Pubdate: Fri, 22 Aug 2014
Source: Record, The (Troy, NY)
Copyright: 2014 The Record
Contact:  http://www.troyrecord.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1724
Author: Louis Desso
Note: Louis Desso, CASAC, is deputy commissioner of the Rensselaer 
County Department of Mental Health

SENATOR TARGETS HEROIN ABUSE AND ADDICTION

Heroin is an incredibly dangerous, highly addictive drug that has
ruined - and claimed - countless lives. As deputy commissioner of the
county's Department of Mental Health and a New York state credentialed
alcoholism and substance abuse counselor I have seen first-hand the
devastating effects of this drug on families throughout our area.

This is a crisis that seems only to be growing - a U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services survey found that 467,000 Americans were
addicted to heroin, a figure that has doubled over a decade. Our
communities are not immune to this growing crisis and real solutions
are needed now more than ever.

Those solutions are exactly what Sen. Kathy Marchione has focused on
as member of the Senate's bipartisan Task Force on Heroin and Opioid
Addiction. Sen. Marchione and her task force colleagues worked in a
bipartisan fashion toward developing pro-active solutions to stem the
increase of heroin addiction and abuse that has spread across New York
state.

In April, Sen. Marchione hosted a well-attended community meeting at
Hudson Valley Community College focused on the escalating threat of
heroin abuse and addiction right here in our Capital Region.

This forum featured a first-rate panel of law enforcement, addiction
treatment and recovery specialists, educators and health care experts
who shared their insights and feedback with task force members and
everyone who attended the forum. This was a substantive forum
befitting such a serious topic.

Sen. Marchione and her fellow task force members recently approved 23
bipartisan bills to develop a holistic approach to tackling the
challenge of heroin abuse and addiction.

The bills, each of which has passed the Senate, address critical areas
such as prevention, treatment and law enforcement, all of which are
necessary for long-term solutions. Sen. Marchione sponsored one of the
bills which would assure important information is available to ensure
the proper administration of Naloxone (also known as "Narcan") to help
save a life in the event of an overdose.

We in Rensselaer County are very pleased that Sen. Marchione made such
a serious issue a top priority and, most importantly, followed through
with plans for real solutions. This sort of positive approach will no
doubt help in the fight against heroin addiction.  
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D