A “Drug Awareness” night was held on May 11 at the Newark Valley United Church of Christ in Newark Valley, N.Y. A question and answer event for the public, eight presenters included Senator Fred Akshar, and representatives from the Tioga County District Attorney’s Office, Tioga County Sheriff’s Department, the Tioga County Health Department, the Tioga County Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, Dreams Over Drugs Foundation, and the mother of an addict who is involved in several advocacy and outreach groups. (Photos by JoAnn R. Walter)
A “Drug Awareness” night was held on May 11 at the Newark Valley United Church of Christ in Newark Valley, N.Y. A question and answer event for the public, eight presenters included Senator Fred Akshar, and representatives from the Tioga County District Attorney’s Office, Tioga County Sheriff’s Department, the Tioga County Health Department, the Tioga County Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, and the Dreams Over Drugs Foundation.
A well-attended event, guests were also able to talk one-on-one with representatives from the local organizations at information tables, which also included the Southern Tier Aids Program.
A “Drug Awareness” night was held on May 11 at the Newark Valley United Church of Christ in Newark Valley, N.Y. A question and answer event for the public, eight presenters attended including representatives from Tioga County and other organizations. Pictured, standing, is New York State Senator Fred Akshar (R-52).
The event moderator, Tom Treiman, and church secretary Cathy Kuntzleman, who helped organize the second drug awareness night event, the first of which was held earlier this year, both shared a common message, “Drug issues affect every town, and it really is a problem in our area. We’re here to help make people aware and get educated.”
Senator Fred Akshar (R-52), who is involved in a legislative task force to develop solutions to combat the growing heroin crisis in the Southern Tier and throughout New York State, shared that he served 15 years in law enforcement, which included undercover investigations.
Akshar commented, “This is an issue near and dear to my heart. While in the detective bureau, I cut my teeth in the drug world,” and he added, “This issue also requires community response and it is clear based on attendance here tonight, that the community cares.”
Rebecca Kaufman, deputy director of Public Health for the Tioga County Health Department, brought up a critical point in regard to the education of youth, and particularly noted “gateway drugs,” which are habit-forming drugs that may lead to use of other addictive drugs.
Kaufman asked for a show of audience hands to gauge how many guests had recently cleared out their medicine cabinets, and strongly recommended that everyone drop off unused medications to the Sheriff’s department “take-back box.”
Kaufman shared, “It’s important to get prescription drugs out of your home.”
Akshar shared that while working undercover prescription pain medication cases, he saw first-hand the startling epidemic. Referring to New York State’s Internet System for Tracking Over-Prescribing (I-STOP) legislation, Akshar commented, “I-STOP has been effective in some ways, but it also has had a consequence in the increased abuse of heroin.”
Senior Investigator Wayne Moulton, a 25-year veteran with the Tioga County Sheriff’s department, shared that a lot of addicts are committing crimes to fuel their habit, and that meth has again re-emerged in the area.
Audience members asked how the community can get more involved.
Tim Schmidt, investigator with the Tioga County Sheriff’s department suggested community members share suspicious activity in ways like writing down license plate numbers, calling the Sheriff’s office, or posting an anonymous tip on the Sheriff’s department website.
Schmidt explained that the department is committed and partners with other law enforcement, however added, “We can’t do it alone. We also need the community’s help.”
In response to a comment about drug treatment programs for individuals who fall within the justice system, Palmer Palella, assistant district attorney in Tioga County, shared, “Programs in place give people the opportunity to attack addiction head-on, and there are a number of professionals working on each individual case. The ultimate goal is for the participant to be successful.”
Topics of discussion at the Drug Awareness night also included the need for more treatment options in Tioga County, the responsibility of medical doctors to become better educated on addictive traits, limiting time periods of pain medications prescribed to individuals under age 21, re-entry funding for individuals leaving correctional facilities, continuity of care, and implementing neighborhood watch programs, among others.
A volunteer with Operation SAFE (Save Addicts from Epidemic), shared that their program recently launched in Broome County, part of which helps search for treatment providers, has had positive success. SAFE can also be of help to individuals in Tioga County.
Kellie Musa, co-founder of the grassroots organization, Dreams Over Drugs, shared that the non-profit delivers free presentations in schools and for community groups, with focus on how to identify if kids are using drugs, discussion of peer pressure, dangers of drug use and how to live a life free of addiction.
Debbie Hulse, program assistant with the Tioga County Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse (TCCASA), shared, “Most importantly, communicate with your children.” Hulse gave an example of elementary school students who come home talking about “fruit loops” with their classmates, yet in reality could be picking up new slang terms about what it means to share pills.
Patricia Townsend, involved with advocacy and outreach and also the mother of an addict, participated on stage at Drug Awareness night and shared that she believes her child started using drugs as early as age thirteen.
Additional information for these organizations and resources are as follows: Dreams Over Drugs Foundation, www.dreamsoverdrugs.org, call (607) 242-6796 or find them on Facebook; Tioga County Sheriff’s Department, www.tiogacountysheriff.com, click on the link: “Anonymous Tip Line,” or call (607) 687-1010; Tioga County Health Department, www.tiogacountyny.com/departments/public-health/, or call (607) 687-8630; Tioga County Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, http://tccasa.org/, or call (607) 687-6349; Southern Tier AIDS Program (STAP), (607) 798-1706; Operation SAFE, (607) 778-6119; Senator Fred Akshar, www.nysenate.gov/senators/fred-akshar/contact, or call the Binghamton office at (607) 773-8771.
