Posts Tagged ‘treatment’

Town Hall on Opioids and Overdose

Tuesday, January 16th, 2018

Town Hall on OverdoseNew York State is in crisis. Opioid overdose now takes the lives of more New Yorkers than homicides, traffic accidents and suicides combined. New York State Assemblyman Frank Skartados invites Hudson Valley residents to become a part of the solution and to join together to discuss a compassionate community response to opioid overdose deaths in New York’s 104th District. On Saturday, January 20th from 2-5 p.m. New York State Assemblyman Frank K. Skartados will be holding a town hall and forum panel on opioid overdose at the Newburgh Armory Unity Center 321 S William St, Newburgh, NY 12550.

AM Skartados has partnered with Hudson Valley Community Services (HVCS) and other agencies, including Adelphi University, Cornerstone Family Health, Drug Policy Alliance,  Hudson Valley Community Services, Team Newburgh United Way of the Dutchess-Orange Region, and VOCAL-NY, to join people impacted by opioid use with experts in the fields of science, public health, criminal justice, and drug policy. HVCS’ Frank Barone, a member of our Syringe Exchange Program staff, will take part in a panel discussion.

This event will begin a compassionate and scientifically-informed discussion about drug use, overdose and New Yorkers’ best prospects for saving lives and living well. Information about local services available to people who use drugs and people in recovery will also be provided. Overdose and addiction affect us in a variety of ways.

The following experts and residents will field questions during the forum:

Keynote: Carl Hart, PhD Columbia University and Drug Policy Alliance

  • Hart is a Scientist, Activist, and Educator who is working to drive a compassionate response to people who use drugs and ensure that science informs policy.

Kassandra Frederique, MSW Drug Policy Alliance

  • Frederique is the New York State Director of DPAleadinge their statewide mission to advance those policies and attitudes that best reduce the harms of both drug use and drug prohibition, and to promote the sovereignty of individuals over their minds and bodies.

Judith Branche, MD, CornerStone Family Health

  • Branch is the Medical Director of the Center for Recovery at Cornerstone Family Health Center.

Jeff Kaufmann, Law Enforcement Action Partnership (LEAP)

  • Kaufmann was a police officer with the New York Police Department. While earning a law degree and and working with the NYPD’s Legal Bureau became critical of New York State’s drug policies.

Frank Barone, Hudson Valley Community Services

  • Barone is a Syringe Exchange program prevention specialist and uses harm reduction techniques to engage people who use drugs and to minimize the harm use causes.

Lauren Mandel, RN Newburgh resident and nurse

  • Mandel is a Newburgh resident who has practiced nursing for decades. Her son Zane died after using an opioid in September.

Sgt. Julio Fernandez, Adelphi University School of Social Work

  • Fernandez works to analyze local data on opioid overdoses and hospitalizations to create a data-driven community response at Adelphi’s Hudson Valley Center.

Those interested may register online at: https://vocal.ourpowerbase.net/civicrm/event/register?cid=0&reset=1&id=1598

or share and follow the Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1854211644870945/

Calendar Information:

What: Town Hall on Opioid Overdose

Where: Newburgh Armory Unity Center, Larkin Center, 321 S. William St., Newburgh NY 12550

When: Saturday, January 20, 2018, 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm

Who: Concerned residents of New York’s 104th District and those affected by and concerned about opioid overdoses

More information: Contact Jawanza Williams, jawanza@vocal-ny.org

Alcohol Awareness Month – April

Wednesday, January 4th, 2017

 

Founded and sponsored by NCADD, Alcohol Awareness Month was established in 1987 to help reduce the stigma so often associated with alcoholism by encouraging communities to reach out to the American public each April with information about alcohol, alcoholism and recovery. Alcoholism is a chronic, progressive disease, genetically predisposed and fatal if untreated. However people can and do recover. In fact, it is estimated that as many as 20 million individuals and family members are living lives in recovery!

Alcohol Awareness Month – April

Wednesday, January 4th, 2017

 

Founded and sponsored by NCADD, Alcohol Awareness Month was established in 1987 to help reduce the stigma so often associated with alcoholism by encouraging communities to reach out to the American public each April with information about alcohol, alcoholism and recovery. Alcoholism is a chronic, progressive disease, genetically predisposed and fatal if untreated. However people can and do recover. In fact, it is estimated that as many as 20 million individuals and family members are living lives in recovery!

Alcohol Awareness Month – April

Wednesday, January 4th, 2017

 

Founded and sponsored by NCADD, Alcohol Awareness Month was established in 1987 to help reduce the stigma so often associated with alcoholism by encouraging communities to reach out to the American public each April with information about alcohol, alcoholism and recovery. Alcoholism is a chronic, progressive disease, genetically predisposed and fatal if untreated. However people can and do recover. In fact, it is estimated that as many as 20 million individuals and family members are living lives in recovery!

Alcohol Awareness Month – April

Wednesday, January 4th, 2017

 

Founded and sponsored by NCADD, Alcohol Awareness Month was established in 1987 to help reduce the stigma so often associated with alcoholism by encouraging communities to reach out to the American public each April with information about alcohol, alcoholism and recovery. Alcoholism is a chronic, progressive disease, genetically predisposed and fatal if untreated. However people can and do recover. In fact, it is estimated that as many as 20 million individuals and family members are living lives in recovery!

Syringe Exchange Program Expands to Sullivan and Ulster Counties

Wednesday, December 7th, 2016

HVCS’ Syringe Exchange Program (SEP) is pleased to announced that it now serves Sullivan and Ulster counties, in addition to Dutchess and Orange. The New York State Department of Health’s Harm Reduction Unit recently approved our plan to expand our successful syringe exchange van program to Kingston and Monticello.

The discrete SEP van will be located in Kingston at Elmendorf Street between Broadway and Tremper Avenue on Tuesdays and Fridays from 10:00 am to 12 noon and 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm.

The van will also operate in Monticello on Mondays and Fridays from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm and 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm, but interested clients and referring agencies must call (845) 476-2190 OR (845) 234-5225 for location.

The SEP program has kept thousands of used syringes off of the streets and out of the Poughkeepsie and Newburgh communities thus far. Program staff regularly offer trainings on the overdose prevention drug Narcan/Naloxone, and have saved several lives. Staffers estimate that the clients they have trained to administer Narcan themselves revive between three and five overdosing peers each month.

For more information on SEP, please call (845) 476-2190 or (845) 234-5225.

NYS HIV Infections Reach Historic Low; More Funds for PrEP Announced

Thursday, July 14th, 2016

In case you missed this week’s big news from Albany, Gov. Cuomo announced that estimates of new HIV infections for 2014 show a decrease of 41% from 2006. Estimated new HIV infections were fewer than 2,500 for the first time. The estimated HIV incidence rate (that is, the rate of people living with HIV, per 10,000 residents) fell 43% since 2006.

NYS HIV Infections, 2006-14

New estimates also report that 123,000 New Yorkers live with HIV, as of the end of 2014. About 10,000 do not yet know they are HIV-positive (8%). While this is good news overall, the report also estimates that only 62% of HIVers are virally suppressed (they have an undetectable viral load) and are, theoretically, incapable of infecting others. NYS would like to increase this percentage while continuing to decrease new infections to less than 750 per year by 2020.

Gov. Cuomo also announced an additional $4 million in funding to spread awareness of PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis). The NYS Department of Health unveiled new videos to educate the public about PrEP and a new website, PrEPforSex.org.

HVCS offers PrEP referrals, information and support, so please contact us if you’re thinking about going on PrEP to stay safe from HIV. These are trends we want to see continue!

NYS Dept of Health Debuts New PrEP Website & Video Series

Thursday, July 14th, 2016

The AIDS Institute announced two new exciting resources on Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV.

PrEP for Sex Video Series

This series of eight videos highlights the voices of men who are currently taking PrEP to prevent HIV infection.

Honest, forthright and insightful, these videos address the following topics:

  • Is PrEP Right for Me
  • Beginning the Process
  • Affordability
  • Remembering to Take PrEP
  • Condom Use
  • Why PrEP
  • Side Effects
  • PrEP and Emotions

PrEP Website

The AIDS Institute also unveiled a new website to unite the video series and public service announcements: PrEPforSex.org.

There is also a new text-message campaign. Users can text the word “PREP” to 69866 for personalized PrEP recommendations and resources.

NYS Issues Urgent Warning About Syphilis

Monday, October 12th, 2015

Infectious syphilis is increasing in New York State, with a 13% increase in New York City and a 44% increase in upstate New York between 2013 and 2014. In many areas, the number of cases has more than doubled in this period. The highest burden of cases is seen in New York City and surrounding counties (which would include the Hudson Valley). Cases are mainly among males, especially gay men and men who have sex with men.

We encourage everyone to be aware of the risk factors, signs, and symptoms of syphilis. Having unprotected sex, multiple sex partners, or a new sex partner can all increase the risk of syphilis infection, as well as other STI’s and HIV.To learn more about syphilis, visit our RPI team or http://bit.ly/NYSDOHSyph. Call (845) 471-0707 x12 to schedule a test, or stop in at one of our testing events. You can also check out the basics on our website.

 

Anti-Retroviral Therapy Switching Presentation

Monday, December 8th, 2014

ART Switch

RICHARD TORRES, MD, MPH, FACP, FACGS, AAHIVM

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR

YALE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE

Thursday, December 11, 2014

6:30 PM EST

Ruth’s Chris Steak House

670 White Plains Road

Tarrytown, NY

(914) 631-3311

Please RSVP to Tricia Guyon at

(860) 398-0486 or via e-mail at

Tricia.Guyon@gilead.com by 12/08/2014