Utica, New York – Center for Family Life and Recovery is now certified as an Opioid Overdose Prevention Program. The certification by the New York State Department of Health enables Center for Family Life & Recovery to routinely dispense naloxone based on best practices, including overdose prevention training of patients and community members. Certified Opioid Overdose Prevention Programs are part of New Yorkers overcoming substance misuse.
“Increasing naloxone availability saves lives,” said Jodi Warren, Director of Prevention Services at Center for Family Life & Recovery. “Making naloxone easily accessible to our community, who may have friends or family struggling with opioid use, is an important part of New York’s response to the opioid epidemic.”
More than 93,000 people died of a drug overdose in the U.S. last year — a record number that reflects a rise of nearly 30% from 2019, according to new data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Officials said the increase was driven by the lethal prevalence of fentanyl as well as pandemic-related stressors and problems in accessing care.
256 People die each day from a drug overdose in the United States. Naloxone (Narcan) is the only lifesaving tool to help someone who is overdosing. Substance Use Disorder or abuse has no discrimination and can affect anyone. Overdose can also happen to anyone; fentanyl can be laced in any drug and is undetectable to the naked eye. Overdose can also happen in other ways than fentanyl and heroin, it can happen from taking to much medication, or by mixing it with another medication or alcohol, it can also happen by ingestion, by touch, it can occur by stepping on a needle laying in the grass or by picking up a bottle that has been used to get high.
Overdose can happen to ANYONE and even pets.
In Oneida county alone, we have over 220 reported overdoses, 39 of those have been reported fatal, 44% of those fatalities were not administered Narcan. These overdoses are what has been reported, which is concerning and devastating alone, but to know their “real” numbers would be further astonishing. Center for Family Life and Recovery, CFLR, is committed to prevention, recovery, and providing hope, healing, education, and awareness, one life lost to overdose is one life to many.
New York State has been a national leader in the response to the opioid crisis, and overdose prevention and awareness efforts date back to 1992 when the first syringe exchange program was authorized by the Department of Health. Since then, New York State has taken a people-centered approach in addressing the comprehensive needs of those who use drugs. The State’s naloxone initiative, launched in 2006, has supported over 25,500 naloxone administrations, with more than 14,000 carried out by community responders to date.
The Department provides overdose supplies, including naloxone, to registered programs. Community responders trained by these programs administered naloxone nearly 2,000 times in 2020. Over the last several years, New York State has worked to increase access to naloxone by having pharmacy standing orders in place for this medication.
Center for Family Life and Recovery, Inc. is proud to be the area’s leading expert for advocacy, prevention, counseling, and training. As a community partner, it is important to us that we continue spreading the message of help and hope to our area and with those whom we work.
Along with supporting individuals and families struggling with addiction, mental health and behavioral issues, CFLR’s goal is to inspire hope, provide help, promote wellness and transform lives. The vision of CFLR is to be a leader in creating a world where people have the power to achieve and celebrate recovery. To learn more, visit www.whenthereshelpthereshope.com or call (315) 733-1709 and ask for Fran Esposito or Katie Burns.
