its education efforts online. Virtual Narcan trainings were held and kits were mailed to participants. Since these online trainings began, more than 150 community members have been trained, and for 2020, more than 300 have received this training.

“We knew we had to make adjustments so our community could continue to have access to these needed resources," Ferraro said. “The positive response we received from the community was overwhelming, and we definitely plan to utilize this new way of education to help continue supporting our rural community in these difficult times.”

The task force, which is supported by the Greater Rochester Health Foundation and Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, currently has more than 400 members from across the tri-county region.

Members represent various sectors of the community, including public health, mental health, human services, local government, substance use disorder treatment and recovery agencies, law enforcement, EMS, faith-based groups, health systems and medical practitioners, education, businesses, concerned individuals, families, and individuals in recovery.

The NOSORH founded National Rural Health Day as a way to showcase rural America, increase awareness of rural health-related challenges and promote the efforts of NOSORH, State Offices of Rural Health and others in addressing those challenges, said Teryl Eisinger, the agency’s chief executive officer.

An estimated 57 million people – nearly one in five Americans – live in rural and frontier communities throughout the United States.

 “These small towns, farming communities and frontier areas are wonderful places to live and work; they are places where neighbors know each other and work together,” Eisinger said. “The hospitals and providers serving these rural communities not only provide quality patient care, but they also help keep good jobs in rural America.”

These communities also face unique healthcare needs.

“Today more than ever, rural communities must tackle accessibility issues, a lack of healthcare providers, the needs of an aging population suffering from a greater number of chronic conditions, and larger percentages of un- and underinsured citizens,” she said. “Meanwhile, rural hospitals are threatened with declining reimbursement rates and disproportionate funding levels that makes it challenging to serve their residents.”

All 50 states maintain a State Office of Rural Health, each of which shares a similar mission to foster relationships, disseminate information and provide technical assistance that improves access to, and the quality of, health care for its rural citizens.

Photo: The GOW Opioid Task Force has been honored with the 2020 Community Star from the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health. From left are Charlotte Crawford, chief executive officer, Lake Plains Community Care Network; Julie Gutowski, vice president of Clinical Operations and Services, Spectrum Health & Human Services; John Bennett, executive director of Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse; Christen Ferraro, task force project coordinator, and Paul Pettit, public health director for Genesee/Orleans County Health Departments.

Disclosure: Story by Mike Pettinella, GCASA publicist.

If more people utilized the services of nonmedical practitioners such as chiropractors, massage therapists, physical therapists and pain management professionals, it could significantly reduce addiction to prescription opioids, according to a Wyoming County chiropractor who will be one of the guest speakers at Thursday’s GOW Opioid Task Force quarterly meeting.

Terry Daniels, DC, who, with wife, Dawn, owns and operates Daniels Family Chiropractic in Warsaw, said a recent study shows that noninvasive procedures – spinal adjustments or alternative drugless therapies – “demonstrate an inverse relationship between chiropractic utilization and opioid use for patients with spinal pain.”

He said an article in Pain Medicine from Sept. 27, 2019, cited statistics revealing that those who saw a chiropractor were 64-percent less likely to use opioids compared to those who did not.

“And regarding lumbar spine surgery, if the first provider a patient sees for back pain is a chiropractor as opposed to a surgeon, 42.7 percent of workers who first saw a surgeon had back surgery whereas just 1.5 percent of workers who first saw a chiropractor required surgery,” he offered.

Daniels’ presentation on the topic of “Non-Opioid Alternatives to Pain Management” will focus on the benefits of nonmedical practices, especially as they relate to preventing injuries and conditions that could lead to chronic pain.

The virtual meeting is scheduled for 9:30 to 11 a.m. tomorrow via Zoom videoconferencing.

Task force members are asked to register by going to www.gowopioidtaskforce.org. Once registered, a confirmation email will be sent with Zoom information and a link to join the meeting.

“As a chiropractor, I tend to look at health and health care from a different perspective,” Daniels said. “I am thankful and grateful that in our society we have developed medical specialties and have the best specialized care in the world. I see the new cancer institutes going up and new cardiac centers going up … however, the question I always ask is, “Where is the new center for prevention of disease, or where is the new how to avoid getting heart disease and how to avoid getting cancer center?”

Daniels said if society concentrated more on prevention, then it would have “to worry much less about treatment.”

“The practice of medicine is the treatment of disease. Optimization of one’s health is rarely addressed other than in passing. We as health consumers have become lazy and reliant upon just getting a prescription and paying lip service to prevention,” he said.

Concerning the opioid crisis, Daniels wonders why society doesn’t do a better job “of fighting this problem on the front end now that the cat is out of the box.”

“What can we do to better manage and treat and eliminate pain from the onset that we are not doing now?”

The majority of opioid prescriptions are for musculoskeletal injury, Daniels said, with an estimated 126.6 million Americans (one in two adults) affected by a musculoskeletal condition. People with these conditions -- back pain, neck pain, headaches and joint injuries – comprise the bulk of a chiropractor’s work.

Daniels noted that chiropractic is the largest drug-free health care profession in the world, and is documented to be effective in the acute and chronic neuromusculoskeletal pain environment. He added that other nonmedical professionals such as massage therapists, physical therapists, yoga instructors, pain psychologists and mindfulness-based stress reduction classes also produce encouraging results.

Along those lines, he said more emphasis should be placed on directing patients to nonpharmacological approaches.

“In my opinion, based on this information, thousands to hundreds of thousands of cases of addiction and even deaths could be avoided if we utilized these practitioners more,” he said. “It is important to bring awareness to this topic because people are dying. The same level of thinking that got us into this problem is not going to get us out of it.”

The doctor said he is thankful that Gov. Andrew Cuomo considered chiropractic physicians as “essential workers” during the COVID-19 pandemic, mentioning that the “vast majority of the emergency chiropractic treatments were performed on essential workers and many medical providers.”

Disclosure: Story by Mike Pettinella, GCASA publicist.

Press release:

The GOW Opioid Task Force, in conjunction with the Genesee & Orleans County Health Departments, has released a new “Linkage to Care” online application to help citizens connect with support centers for opioid rehabilitation and training in Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties.

“We are pleased to be a part of the development of this valuable application,” said Paul Pettit, director of the Genesee & Orleans County Health Departments (GO Health). “Our region has been working collaboratively over the last several years to provide resources and access to services for those who are struggling with substance use issues.”

Pettit said the app provides locations and contact information for the GOW Opioid Task Force region’s programs and local services that are available in a user-friendly platform to access anytime on a person’s smart phone.

Brenden Bedard, director of Community Health Services for GO Health, encouraged those who are having issues with drug use and addiction and/or their family members to utilize the services provided on the informational app.

“This is a much-needed tool to find services, but, of course, if there is a life-threatening emergency or crisis, please call 9-1-1 or go to the nearest emergency department for assistance,” he advised.

GOW Opioid Task Force coordinator Christen Ferraro said the group is “committed to finding new ways to make it easier for our residents to tap into community resources.”

Ferraro said the app includes a variety of services in the tri-county area, which can all be found in one place with just one click.

“This truly is a simple way to find help for those that may be struggling,” she said.

The app provides links to 24-hour assistance call lines, detox services, the PAARI (Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative) Program, Naloxone (Narcan) training, self-help meetings, medication and sharps drop box locations, as well as inpatient and outpatient services in the three counties.

Ferraro noted that the app is now live and free to download, and can be found at both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. To access and download it, search “GOW Opioid Linkage to Care App.”

COVID-19 is not about to stop the GOW Opioid Task Force from continuing its vision of collaboration and engagement leading to a community free from opioid-related deaths and overdoses.

Task Force Coordinator Christen Ferraro today announced that the group will conduct its first virtual quarterly meeting from 9:30 to 11 a.m. on Oct. 22 via Zoom videoconferencing.

“Now, more than ever, it is important we continue the conversation surrounding the opioid crisis,” Ferraro said. “This new virtual setting of our quarterly meeting will help us to do that and reach even more of the communities across our tri-county region.”

Ferraro said the meeting will focus on the topic of non-opioid alternatives to pain management.

“Two local professionals have agreed to share their knowledge on this topic with an opportunity for questions to follow,” she said. “This meeting is open to the public and the community is invited to learn more on this topic and share any questions they may have.”

To register, visit www.gowopioidtaskforce.org for more details. Once registered, a confirmation email will be sent with Zoom information and a link to join.

The task force, serving Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties, currently has more than 350 members from across the tri-county region.

Members represent various sectors of the community, including public health, mental health, human services, local government, substance use disorder treatment and recovery agencies, law enforcement, emergency medical services, faith-based groups, health systems and medical practitioners, education, businesses, concerned individuals, families, and individuals in recovery.

Disclosure: Story by Mike Pettinella. GCASA publicist.

Press release:

COVID-19 may have temporarily put a stop to large gatherings, but the coronavirus pandemic is no match for the GOW Opioid Task Force’s commitment to informing the public of the dangers of opioid drug use and ways to prevent potentially deadly overdoses.

“Our Overdose Awareness Day is not able to be held this summer due to social distancing guidelines and restrictions on the use of parks, so we will be transitioning to an online event,” said Christen Ferraro, task force coordinator. “All the information that would have been shared at Austin Park in Batavia will be put on our Facebook page.”

Ferraro added that the task force plans to post – on a regular basis throughout August -- articles, videos, local data and stories from individuals that have been affected by an overdose.

Genesee/Orleans Public Health Director Paul Pettit, a member of the task force, said he is well aware of the widespread impact of the opioid epidemic.

“Any loss of life is devastating to a community,” he said. “The effect is far-reaching as it devastates the family system – economically as a number of financially productive years are lost and emotionally as no dollar amounts can equal the loss of a life due to addiction.”

Pettit said that setting aside a period of time, be it a month or a day, to remind people of the various issues surrounding opioid use is important.

“There are so many services available for those experiencing addictive behaviors or are experimenting with various substances, and we encourage people to use those services before it is too late,” he said.

Ferraro also advised that another virtual opioid overdose prevention and Narcan training is scheduled for Aug. 26, with sessions at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

The training will cover the disease of addiction, a brief history of the opioid crisis, signs and symptoms of opioid use and overdose, the overdose reversal drug Narcan and the administration of Narcan.

Attendance is required at just one of the sessions for the participant to receive credit for the course.

“Those completing the training will learn more about how to prevent an opioid overdose and will receive a free Narcan nasal spray kit,” Ferraro said. “It is important to bring awareness to this day and the impact an overdose can have on an individual, their families and the community.”

The registration deadline is Aug. 24. To register, contact Ferraro at cferraro@gcasa.org.

For more information and to see the event flyer, go to Facebook.com/gowopioidtaskforce.

Press release:

As part of its continuing education strategy, Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse – in cooperation with the GOW Opioid Task Force – will present another Opioid Overdose Prevention Online Narcan Training.

The training is scheduled for Wednesday, June 24, and will feature three one-hour sessions – 10 a.m., 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Attendance is required at just one of the sessions to receive credit for the training.

“We’re pleased to be able to present our second online training and look forward to hearing GCASA’s Prevention Educators’ new perspective on addiction, the opioid crisis and the administration of Narcan,” said Christen Ferraro, GOW Opioid Task Force coordinator.

Topics to be discussed include the disease of addiction, a brief history of the opioid crisis, signs and symptoms of opioid use and overdose, the overdose reversal drug Narcan, administration of Narcan and where to obtain Narcan.

Those who successfully complete the training will receive a Certificate of Completion and a free Narcan nasal spray kit, Ferraro said.

To access a registration form, click here. To access a pre-test, click here.

Both forms should take only a few minutes, Ferraro said, and both must be completed in order for the participant to receive his or her link to the training.

“Both forms should only take a few minutes and there are no wrong answers,” Ferraro noted.

The registration deadline is June 23.

For more information or to have the registration documents emailed, contact Ferraro at cferraro@gcasa.org.

Press release:

A free opioid overdose prevention online Narcan training is scheduled for May 13.

Hosted by the GOW Opioid Task Force and Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Prevention Department, the videoconference training offers two one-hour sessions -- 10 to 11 a.m. and 2 to 3 p.m.

Participants need to attend only one of the sessions to receive credit.

Topics to be covered include: the disease of addiction; a brief history of the opioid crisis; signs and symptoms of opioid use and overdose; the overdose reversal drug Narcan; the administration of Narcan; and where to obtain Narcan.

“After completing a registration form, an attendee will be sent a link for this online training. Once the training is complete, that person will receive a free Narcan nasal spray kit from a licensed provider,” said Christen Ferraro, task force coordinator.

To register, send an email requesting a registration form to:   cferraro@gcasa.org

For more information, visit www.gowopioidtaskforce.org.

Gone, never forgotten and now providing inspiration for those reaching out to help others whose lives have been adversely affected by the opioid crisis.

That was the message conveyed by Nicole Anderson, Statewide Targeted Response case manager at Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, as she provided information about a “remembrance painting” at the recent GOW Opioid Task Force meeting in Batavia.

“As part of Overdose Awareness Day last summer at Austin Park, we asked people to participate in remembering those we have lost to overdose deaths,” she said. “This beautiful painting – created and donated by one of our members -- was displayed at the event for loved ones to put a heart with the name of those they have lost.”

Anderson, who lost her stepfather to a heroin overdose 17 years ago, went on to say that the task force put the painting on display in agencies across Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties, and now has extended the opportunity for community members to add their loved ones’ names to the painting.

“It is our hope that the task force will continue to support those who have lost loved ones and honor the memories of those who have passed and, this year, with the support of the GOW Opioid Task Force Steering Committee, we would like to donate this painting to the GCASA Recovery Center,” she said.

The Recovery Center, located at the former Bohn’s Restaurant on Clinton Street Road, is scheduled to open by the end of February.

Anderson also serves as the secretary of the task force’s Families, Loved Ones and Allies Work Group, which is committed to providing support and resources for those distressed by the opioid epidemic.

She said another Overdose Awareness Day is planned for this August. The 2019 inaugural event drew more than 100 people and more than a dozen representatives from substance abuse prevention agencies in the tri-county area.

Photo: Members of the GOW Opioid Task Force display a “remembrance painting” dedicated to those who have died as a result of the opioid crisis. From left are Nick Volpe, Marlowe Thompson, Brandon Fogg, Scott Davis, Chris Budzinack, Debbie Dutton, Ricco Oquendo, Sue Gagne, Nicole Anderson and Christen Ferraro.

Disclosure: Story and photo by Mike Pettinella, GCASA publicist.

On a national level, the number of deaths from opioid overdoses has decreased over the past two years, but that trend doesn’t give the nearly 450 members of the GOW Opioid Task Force any reason to relax their efforts in Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties.

That was the message communicated by the coalition’s leaders on Wednesday during their quarterly meeting at the Quality Inn & Suites on Park Road in Batavia. About 100 people representing a cross-section of organizations from the three counties attended.

“We’ve seen a 5 percent decrease from 2017 (in the number of opioid-related deaths) and that’s a positive thing … but we need to stay the course, even if the numbers are going down,” said Paul Pettit, public health director of Genesee and Orleans counties.

Pettit’s statement is especially true when considering the data from the GOW counties, particularly Genesee, which had an opioid overdose death rate of 36.2 per 100,000 people in 2017 – one of the highest in the United States.

That number went down to 21.1 in 2018, but in Orleans County the rate rose from 17.1 to 29.5 from 2017 to 2018 while in Wyoming County the rate stayed the same at 27.

The opioid epidemic started due to physicians’ overprescribing drugs such as Oxycodone, Pettit said, and evolved into serious problems with heroin and fentanyl after laws were passed that restricted access to the prescription drugs.

Drug overdoses resulted in nearly 800,000 deaths to Americans from 1999 through 2018, including 47,590 from opioids in 2018 alone, Pettit reported.

Pettit applauded the work of the GOW Task Force which has taken on the crisis by pooling the resources of the three counties and developing six “work groups” that meet on a regular basis – Access to Care, Community Education, Data, Family/Loved Ones/Allies, Law Enforcement and Naloxone.

He also noted the significance of funding provided by the Greater Rochester Health Foundation.

“The funding is very important in that it enabled the task force to hire someone (a project coordinator) with a dedicated focus,” he said. “They see the value in what we are doing.”

The meeting also featured reports from the chairpersons of the work groups and task force evaluators, updates from the GRHF President Matthew Kuhlenbeck and GOW Task Force Coordinator Christen Ferraro, and a summation of the state’s new bail reform law by Wyoming County District Attorney Donald O’Geen (see story below).

Access to Care – John Bennett and Rosalie Mangino-Crandall, executive director and project director, respectively, at Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse and Holli Gass, clinic director at Spectrum Health and Human Services, outlined the numerous services and programs that have been instituted in all three counties – programs such as expanded jail services, childcare for patients, crisis housing and certified peer recovery advocate training.

Bennett also said that a 16-bed detox center and recovery recreation center in Batavia and a 25-bed women’s and children’s residence in Albion are on the horizon (with the recovery center at the former Bohn’s Restaurant expected to open by the end of February).

Community Education – Sherri Bensley, a GCASA employee, explained the role of this work group is to facilitate the task force meetings, including setting up venues, speakers and vendor tables, and to coordinate media campaigns with the three county’s hospitals.

Specific ongoing projects are educating the senior population about opioids and the handling of prescription medications and assisting the task force in distributing “Dispose Rx” packets.

Data – Brenden Bedard, Genesee County director of community health services and deputy public health director for Genesee and Orleans counties, said the role of the evaluators is to ensure that task force initiatives are data-driven, to get that data to the community and to use the data to support grant applications.

In addition to the county overdose death rates mentioned above, he reported that there were 23 opioid overdose deaths in the three counties in 2019 – down from 38 the previous year – and that Naloxone (Narcan) administration – given to those who are overdosing from opioids -- has decreased in all three counties since 2017.

Bedard also said that more than 2,000 pounds of prescription drugs were collected during “take back days” in both 2018 and 2019.

Families, Loved Ones and Allies – Sue Gagne, coordinator of the Recovery WOW program, said that the goal of her work group is to support families of those in active addiction or recovery and families of those who have died as a result of drug use.

She reported that the group plans another Overdose Awareness Day this summer at Austin Park.

Law Enforcement – Batavia City Police Chief Shawn Heubusch touted the tri-county law enforcement collaboration on projects such as drug drop-off and jail programs, and participation in the Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative that creates non-arrest pathways to treatment and recovery.

Naloxone – Chairperson Charlotte Crawford reported that more than 1,300 people have been trained in the use of Narcan, including all of the peer recovery advocates.

A video, “Narcan After Care,” can be viewed on the GOW Opioid Task Force website at https://www.gowopioidtaskforce.org/.

Tom LaPorte, Ph.D., research scientist with the Center for Human Services Research, University of Albany, said that evaluation objectives include reaching 1,800 users per year with opioid information, deploying peers or recovery coaches to assist 90 percent of opioid patients and increasing the number of people trained to administer Narcan by 500 per year.

“This provides us with useful feedback that providers of services can use for data-driven decision-making,” he reported.

In closing, Kuhlenbeck and Ferraro spoke of the importance of making sure grants were available for programs in rural counties, and set goals as follows:

-- Establish and implement policies and protocols at United Memorial Medical Center, Orleans Community Health/Medina Memorial Hospital, and for contacting Peers/Wyoming County Community Health System Recovery Coaches on call every time a person arrives at the emergency department due to opioid use.

-- Establish a three-prong approach: peers called, bridge scripts are given, and naloxone training is provided.

-- Schedule and conduct doctor-to-doctor trainings and conversations in each county on opioids, non-opioid pain management alternatives, and limiting opioid prescription writing.

-- Conduct at least two community education events around non-opioid pain management alternatives, and create and publish two press releases or news articles on non-opioid pain management alternatives.

-- Communicate with Buffalo and Rochester hospitals to share policy best practices and advocate for and locally lead action toward improvements.

The next quarterly meeting of the GOW Task Force is scheduled for April 23 at a site to be determined.

Photo above: Taking part in Wednesday's GOW Opioid Task Force meeting were, from left, Christen Ferraro, task force coordinator; Donald O'Geen, Wyoming County district attorney; Paul Pettit, public health director of Genesee and Orleans counties; Laura Paolucci, Wyoming County public health administrator, and Matthew Kuhlenbeck, Greater Rochester Health Foundation president.

Disclosure: Story written by Mike Pettinella, GCASA publicist.

The Wyoming County district attorney on Wednesday spoke out against New York State’s new bail reform rules, stating that they will adversely affect law enforcement’s efforts to assist those struggling with drug addiction.

Speaking at the GOW Opioid Task Force quarterly meeting at the Quality Inn & Suites in Batavia, Donald O’Geen said that state lawmakers’ decision to require automatic appearance tickets or “released on own recognizance” status for all misdemeanor and non-violent felonies means that many who are using opioids or other drugs won’t have access to treatment programs provided in local jails.

“This law takes us back to where we we’re 30 years ago,” he said, adding that the powers-that-be in Albany passed these new rules without the input of the police agencies or attorneys who deal with crime on a regular basis.

Bail now can only be set on certain qualifying offenses, such as first- and second-degree assault, rape, manslaughter, sexual abuse, but suspects must be set free for crimes such as second-degree burglary, grand larceny, non-violent homicides and, according to O'Geen, "every single drug case.”

“We want to treat the users, but you have to (be able to) get after the dealers,” he said.

O’Geen said the reform measures are based upon a “false narrative” – that poor people are languishing in jail because they can’t make bail.

“That is definitely not true,” he said. “The ones incarcerated are the flight risks and those who present risks to public safety.”

The district attorney also noted that the time restrictions to turn over documents to defense lawyers – in most cases, 15 days – put a huge burden on police, district attorneys and labs.

“This is not CSI New York. You don’t go to a commercial break and the labs (results) are done,” he quipped.

He said that the new rules, which took effect on Jan. 1, have created a “lawlessness system” where many of those charged don’t show up for their court appearance.

“If they don’t show up, we have to send a second notice,” he said. “If they fail to appear again, we have to wait another 48 hours and send out another notice before we can issue a warrant for their arrest.”

O’Geen said pressure is being put on Gov. Cuomo to modify the law, but criticized the State Assembly for “holding fast” to the current provisions.

“I think the only way it will happen (modifications) is through his budget,” he said. “That’s how it passed in the first place.”

According to a Siena College poll released on Tuesday, more New Yorkers are taking O’Geen’s view.

The poll found that 49 percent of respondents said the changes were bad for New York while 37 percent said they were good for the Empire State, a far cry from April 2019 poll numbers that showed that 38 percent said it would be bad and 55 said it would be good.

Disclosure: Story written by Mike Pettinella, GCASA publicist.

Press release:

The quarterly meeting of the GOW Opioid Task Force is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 22 at the Quality Inn & Suites Hotel on Park Road in Batavia.

Residents of Genesee, Orleans, and Wyoming counties wanting to gain or share information regarding the opioid crisis are invited to attend.

“The purpose of this meeting is to address the growing opioid crisis by sharing information across several sectors and to monitor the task force’s progress in our tri-county region,” said Christen Ferraro, project coordinator. “You do not need to be a member (of the task force) to attend.”

Ferraro said the meeting will feature more than 10 community resource tables from agencies across the region.

“Our work groups will share their highlights of 2019 and plans for the upcoming year,” she said. “The Law Enforcement Work Group will be giving a presentation on the new bail reform law -- going into more detail on what it means and how it might affect our area – and task force evaluators will discuss their role and share and their findings from last year.”

She said representatives of the Greater Rochester Health Foundation will talk about the grant that supports the task force and how to connect with the organization to apply for community health grants.

Press release:

Batavia native Christen Ferraro has been hired by Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse as project coordinator of the Genesee-Orleans-Wyoming Opioid Task Force.

GCASA Executive Director John Bennett announced the appointment of Ferraro, who received her bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences Interdisciplinary with a concentration in community and mental health from the University of Buffalo earlier this year.

A Batavia High School graduate, Ferraro said she recently moved back to Batavia from Buffalo and is excited to connect with task force stakeholders in the tri-county area.

“I missed the community and am thankful to be able to have a role in bringing agencies and people together to take on this epidemic,” Ferraro said. “Our goal is to continue the momentum that Allison (Parry-Gurak) has developed.”

Ferraro is replacing Parry-Gurak, who accepted the director of treatment position at GCASA’s Albion clinic.

As part of her college program, Ferraro served as an intern with the Genesee-Orleans Youth Bureau from August 2018 through May 2019, assisting with event planning, supervision, Youth Court and Youth Lead.

The GOW Opioid Task Force currently has more than 350 members from across the tri-county region.

Members represent various sectors of the community, including public health, mental health, human services, local government, substance use disorder treatment and recovery agencies, law enforcement, EMS, faith-based groups, health systems and medical practitioners, education, businesses, concerned individuals, families, and individuals in recovery.

The task force project coordinator oversees six “work groups” – access to care, community education, data, family & loved ones, law enforcement and Naloxone, and two subcommittees – hospital policies and faith-based – and provides periodic progress reports to a steering committee.

For more information about the GOW Task Force, go to www.gowopioidtaskforce.org.

Photo: Christen Ferraro, new project coordinator of the GOW Task Force, at her desk at GCASA in Batavia.

Disclosure: Story written by Mike Pettinella, GCASA publicist.

Submitted photo and press release:

The Genesee-Orleans-Wyoming Opioid Task Force has been selected as the Outstanding Rural Health Program of the Year by the New York State Association for Rural Health.

The award was announced at the organization’s conference from Sept. 25-27 in Niagara Falls.

Nominated by Julie Gutowski, vice president of Clinical Operations and Services for Spectrum Health & Human Services, the task force was recognized for its efforts in developing an emergency department screening process used at local hospitals. It helps to identify people using opioids, then connects patients with a Peer Advocate or Recovery Coach in addition to a referral for treatment.

The NYSARH also mentioned the task force’s tri-county crisis line, which has resulted in a measurable decrease in drug overdose visits to local hospitals as well as opioid related deaths between 2017 and 2018.

“It is truly a great honor for the GOW Opioid Task Force to be recognized as the Outstanding Rural Health Program from the New York State Association for Rural Health,” said Allison Parry-Gurak, task force coordinator. “I am humbled every day by the amount of passion and dedication our tri-county region has shown to ending the opioid crisis for our communities.”

Parry-Gurak said the task force has “embraced a tri-county approach to our mission,” realizing that rural communities thrive when there is grassroots support.

“The task force is a wonderful example of the strength and impact rural communities can have when they collaborate to address public health concerns,” she added. “While we have had great success thus far, our work is not finished yet.

"We accept this award on behalf of our members and our community partners, but also on behalf of our community members that we have lost to the opioid crisis, those who are still fighting, and the family members and loved ones who have been impacted.”

The goal of the Genesee-Orleans-Wyoming Opioid Task Force is to address the growing opioid crisis in the tri-county area. Formed in 2017, it currently has more than 350 members from across the tri-county region.

Members represent various sectors of the community, including: public health; mental health; human services; local government; substance use disorder treatment and recovery agencies; law enforcement; EMS; faith-based groups; health systems and medical practitioners; education; businesses; and concerned individuals, families and individuals in recovery.

There are six active work groups that meet regularly to address the needs of the community.

John Bennett, executive director of Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, expressed his gratitude to the task force, which includes several GCASA staff members.

“Congratulations to Allison Parry-Gurak for her great work coordinating the task force and for Shannon Ford’s guidance in assisting her,” Bennett said. “And also to the many staff who sit on or chair a subcommittee of the task force.”

The mission of the New York State Association of Rural Health is to improve the health and well-being of rural New Yorkers and their communities. Functioning as a “voice for rural health,” the NYSARH is a statewide organization that advocates at the national and state levels on behalf of its membership.

Photo at top: The Genesee-Orleans-Wyoming Opioid Task Force was honored recently by the New York State Association for Rural Health as the Outstanding Rural Health Program of the Year. From left are Matthew A. Kuhlenbeck, president & CEO of Greater Rochester Health Foundation; Paul Pettit, director Genesee & Orleans Health Departments; Charlotte Crawford, Lake Plains Community Care Network; Nicole Anderson, GCASA; John Bennett, GCASA; Allison Parry-Gurak, GCASA; Shannon Ford, GCASA; Holli Gass, Spectrum Health & Human Services; Rosalie Mangino-Crandall, GCASA.​

Disclosure: Mike Pettinella is a GCASA publicist.

GOW Counties Overdose Awareness event at Austin Park in Batavia.

See also: Overdose Awareness Day highlights work of peers, need for more support for recovery

The number of recovery centers in New York has grown significantly in recent years, and they are making a huge difference in the lives of those struggling with substance use disorders, according to a high-level official of the state’s Office of Alcohol and Substance Abuse Services.

Speaking at Wednesday’s Overdose Awareness Day at Austin Park in Batavia, Robert Kent, chief counsel for OASAS, said the Batavia area will be well served by the opening of the Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse’s recovery recreation center at the former Bohn’s Restaurant building on Clinton Street Road.

The Overdose Awareness Day event brought about 150 people together from Genesee, Orleans, Wyoming and Monroe counties in an effort to raise awareness and share information about substance use and options for those in recovery. About 20 agencies, including law enforcement, took part in the three-and-a-half-hour program.

“We know there’s value (in recovery centers) … we’re starting to see things go in the right direction, but we realized we’re nowhere near where we need to be,” Kent said. “The recovery center here (in Batavia will flourish as) the community connects with the people who need support.”

Kent, who has worked for OASAS since 2007, said there were only three such centers in the state prior to 2015 – in Brooklyn, Rochester and Delaware County.

“When the epidemic took off, we went on our own and added another dozen – and they work,” he said. “We’ll have around 30 by the end of 2019. Ultimately, they become more like community centers instead of recovery centers.”

Carlee Hulsizer, youth recovery program specialist with Youth Voices Matter New York, echoed Kent’s sentiments.

“We definitely need more recovery support,” she said. “Prevention, treatment and recovery … we need more (resources) to sustain them.”

Overdose Awareness Day organizers said that collaboration is the key to lifting people out of the cycle of substance use, treatment and relapse.

“We have three communities coming together to support those in recovery,” said event promoter Allison Parry-Gurak, who is project coordinator of the Genesee-Orleans-Wyoming Opioid Task Force. “Because of this, we now have 400 members (of the task force) across the three counties.”

GCASA Executive Director John Bennett said he was “so proud of all the recovery warriors out here and I know we’re making a difference in our community right now.”

Bennett reported that GCASA is set to take ownership of the former restaurant next week and hopes that it will be open by Dec. 1.

“Maybe even by Thanksgiving so we can have Thanksgiving dinner,” he said. “That would be a great way to kick it off.”

The event drew many volunteers – most of them dressed in purple T-shirts printed with the hashtag # End Overdose. Their work as peers (Certified Recovery Peer Advocates) did not go unnoticed by several speakers, who thanked them for their commitment to standing up alongside those in recovery.

“Peers are the bomb,” said Lori Drescher of the Rochester-based Recovery Coach University. “These recovery coaches are trained and have certification, and are helping people find their way and keeping others in their recovery.”

Drescher then acknowledged all of the peers in the crowd and asked them to come up front where she was speaking.

Among the agencies represented at the event were the YWCA of Genesee County, Wyoming County Mental Health Department, Rochester Regional Health, Genesee County Health Department, Villa of Hope, Missing Angels, (Town of) Gates to Recovery, Horizon, Orleans Recovery, GCASA, The Bridge, VA WNY Health Care, Spectrum Health & Human Services, New York State Police, Gates Police Department, City of Batavia Police Department and Genesee County Sheriff’s Office.

Live music was provided by the band, Groove.

Disclosure: Story by Mike Pettinella, GCASA publicist.

Photos – from top: Scott Davis, left, and Larry Catoe Jr., both in recovery, let attendees of Wednesday’s Overdose Awareness Day know where to begin their quest for information about treatment and recovery; Robert Kent of OASAS spends a moment in the shade with Julie Gutowski, left, and Holli Gass of Spectrum; Gina Henry, GCASA prevention educator, treats the children at the kids’ booth; Lori Drescher of Recovery Coach University recognizes the recovery peers.

The GOW Opioid Task Force announces the availability of a Post Narcan Administration Video.

It was created by the Naloxone Work Group of the Task Force and launched at the quarterly meeting last week.

This video emphasizes an important message: individuals should go to the Emergency Department AFTER Narcan has been administered for an opioid overdose.

The Task Force members are very proud of the video and greatly appreciate all of their local partners who participated in this project and Tall Girls Design, the marketing partners who created an end product that surpasses expectations.

The video can be viewed right on their Facebook page here.

It is hoped that you find this video genuine and helpful as the Task Force continue sto work to end the opioid crisis in the GOW region.

Please feel free to share this video and spread this message.

If there are any questions or specific needs for the video please do not hesitate to reach out.

Allison Parry-Gurak 

Project Coordinator

Phone: 815-1889