News

Posted by Jude Seymour on Monday, June 23rd, 2014

• Related issues: Controlled Substances, Prescribed drugs or Prescriptions

UTICA – Sen. Joseph A. Griffo, a member of the Senate Task Force on Heroin & Opioid Addiction, today thanked Gov. Andrew Cuomo for signing a package of bills designed to combat heroin legislation.

“This is a testament to teamwork,” said Griffo, R-Rome. “The Senate Task Force lead the way, soliciting input from more than 200 experts in health care and public safety who interact with heroin users. We developed a package of bills that received overwhelming support in the Senate and, thankfully, our Assembly colleagues agreed to most of the bills. The governor’s quick action in signing this legislation demonstrates our shared commitment to tackling this problem right away.”

“At the Center for Family Life & Recovery, our goal is to create a community mindset that encourages and sustains recovery from addiction,” said Cassandra Sheets, chief executive officer of the organization. “At Senator Griffo’s forum, I spoke about several major components of that ongoing initiative, including proper education of our children, better inter-agency and community coordination as well as more wraparound support for those recovering from addiction after treatment. I’m thankful that the senators took my input seriously and incorporated those elements into their final package. I thank the governor for signing these bills today.”

Griffo hosted a forum April 15 in Utica, where a dozen professionals in the fields of addiction treatment, recovery and law enforcement offered frank testimony about rising trends in heroin abuse. The group also spoke about the need for additional public education, to improve access to treatment programs, to increase communication and the flow of information among state agencies that deal with addicts, among other things.

That feedback was incorporated into the bills signed Monday.

They include new laws that will enable individuals requiring treatment, but who are denied, to continue receiving care while they appear their case. Insurers will be required to cover appropriate treatment for those addicted to drugs.

The state will create a new program, aimed at lowering costs, that will divert patients who do not need in-hospital detox to appropriate facilities or services. This program would provide alternative, short term community based treatment.

In addition, the new laws will help decrease relapses and improve life outcomes by providing services to addicts for up to nine months after they’ve successfully completed a treatment program. This case management service would encompass education, legal, financial, social, child care and other supports.

The state’s Office of Alocholism and Substance Abuse Services will also begin a new public education campaign aimed at children, their parents, health care providers and others. The effort will focus on the risks associated with opioid abuse, the telltale signs of addiction and what local resources are available for those that need help. The state Education Commissioner will also be updating the state’s curriculum on drug abuse every three years so students are given the most up-to-date information.

Griffo has written letters to the 21 police departments in his district, encouraging them to apply for funds for training officers to use and to carry naloxone, a powerful medicine that reverse some of the most harmful effects of opioid overdose. The state Attorney General’s Office is accepting applications through Sept. 1.

Legislation signed Monday will also allow pharmacists to dispense the medicine to anyone who needs it.

Finally, the new laws include introducing penalties and greater police power to reduce the distribution of controlled substances. It creates the crime of “fraud and deceit related to a controlled substance,” to crack down on “doctor shopping.” It also adds a new crime and increases penalties for another associated with pharmacists and practitioners selling controlled substances.

April 10, 2014 by Judith H. Reilly

In response to a recent article on Heroin, I’d like to take a few minutes to tell you how Center for Family Life and Recovery, Inc. is making a difference in our community and transforming the lives of individuals and families, who need it most.

Approximately half of heroin users start out by abusing prescription painkillers; they are frequently the gateway to Heroin. More people die from painkiller overdose yearly than Heroin and Cocaine combined. Heroin is unforgiving, and the Mohawk Valley is not immune. Data collected by the Oneida County Department of Mental Health from our county’s outpatient treatment programs for 2013 reflected 1,738 individuals were admitted for drug treatment and about 25% were listed with opiates, as primary drug of choice. Since 2011, local figures have increased about 15%.

CFLR, Inc.’s Prevention Council staff are members of the Oneida County Alcohol and Drug Subcommittee. It is a platform that brings providers together to work collaboratively on substance abuse issues. CFLR, Inc. is a partner on the Oneida County Opiate Task Force, which has been formed to address the ongoing Opiate epidemic. The Task Force will collaborate in order to address and tackle the current Opiate problem that is impacting our community. CFLR, Inc.’s is the lead agency for the Oneida County Professional Training Coalition and works diligently to prepare community professionals for the issues and trends that they face.

CFLR, Inc. is proud to partner with the City of Rome’s Police Department to not only educate our community through prevention messaging, but also to provide support for those who are fighting addictions, and are on their recovery journey. In 2013, CFLR, Inc. collaborated with Communities That Care to purchase a RXMedReturn Unit, made possible through a grant from the United Way of Rome & Western Oneida County, to be housed in the Rome Police Station; through this effort hundreds of pounds of prescription medication was safely disposed of. Currently, CFLR, Inc. is working with the Department to address the Heroin/Opiate epidemic. In 2013 alone over 15,000 bags of Heroin were seized. In addition, police are reporting an extremely heavy increase in shoplifting among users, who are struggling to support their addiction.

HOPE is a Heroin Overdose Prevention Education program. The goal of this program is to reduce the incidence of Heroin abuse and overdoses through prevention and education efforts directed toward recovery. The overall mission is that this will provide a powerful message and educate all participating citizens to make good decisions that will positively influence the outcome of their lives.

In the end, even if you personally don’t know of someone affected by Heroin, you are being affected by it. CFLR, Inc. knows that together, we will make the changes necessary in our community. Here are four concrete steps that you can take to get involved: 1.) Look for information about the Heroin and Opioid Forum being held in Utica on Tuesday, April 15th from 5:00P.M. – 7:00P.M.; 2.) Get involved in CFLR, Inc.’s Project Recover a systematic, community-wide support network for individuals in all stages of recovery from substance use, mental health, and behavioral Issues and their families throughout Herkimer and Oneida Counties that is built upon S.A.M.H.S.A.’s four pillars of recovery: Home, Health, Purpose and Community; 3.) Join Communities That Care and get involved; 4.) Frequent www.whenthereshelpthereshope.com and review the Oneida County Professional Training Coalition schedule to become more informed.

For more information, or to get involved, please contact CFLR, Inc. directly at (315) 733 – 1709.

March 13, 2014 by Joseph Stuart

Sex-offender. Sexual abuse. Molestation. These are words that evoke intense emotional responses. On any given day, it is unusual if not impossible to read the newspaper, or watch the local news, without seeing or hearing about yet another horrific and heart breaking situation of the sexual abuse of children. According to the Oneida County Child Advocacy Center (C.A.C.), which investigates reports of child sexual abuse, in 2013 there were 602 reported cases of sexual abuse in Oneida County, which involved 775 total suspects, 642 primary child victims and 428 secondary child victims.

The public’s response is understandably one of outrage, anger, fear and concern for the safety of children and our community. Terms such as pedophile, sexual predator, child molester, rapist and sociopath are indiscriminately used. Beliefs such as once a sex offender always a sex offender, there is no cure for sex offenders, and sex offenders have the highest recidivism rate of all offenders are commonly held. This has resulted in well intentioned attempts to keep our children and community safe, including tougher penalties, registration and community notification, residency restrictions, curfews, computer and internet prohibitions electronic monitoring and civil confinement.

What is the truth about who these people are, and why they do such harmful and damaging things? Can they change, and if so what are the factors that can help and/or hinder their success in doing so? Is treatment effective? What can families and communities do to help keep their children safe from sex offenders, and sexual abuse? Perhaps most importantly, how can the concept of recovery be applied to people who have committed sexual abuse against children?

The truth is that sex offenders are an extremely diverse group of people with greatly varying characteristics, motivations, underlying issues, contributing factors, treatment needs and risks to re-abuse. Sex offenders can and do recover and go on to lead pro-social lives and to be productive, contributing members of their communities, when provided with the means to do so. Research in the field indicates that the majority of sex offenders do not re-abuse after they are detected and that their recidivism rates can be significantly reduced through a combination of evidence based risk assessment and treatment, community supervision and accountability and a positive, pro-social support system. In fact, communities have much to gain in terms of public safety and the protection of children by implementing policies and making available resources that help facilitate and sustain the recovery of people who have committed sexual abuse.

The Professional Training Coalition of Oneida County, in partnership with Center for Family Life and Recovery, Inc., will be providing a one day training that addresses these issues and more, entitled “Responding to the Challenges of Sexual Offenders in our Communities: A Recovery Based Approach,” on Friday, March 21, 2014 from 9:00A.M. – 4:00P.M. (Registration at 8:30P.M.), at the Radisson Hotel-Utica Centre in Utica New York 13502. Cost is $30.00 per person; pre-registration required. The presenters will be Bonnie Zweifel, LMSW, Clinical Counselor for CFLR, Inc., and myself, Clinical Services Director for CFLR, Inc.. For more information or to register for this training, please contact Samantha Madderom, Prevention Specialist for CFLR, Inc., at (315) 733 – 1709.

May 2014 by Samantha Madderom

Oneida County has been seeing an increase in the rate of suicides from previous years. In 2013, there were 35 completed suicides; 30 male and 5 female. Thus far in 2014, there have been 10 completed suicides; 9 male and 1 female. As a community what can we do to try and lower these statistics?
Suicide is not a word that is spoken about often. There is a stigma attached to the word that forces individuals to not want to talk about it. It’s almost as though individuals feel that talking about it is going to cause an individual to complete suicide, and that is not the case.
If there is someone you know that may be contemplating suicide, talk to them let them know you are there. Don’t be afraid to talk about suicide with an individual you feel is at risk for suicidal behavior. Sometimes all you need to do is let the individual know there is help out there and there is hope. If someone displays these signs, it may mean someone is at risk for suicide. Risk is greater if a behavior is new or has increased and if it seems related to a painful event, loss or change.
•Talking about wanting to die or to kill oneself;
•Looking for a way to kill oneself, such as searching online or buying a gun;
•Talking about feeling hopeless or having no reason to live;
•Talking about feeling trapped or in unbearable pain;
•Talking about being a burden to others;
•Increasing the use of alcohol or drugs;
•Acting anxious, agitated or behaving recklessly;
•Sleeping too little or too much;
•Withdrawn or feeling isolated;
•Showing rage or talking about seeking revenge;
•Displaying extreme mood swings.

Additional Warning Signs of Suicide
•Preoccupation with death;
•Suddenly happier, calmer;
•Loss of interest in things one cares about;
•Visiting or calling people to say goodbye;
•Making arrangements and setting one’s affairs in order;
•Giving things away, such as prized possessions.

If you are someone you know is contemplating suicide reach out, speak up, someone is always there. In an emergency, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (8255). If you would like more information on local resources throughout Oneida County or would like to join the Oneida County Suicide Prevention Coalition, please contact Samantha Madderom, Oneida County Suicide Prevention Coalition Coordinator, at (315) 733–1709.

Center for Family Life and Recovery, Inc. (CFLR, Inc.) is now three years old and has defined its niche as an agency providing leadership and resources to improve the community’s understanding and awareness of mental health, substance use and behavioral issues & transforming the lives of those who need it most, for the better. Focusing on EMOTIONAL HEALTH as it is essential for overall health; PREVENTION works when awareness and training programs are delivered effectively; TREATMENT is successful when coordinated appropriately; and RECOVERY: people recover from mental health, substance use and behavioral issues when provided with a focus on the four pillars of recovery; Home, Health, Community and Purpose. CFLR, Inc. is all about a high quality, self-directed, satisfying life for individuals and families in our community. With the intent to grow in size and quality while ensuring that CFLR, Inc. continues to bring unique value to Oneida and Herkimer Counties, the Board of Directors are committed to the development of a strategic plan to serve as a framework for CFLR, Inc.’s decision-making as it strengthens its capacity for growth and increased mission impact.

To view the full Strategic Plan, CLICK HERE