FROM THE COALITION
Getting InvolvedA Call to Action From the SOS Berks Chairpersons by Coalition Co-Chairs: Kevin S. Barnhardt, Commissioner, County of Berks, and Stanley J. Papademetriou, Executive Director, Council on Chemical Abuse
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etween 2015 and 2016 there was a 70% increase in the number of overdose deaths in Berks County. This increase was both sudden and shocking. The impact and devastation were experienced throughout Berks County - by the criminal justice system, by healthcare providers, by employers, by neighborhoods and most especially by families and loved ones. The enormity of the impact of this sharp increase in overdose deaths in our community demanded a local response. In 2016, the Berks County Board of Commissioner and the Berks County Criminal Justice Advisory Board established the Berks County Opioid Task Force comprised of public officials and other community leaders and stakeholders. This group began meeting in December of 2016 and continues to meet monthly. The task force created a strategic plan, established committees, and eventually re-branded itself as the SOS Berks Opioid Coalition. SOS Berks has a simple and concise vision – saving and improving the lives of Berks County residents. Since its inception five and one-half years ago, there has been a core of about 35 to 40 individuals who have consistently participated in SOS Berks to address the overdose issue in our community. Neither the heat of summer, the cold of winter, nor the quarantining of COVID-19 have deterred these individuals, and the coalition, from continuing to meet and develop ideas, strategies and activities to address the local overdose dilemma. This energy and effort are extremely important. Although the overdose problem has not been eradicated in Berks County (quite the contrary), the efforts of these individuals helped to increase awareness and remove obstacles for those seeking help.
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THE RESPONSE // SUMMER 2022
Much has changed with the overdose crisis. It has evolved from the misuse of prescription drugs to the abuse of heroin. Today fentanyl has emerged as the drug responsible for most all overdose deaths. How we now address the problem has also evolved. We know more now and have adopted and added new and different approaches. Our expectation is that how we address the problem will continue to change the more we learn and understand. As the contributing factors to the overdose crisis continue to change, the SOS Berks Opioid Coalition recognizes, to effectively respond, it needs to change and grow. The task force initially formed was primarily comprised of policy makers and representatives from organizations needing to identify and coordinate services. While this collaboration is still important, our efforts now need more community input and involvement. Berks County’s population is diverse, comprised of individuals with various backgrounds. While this varied demographic adds to the richness of Berks County, it also requires a variety of ideas, voices and approaches when confronting a medical, legal and social issue such as the overdose crisis. Truly, one size does not fit all. We recognize this and realize our need for more community involvement. It is extremely important to have all segments of Berks County express and share their needs, their concerns and their ideas. There is no single answer, no quick fix, not magic cure. We need input from the community to help discover, develop and implement solutions.
