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Why is There an Opioid Epidemic?

• As of 2016, doctors were writing more than 289 million prescriptions“Facing Addiction in America”, U.S. Surgeon General (2016), 413 pp addiction.surgeongeneral.gov/surgeon-generals-report.pdf​ nationwide for opioids. These prescriptions were intended as temporary relief from major pain events.
• Due to the sedative effects on the part of the brain which regulates breathing, opioids in high doses sometimes cause respiratory failure and death. As a result, 146 people die from opioid overdose in the U.S every daywww.drugabuse.gov/related-topics/trends-statistics/overdose-death-rates​.
• In 2016, there were 56,000 12- to-17-year-oldsSAMHSA Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, National Survey on Drug Use and Health. abusing prescription drugs in New York State.

Is It “That Bad” in Greene County & Columbia County? Yes!

• Greene County has the third highest rate of opioid overdose deaths​www.health.ny.gov/statistics/opioid/data/d2.htm and second highest rate of heroin overdose deathswww.health.ny.gov/statistics/opioid/data/d3.htm​ in New York State. Also, the number of overdoses is increasing. There were 62 opioid overdoses in 2016https://www.health.ny.gov/statistics/opioid/data/pdf/nys_jul17.pdf compared to 45 in 2015.
• Columbia County saw a 233% increase in deaths attributable to any opioid pain reliever from 2015 to 2016.https://www.health.ny.gov/statistics/opioid/#i_three.
• In New York State, Greene County has the ninth highest rate of emergency department visits involving opioid overdose​www.health.ny.gov/statistics/opioid/data/e2.htm.
• People with an opioid addiction who succumbed to an overdose are mostly white, working-class, and live in a rural area.Sullivan, Andrew. “The Opioid Epidemic Is This Generation’s AIDS Crisis”, New York Magazine, March 16, 2017

Looking for candidates for Certified Recovery Peer Advocate (CRPA) program.

We have some exciting news to share!

(Friend of Recovery – NY) FOR-NY has received a grant from Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS). They will be administering scholarships for training individuals interested in becoming Certified Recovery Peer Advocates (CRPAs)!

Certified Peer Professionals are a much-needed piece of the continuum of care for people with Substance Use Disorders.  These potential hope dealers live in your community!  Will you help us to identify and support them in the beginning of their new journey?

We have developed a comprehensive training and support mechanism for those individuals, and we’d like to partner with you to get the job done right.

Here is what you can do:

• Distribute information to those you think would be a good candidate to follow through on the training and certification process.
• Write letters of recommendation for individuals you believe are ready to become certified.
• If applicable, host an approved trainer at your site to give the initial 46 hours of training (RCA + Ethics) and additional training as needed (Peer Professionalism, Spirituality, ER Coaches, Youth, etc.).
• Host a (minimum) monthly learning collaborative for peer professionals (to be facilitated by the trainer).
• If appropriate in your setting, take on a volunteer CRPA-P for the 500 hours necessary to get certified. (They will need to provide direct coaching services.)
• If able, provide the 25 hours of supervision necessary for certification.
• If you are willing and able to take on any of the above, please contact the director of education and training, Theresa Knorr, at FOR-NY.

Guidelines and scholarship applications will be made available on January 10th with the launch of our redesigned website.