To learn more, visit our Overdose Awareness Day page.
Posts Tagged ‘substance use’
International Overdose Awareness Day – Hudson Valley
Wednesday, July 10th, 2019Project Reach Out Now Offering STD Screenings
Thursday, February 7th, 2019
As of February 1, 2019, our Project Reach Out mobile harm reduction units will also be offering free screenings for chlamydia and gonorrhea. The PRO staff, who travel in vans to areas of high need throughout the Hudson Valley, work primarily with people who are homeless or in unstable housing, and help them access the services they need to reduce the harm of drug use and their risk for HIV, Hepatitis C and STDs.
“We’re eager to offer these expanded services to PRO clients,” said Jennifer Brathwaite, HVCS’ Director of Education and Prevention. “These are two more ways we can help people with really high levels of need access care. Getting a free STD test can be an important step in empowering someone to protect their health, especially since these two STDs can often be asymptomatic. This testing program helps not only our clients but reduces the overall amount of STDs in our community.”
Chlamydia and gonorrhea infection rates in New York State have increased every year since 2013. Infection rates among African-Americans are disproportionately high, making up 23% of chlamydia rates and 33% of gonorrhea cases in 2017. These statistics further support the need for expanded STD testing in the vulnerable neighborhoods where PRO typically offers services.
Click here to learn more about our Project Reach Out program.
Treo Donates 180+ Cases To HVCS
Friday, November 2nd, 2018
Rob, warehouse manager for Treo Brands, with J. Dewey, HVCS’ Director of Public Relations & Resource Enhancement
Treo, a relatively new beverage company, contacted HVCS with an amazing offer: they had over 180 cases of their product, in three different flavors, that needed a home. They had recently rebranded, streamlining their packaging, and needed to make room in the warehouse for the newly designed bottles. The beverages dressed in the old look, however, were still drinkable (and delicious). HVCS offered to distribute the cases of Treo on our mobile outreach vans, including Project Reach Out and our syringe exchange vans. A few weeks ago, we took the PRO van to the company’s warehouse in Port Chester and filled it with Treo!
Treo is an organic birch water (that’s right–sort of like maple syrup or coconut water) infused with fruit flavors. It’s also sweetened with stevia so it’s low-cal. The PRO and SEP teams have already begun handing out the product to clients. Most of these clients are unstably housed or have no home, and they appreciate any free food or beverages. Offering them a snack or bottle of Treo helps build trust and establish a rapport–and hopefully they’ll keep in touch with us for their healthcare and service needs. We are grateful to Treo Brands for thinking of HVCS’ programs and making this generous donation a reality!
Thank You Pleasantville Moms!
Friday, November 2nd, 2018
As cold weather threatens, the job for HVCS’ Project Reach Out team gets tougher. Life is also tougher for PRO’s clients, who are mostly unstably housed or homeless. It takes more work to find them, and it’s harder to engage them in the HIV prevention and addiction services that PRO offers. That’s where a warm cup of cocoa and a snack can make a huge difference!
Members of a “Pleasantville Moms” Facebook group recently banded together to donate several boxes of ready-mix hot cocoa, along with cookies and chips. The PRO team will be able to build trust and more easily engage their clients by offering them a hot drink on a cold day. And the donations keep coming! Thank you to the women who donated these products. A cup of cocoa is a small gesture but makes a big impact on those who may not have a warm place to live. By staying in touch with the PRO team, we improve their connection to healthcare and support services and can work together towards a brighter future.
Pictured: HVCS’ J. Dewey, Director of Public Relations & Resource Enhancement; Edgar Peralta, Project Reach Out Lower Hudson Senior Prevention Specialist; Anzie Roberts, Project Reach Out Lower Hudson Prevention Specialist.
HVCS’ Frank Barone To Speak At Sullivan Co Opioid Abuse Conference
Thursday, August 9th, 2018HVCS’ Frank Barone, a member of our Syringe Exchange Program staff, will be on the panel at the upcoming 2018 Sullivan County Opioid Abuse Prevention Conference at the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts on Wednesday, October 3, 2018. Frank is one of the featured local speakers and his segment is entitled, “I Was Twelve: My Story of the Road to Recovery.”
Get all the details and register for the conference here.
Sullivan County Opioid Abuse Prevention Conference
Thursday, August 9th, 2018OCTOBER 3, 2018
Bethel Woods Center for The Arts -Event Gallery
Featured Speakers:
Tom Kersting, PhD, MA, LPC: “Digitally Distracted: Parenting in the Age of Technology”
Michael Nerney, BS: “The Adolescent Brain: Substance Abuse and Other Risky Behavior”
Local Speakers:
Nancy McGraw, LCSW, MBA, Public Health Director, Sullivan County: Background and Update
Frank Barone, Hudson Valley Community Services: “I was Twelve: My Story of the Road to Recovery”
Martin Colavito, MHS, CASAC, Catholic Charities: “mindful prevention – what really works”
REGISTRATION INFORMATION:
Registration Fee: $25 per person
Register here
PREREGISTRATION IS REQUIRED
SEATING IS LIMITED
Sign-In and Welcome Breakfast begin at 8:00 am
Conference begins promptly at 9:00 am
Continental Breakfast and Lunch Included
For more information, contact Sullivan County Public Health Services at: 845.292.5910
Funding for this conference was made possible (in part) by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services, nor does the mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply
endorsement by the U.S. Government.
CASAC CEUs PENDING
Naloxone Co-Payment Assistance Program Available from NYS
Tuesday, June 12th, 2018As a result of the opioid epidemic, the Surgeon General issued an advisory to emphasize the importance of expanding the awareness and availability of naloxone. Opioid overdose deaths have been on a steady incline in New York State (NYS) and have increased by 180% from 2010 to 2016.1 Knowing how to use naloxone and keeping it within reach can save a life.
Within NYS there are over 2,100 pharmacies that can dispense naloxone with a standing order. Additionally, NYS has implemented the Naloxone Co-Payment Assistance Program, (N-CAP). N-CAP provides co-payment and cost-sharing assistance to people with prescription coverage as part of their health plan to cover co-payments and cost-sharing for naloxone up to $40, providing lower or no out of pocket costs.
Key elements of accessing naloxone at pharmacies include:
- Individuals can get naloxone at a pharmacy with a standing order and do not need a prescription. They ask for naloxone at the pharmacy counter and present their insurance information and an N-CAP palm card.
- Individuals are not required to enroll in N-CAP.
- Individuals who cannot access naloxone through a pharmacy can access naloxone through registered opioid overdose prevention programs, including individuals using naloxone in the line of duty and people who are uninsured. For a directory of Opioid Overdose Prevention Programs, please click here.
- Pharmacies eligible for co-payment reimbursement for naloxone must participate in the NYS AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP).
- N-CAP promotional materials are available to order; we encourage you to display these and share them with your clients.
We play an important role in addressing this public health crisis. I am asking for your support to save lives from fatal opioid overdoses by encouraging people to carry naloxone. Thank you for the work you do to maintain the health of all New Yorkers.
If a pharmacy you work with is interested in a standing order, or have other questions, please contact: naloxonepharmacy@health.ny.gov.
New Sullivan Co Helpline Ad Features HVCS Employee Frank Barone
Monday, May 21st, 2018
Frank Barone, HVCS’ Syringe Exchange Program Prevention Specialist, recently recorded a public service ad for the Sullivan County Helpline. In less than a minute, you’ll get a sense of Frank’s past and why he’s so passionate about his work here at HVCS.
Frank has been a panelist and speaker at several recent conferences and town halls about the opioid epidemic, with more speaking engagements to come.
Thanks to the Sullivan County Health Department for sharing this with us, and for partnering with HVCS to reach more people with addiction disorders in Sullivan County.
Buprenorphine Waiver Eligibility Training for Clinical Providers: Dutchess County
Friday, April 20th, 2018Saturday, June 23rd, 2018
8:00AM-1:00PM
The NYSDOH AIDS Institute is sponsoring a free buprenorphine waiver training for clinical providers. In response to opioid overdose deaths in New York State, increased access to buprenorphine treatment for opioid use disorder is urgently needed.
Physicians, Nurse Practitioners, Physician Assistants and Medical Residents are welcome and highly encouraged to attend. Under current regulations, authorized practitioners (MDs, DOs, NPs & PAs) are required to obtain a ‘waiver’ to prescribe buprenorphine. To acquire this waiver, physicians are required to complete a standardized buprenorphine waiver 8-hour training. Nurse Practitioners (NPs) and Physician Assistants (PAs) are required to complete the standardized buprenorphine waiver 8-hour training as well as an additional 16 hours of online training as established by the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA). Residents may also take the course and apply for their waiver once they receive their DEA license. The buprenorphine waiver 8-hour training is offered in a half-and-half format [4.5 hours of in-person training followed up by 3.5 hours of online training]. Upon completion of the required training, providers will meet the requirement of the DATA 2000 to apply for a waiver to prescribe buprenorphine for opioid-dependent patients. Please contact us for further information.
CME CREDITS: The School of Public Health, University at Albany is accredited by the Medical Society of the State of New York (MSSNY) to provide continuing medical education for physicians. The School of Public Health, University at Albany designates this live activity for a maximum of 5.0 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditsTM. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Trainers: Kelly Ramsey, MD, Hudson River Healthcare, Poughkeepsie, NY; Samara Gabree, NP, Catholic Charities, Albany, NY
Location: Dutchess County Department of Behavioral and Community Health, 230 North Road, TRAINING ROOM Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 Light refreshments will be provided.
Directions: https://goo.gl/maps/YkTgJx7ByJm
Online Registration: https://goo.gl/UqhKwF
Questions: NYSDOH, AIDS Institute, Office of Drug User Health Stephen Crowe, 212-417-4558, stephen.crowe@health.ny.gov Belinda Duncan, 1-800-692-8528, buprenorphine@health.ny.gov
ACCREDITATION: This activity has been planned and implemented by NYSDOH, AIDS Institute in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry (AAAP) and in partnership with Dutchess County Health Department and Montefiore Hudson Valley. Funding for this course was made possible (in part) by 1U79TI026556 from SAMHSA. The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services; nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry is the sponsoring data organization.
Buprenorphine Waiver Eligibility Training for Clinical Providers: Ulster County
Friday, April 20th, 2018Buprenorphine Waiver Eligibility
Training for Clinical Providers: Ulster County
Saturday, May 12th, 2018
8:00AM-1:00PM
The NYSDOH AIDS Institute is sponsoring a free buprenorphine waiver training for clinical providers. In response to opioid overdose deaths in New York State, increased access to buprenorphine treatment for opioid use disorder is urgently needed. Physicians, Nurse Practitioners, Physician Assistants and Medical Residents are welcome and highly encouraged to attend.
Under current regulations, authorized practitioners (MDs, DOs, NPs & PAs) are required to obtain a ‘waiver’ to prescribe buprenorphine. To acquire this waiver, physicians are required to complete a standardized buprenorphine waiver 8-hour training. Nurse Practitioners (NPs) and Physician Assistants (PAs) are required to complete the standardized buprenorphine waiver 8-hour training as well as an additional 16 hours of online training as established by the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA). Residents may also take the course and apply for their waiver once they receive their DEA license. The buprenorphine waiver 8-hour training is offered in a half-and-half format [4.5 hours of in-person training followed up by 3.5 hours of online training]. Upon completion of the required training, providers will meet the requirement of the DATA 2000 to apply for a waiver to prescribe buprenorphine for opioid-dependent patients. Please contact us for further information.
CME CREDITS: The School of Public Health, University at Albany is accredited by the Medical Society of the State of New York (MSSNY) to provide continuing medical education for physicians. The School of Public Health, University at Albany designates this live activity for a maximum of 5.0 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditsTM. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Trainer: Melissa Weimer DO, MCR, St. Peter’s Health Partners, Albany, NY
Location: Health Alliance Hospital, 105 Marys Avenue Campus, William De Doux Administrative Conference Room, Kingston, NY 12401 Light refreshments will be provided.
Directions: https://goo.gl/maps/RPzN5GamScq
Online Registration: https://goo.gl/UACSpW
Questions: NYSDOH, AIDS Institute, Office of Drug User Health
Stephen Crowe, 212-417-4558, stephen.crowe@health.ny.gov
Belinda Duncan, 212-417-4553, buprenorphine@health.ny.gov
ACCREDITATION: This activity has been planned and implemented by NYSDOH, AIDS Institute in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry (AAAP) and in partnership with Westchester Medical Center Health Care Network.
Funding for this course was made possible (in part) by 1U79TI026556 from SAMHSA. The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services; nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry is the sponsoring data organization.