Opiate Abuse Forum

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“OPIATES: A CALL TO COMMUNITY ACTION” — A CITY-WIDE PUBLIC HEARING AND THE CENTERPIECE OF AN IMPORTANT COMMUNITY RESOURCE FAIR AND FORUM AT CITY HALL ON MAY 2

Join the Gloucester City Council and the Board of Health at this joint hearing concerning the opiate/opioid abuse problem

Gloucester, MA – Community leaders, concerned citizens and a wide range of health and human service support agencies are joining forces to address the current opiate/opioid abuse problem in Gloucester. Through partnership and collaboration, they have come together to coordinate  a Community Resource Fair to provide critical information for families and individuals dealing with addiction and recovery. This event will take place on Saturday, May 2 at Gloucester City Hall.

“The focus of the event is to raise awareness of this problem facing so many communities and also provide critical information and resources to people dealing with substance abuse issues—particularly those dealing with opiate and opioid addictions,” said Gloucester City Council President Paul McGeary.

The genesis of the event was a Facebook post by Gloucester Police Chief Leonard Campanello in March, in which the chief reported that there had been dozens of opiate related overdoses and four suspected heroin-related deaths in the city since January.

The Chief reached out to the community through the police department’s Facebook page with the following:

• “If you are not involved in opiates or heroin, help us. Inform yourself, call us when you see activity, volunteer. You can make a difference.

• “If you are a user of opiates or heroin, let us help you. We know you do not want this addiction. We have resources here in the City that can and will make a difference in your life. Do not become a statistic.

The Facebook post received more than 37,000 views.

At the request of City Councilor Paul Lundberg, the City Council heard a presentation on April 14 stressing that a community response would be required to deal with what is at its core a public health emergency.  Health Department Director Noreen Burke and Healthy Gloucester Collaborative Director Joan Whitney joined Chief Campanello in presenting information on the problem and the assistance that is available to those seeking help in the city.

“The Board of Health understands the scope of this epidemic and supports the many groups in Gloucester that are taking steps to help those suffering from opiate addiction and their families.” said Rich Sagall, MD, chair of the Board of Health. “It’s a community-wide problem that will take a community-wide effort to control.

Added Whitney, “The disease of addiction is both a private and a public struggle.  It takes many hands working together to prevent opiate abuse,  to bring support  and save lives.   It is the spirit of individual actions and a collective call to action that will make the difference.  This  forum on May 2nd is that spirit and we hope all in the city will join us to learn what exists now in terms of assistance and resources while helping to identify what more must be done.”

   Mayor Sefatia Romeo Theken pledged the full resources of the City to fight opiate abuse.

   “It will take all of us, working together as a community to eradicate this scourge from our city. I promise the city will do its part to help those who suffer from this disease, and to prosecute and penalize those who would profit from their suffering. ” she said.

She praised the efforts of the Police, Fire and Health departments and the members of the Healthy Gloucester Collaborative as well as the Gloucester Board of Health and City Council for keeping the issue in the public eye.

In addition to the formal public hearing, the “Community Resources Fair” will offer various agencies and providers who deal with the issues of substance abuse the opportunity present information and resources to attendees. The Community Resources Fair will begin at 9:00 am and continue after the public hearing, which is scheduled to begin at 10.:00am

Those agencies slated to attend include healthcare and direct service  providers such as the Gloucester Family Health Center, Addison Gilbert Hospital, Lahey Health Behavioral Services for youth and adult treatment programs, North Shore Recovery High School, North Shore Health Project, Eliot Services., SeniorCare, Inc., and community support programs such as Action, Inc., Grace Center, Learn to Cope, for families dealing with this issue and advocacy groups such as Mass. Organization of Addiction and Recovery (MOAR).  Many more resources will join The “Community Resources Fair” which begins at 9 a.m. and which will continue after the public hearing, scheduled to begin at 10.

Also following the public hearing, a less structured give-and-take “open conversation” will give citizens an opportunity to interact directly with public officials and providers. The Community Resources Fair will continue throughout the event.

“This disease has touched us all in one way or another,” McGeary said. “I hope that this event can be the launchpad for people to seek help for themselves or their loved ones, learn that there are resources available to them— and to let them know they are not alone in their struggle.”