The Response is published through funding from county and state dollars in concert with the Berks County Opioid Coalition under the guidance of the Council on Chemical Abuse. cocaberks.org • 610-376-8669
EDITORIAL BOARD
T.J. Huckleberry Executive Officer, Berks County Medical Society
Michael Rivera Commissioner, County of Berks
Kathleen Noll Executive Director, Council on Chemical Abuse
Marcia Goodman-Hinnershitz Director of Planning & Resource Development, Council on Chemical Abuse
Tracy Hoffmann Hoffmann Publishing Group
Lee Olsen Olsen Design Studio
BERKS COUNTY’S OPIOID COALITION, SOS BERKS www.sosberks.com
SOS BERKS BERKS OPIOID COALITION LEADERSHIP
Michael Rivera and Kathleen Noll Coalition Co-chairs
COMMUNITY SAFETY COMMITTEE
John Adams and Yvonne Stroman Co-chairs
COMMUNITY AWARENESS COMMITTEE
Laura Catalano, Chair
DATA COMMITTEE
Justin Loose and Kathleen Noll Co-chairs
PREVENTION EDUCATION COMMITTEE
Cory Trevena and Jaclyn Steed Co-chairs
TREATMENT COMMITTEE
Amanda Miller and Bernice Hines-Corbit, Co-chairs
4 From the Co-Chairs: Collaboration is Key
6 Why My Wife Loses at Backgammon
8 National Prescription Drug Take Back Day
10 The Intersection of Brain Injury and Opioid Overdose: What Can Be Done?
14 Community Collaborations: The Growth of SOS Berks
18 Collaboration Tree
20 The Journey (El Viaje) Mural Dedication
22 “Listen and Learn” Secretary Dr. Latika Davis-Jones Visits Reading on a Stakeholder Engagement Tour
23 The 2024 Rx and Illicit Drug Summit: “Where Solutions Are Formulated and Change Begins”
24 The Power of Lived Experience
The
BERKS COUNTY OPIOID COALITION
26 Safe Medication Management Education in the Elementary Classroom
28 Inspiration and Hope: A Family Journey
30 El poder de la experiencia vivida
32 La Intersección de la Lesión Cerebral y la Sobredosis de Opioides: ¿Qué se Puede Hacer?
34 Se Lanza una Máquina Expendedora Health to Go en Reading/Berks YMCA
OPIOID COALITION VISION
Identify opportunities to remediate the opioid crisis through the provision of evidence based/best practice strategies and resources.
OPIOID COALITION MISSION
The mission of the coalition is to determine the extent to which Berks County is being affected by the non-prescriptive use of opioids and the use of heroin through the examination of its devastating effects, both personal and societal, and to set recommendations that address the prevention, intervention, treatment and recovery supports of local residents that suffer from opioid addiction.
From the Co-Chairs Collaboration is Key
By Co-Chairs Commissioner Michael Rivera and Kathleen Noll, Executive Director of the Council on Chemical Abuse
The theme of this issue of The Response is “Collaboration.” This issue contains an article about the extraordinary collaboration that represents SOS Berks, highlighting some of the projects that benefit our community as we continue to address the opioid crisis. In thinking about collaboration in terms of drug and alcohol prevention, intervention, treatment, and recovery services, it is only through organizations, agencies and individuals being willing to work together that services evolve to bring greater benefits to the people of our community. Without the desire and ability to collaborate, agencies and organizations that offer drug and alcohol services would each be working in their own silos which in turn would dilute the impact to the person seeking prevention information, treatment, or recovery support.
Through collaboration, prevention programming and services have become more varied in our schools and in the community. Prevention providers, working together with schools and teachers, can offer comprehensive Student Assistance Programming to our youth. The Council on Chemical Abuse’s (COCA) Prevention Specialists and other community-based prevention providers partner with schools and community organizations to provide prevention programs and messaging to youth and parents. These programs and messages are vital and relevant and include topics such as vaping, tobacco education, how parents can effectively talk to their children about substances and life skills for youth.
In intervening with someone using substances, collaboration has been shown to be key in providing effective services. The Warm Hand Off program is an excellent example of organizations and agencies working together to help people access appropriate treatment. The Warm Hand Off Program is a collaboration between the Reading Hospital, Treatment Access and Services Center, COCA, and Community Care Behavioral Health. Through this program people who present at the Emergency Room with a substance use disorder can work with a Recovery Support Specialist to enter treatment and begin their journey to recovery.
The criminal justice system is another important intervention point and Berks County has another exceptional collaboration in our Specialty Courts. These Courts are designed so that a team approach is taken to support offenders through Court phases and enter and complete appropriate treatment. These Specialty Court Teams include Judges, the District Attorney, probation officers, treatment providers and recovery support specialists, working together to help offenders in their recovery. Additionally, COCA, through collaboration with treatment and recovery support providers, the Berks County Jail, and Drexel University, continues to distribute naloxone and drug checking strips.
Substance Use Disorder treatment and recovery support are, by definition, a collaboration between the provider and the individual seeking wellness and recovery. Effective treatment and recovery support includes referrals to meet an individual’s needs in all life areas. Treatment includes collaborating with all the systems the individual is involved in to insure the person’s needs are being met.
Collaboration is essential to providing effective drug and alcohol services. Berks County is fortunate to have knowledgeable and caring prevention, intervention, treatment, and recovery support providers who prioritize collaboration, so people receive high quality services. SOS Berks will continue to work with our community partners to fight the opioid epidemic, educate about substance use disorder and counteract stigma surrounding substance use disorder.
Why My Wife Loses at Backgammon
Way of Remembrance
T.J. Huckleberry Executive Officer Berks County Medical Society
The key to a healthy, loving and sustaining marriage is backgammon. Since we were literally teenagers, my wife, Sara, and I have always taken the time to get a game or two in throughout the week. It’s a great way to reconnect among the chaos of work, youth sports and the ever-changing social calendar (for our kids, not us).
And after playing thousands of games and observing every scenario it has to offer, I have come to two undeniable truths:
1. There is a strategy to the game, and it is not just lucky rolls of the dice.
2. When it comes to backgammon (and backgammon only), I completely and utterly dominate my wife. I mean completely. We have kept score since 2001, and the numbers don’t lie; I am the man.
Now, I know what you are thinking: “T.J., what does Sara have to say about this?” I just might hide this particular article from her… don’t tell her, OK?
Anyway, where was I? Oh yes, I am far better than my wife at backgammon. But there is a clear reason why I have such a completely lopsided scoreboard against her – she consistently leaves her checkers (the circular pieces you move on the board) open. You see in backgammon, if you have two or more checkers covered, you block the space and your pieces are safe, but if you only have a single checker on the board, it is vulnerable and can be sent back. In short, it is the best strategy to have strong groups of checkers together in order to win and reduce the risk of being sent back.
So as Sara and I were playing the other night and I was watching her multiple checkers exposed on the board, I couldn’t help but think about our latest collaboration for our annual Drug Take Back event and all the pieces that are needed to be coordinated in order to make it a success. And then, as I was sending another one of Sara’s checkers back, I started to think of our mural project and all the community members needed to get such a masterpiece created. And then this magazine and all the contributions and collaborations it takes to get it to print.
This edition of The Response celebrates the valued collaborations we benefit from in our community. This community is a lot like backgammon – when we are a single checker alone on the board, the probability of failure or setback is much higher. When we have two checkers together on the board, we are solid but still vulnerable with the wrong roll of the dice. But when we have three or more, the chances for success are the strongest. Sure, there is a chance for you to move a single checker safely across the board, but the probability of winning is far higher when you coordinate your pieces together… just don’t tell my wife.
On behalf of Berks SOS and The Response Magazine, we hope you enjoy this edition and have a happy and safe summer!
Note from Editor’s wife: T.J. does NOT dominate me in backgammon. My single checker moves are not a result of lack of game knowledge; but rather, the thrill of the gamble. In recent years, he has slowly adopted my strategy. Yeah…I found the article before T.J. sent it to print. ~Sara Huckleberry
HEALTH TO GO
FREE HEALTH AND WELLNESS ITEMS AVAILABLE RIGHT HERE, WHEN YOU NEED THEM.
There is a new smart, interactive vending machine in town in which you can pick up health and wellness and other personal care items for you and your family, at no charge. From this vending machine, you can also get connected directly with community services and resources.
LOCATION: Inside the YMCA at 631 Washington Street, Reading
WHAT KINDS OF ITEMS ARE AVAILABLE?
Personal care items, naloxone, fentanyl and xylazine drug checking strips, condoms, wound care kits, period pads and tampons, pregnancy tests, and more!
A complete list of what is available in the Reading Health to Go vending machine can be found at research.med.psu.edu/vending-machines or scan the QR code.
FAQS:
How much do these items cost?
These items are completely free!
How does this machine work?
When you walk up to the machine, the touchscreen on the front will display all the items available in the machine. You will need to create an anonymous username to obtain items and access all of the resources.
How do I find help for me or my family?
Select “Find Services” on the touchscreen on the front of the vending machine. It will help you find local resources in the area.
What makes this vending machine smart and interactive?
This vending machine has the ability to connect people to care and services, ask questions to help researchers make this vending machine more useful to the community, and provide notifications when supplies need to be replenished.
Will I have to give any personal information to get any of the items from the machine?
You will need to create an anonymous username and answer basic questions about yourself (nothing that will give away your identity). But you can always skip the questions if you don’t want to answer them.
National Prescription Drug Take Back Day Working Together for Safe Medication Disposal
By Marcia Goodman-Hinnershitz, Council on Chemical Abuse
The drug overdose epidemic in the United States, as an ever-present public health and safety threat, requires strong collaboration on all fronts. From health care providers to law enforcement and families, everyone plays a vital role in promoting community health and wellness. The National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, spearheaded by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), demonstrates how collaboration can have positive results. Initiated 25 years ago by the DEA, over 4,500 law enforcement agencies participate annually across the United States. The DEA reaches out to local law enforcement partners who then connect with local health organizations to ensure that the public has safe and accessible means of disposing of unused medication. The National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, traditionally held on the fourth Saturday of April, has proven its effectiveness in connecting with the public with over 17,300,454 lbs. (8,650 tons) of medication having been collected since 2016 (Take Back Day (dea.gov).
Berks Organized by the Opioid Coalition, the Take Back Day offers family members the opportunity to remove unneeded medications from their homes. And as an extra bonus, all participants receive two free tickets to the Reading Fightin’ Phillies summer baseball game.
Both community participants and participating organizations recognize that safe medication disposal is not a simple process and requires careful planning and follow-through. As family members are faced with choices on how to dispose of medications, important factors must be kept in mind. The
The Berks County Office of the District Attorney and the Berks County Medical Society have been the leaders in the implementation of the local Prescription Drug Take Back Day. Joined by local physicians as well as members of the SOS
dated practice of flushing unused medications down the toilet is not environmentally safe and in fact has been found to impact the health of fish and birds. Fortunately, today there are safe options with both public safety and environmental issues being considered. For example, when faced with the loss of a loved one, the family may have quantities of unused medications. If the family does not have access to transportation to drop boxes, they may store the medication in their homes until the annual Take Back Day. The key consideration is for the family to realize that the need to dispose of unused medication is a common occurrence and that the family must develop a plan for disposal.
As the importance of safe medication disposal has become a priority in overdose prevention strategies, various means of disposal emerged. Berks County now has a multitude of resources to support medication disposal including Prescription Drop Boxes located at all Berks County police departments and medication disposal bags available through cocaberks.org.
The key to the success of all these efforts is the diligent work of the Berks County Detectives who ensure that disposed medications are properly sorted and delivered to a disposal site specifically licensed to handle medical waste. Without this local resource, Berks County would not be able to operate
an efficient medication disposal program. The disposal of medication containers must also be considered as part of the disposal process. At the 2024 Berks County Prescription Take Back Day, for the first time, empty pill containers and bottles were collected to be disposed of by the Berks County Solid Waste Authority. As Berks County moves forward to improve its safe medication disposal resources, we must recognize that the success of these efforts rests on teamwork and collaboration.
R e s o u r c e s t o H e l p
P r e v e n t O v e r d o s e s
Help keep your family and the community safe by properly storing and disposing of all medications and carrying Narcan.®
Lock Boxes
SOS Berks provides medication safety resources and Narcan® Overdose Reversal Kits at no cost to people who live or work in Berks County.
To order resources or find a drop box near you, visit sosberks.org/freeresources or scan the QR code.
The Intersection of Brain Injury and Opioid Overdose What Can Be Done?
By Drew A. Nagele and Monica J. Vaccaro, Brain Injury Association of Pennsylvania
67% of people in brain injury rehab have a history of substance abuse prior to their injury, and either did not get substance abuse treatment, or it was not successful.
50% of people in substance use disorder rehab have evidence of an acquired brain injury.
20% of people who did not have substance abuse problems before their injury develop them after brain injury.
The epidemic of opioid misuse has opened our eyes as to what happens in the brain when someone unintentionally overdoses on opioids, and the damage this can cause to the brain. This damage impairs cognitive function, and as a result, affects the ability to succeed in substance misuse treatment programs. The purpose of this article is to raise awareness about this issue which is often unknown by the public.
There is a new term that has arisen to describe the effect on the brain from unintentional overdose – it’s called “Toxic Brain.” Brain damage caused by use of drugs could include:
• disruption of nutrients needed by brain tissue
• direct damage, injury, and death of brain cells
• reduction in neurotransmitter receptors
• alterations to brain chemical concentrations, including neurotransmitters and hormones,
• deprivation of oxygen to brain tissue, which is known as anoxia, if cells are totally deprived, or hypoxia if cells are partially deprived of oxygen.
Brain cells can only go 4-6 minutes without oxygen before they start to die.
The range of injury that occurs when the brain is deprived of oxygen varies from mild to moderate to severe, depending on the level of anoxia or hypoxia. In mild cases, the individual frequently walks away from the non-fatal overdose after receiving Naloxone and might not realize the effects of the overdose on the brain. An individual with relatively mild but significant impairment talks about his experience in the documentary “Overdose and Brain Injury: Roads to Recovery.” He talks about how difficult it was for him to navigate his situation, saying that he walked away with no meaningful intervention and with “no memory recall and no executive functioning.” This documentary, produced by the DartmouthHitchcock Health System and the Brain Injury Association of New Hampshire, can be viewed on YouTube. Overdose And Brain Injury - Roads To Recovery.
Some injuries are more severe, as told by the mother of Chris, a young adult who sustained an anoxic brain injury due to a non-fatal overdose. Chris was an avid skateboarder and injured his ankle while skating. A friend gave him an unidentified pill to help with his pain and he ultimately developed an opioid addiction. Prior to his brain injury Chris was independent in all aspects of life. Now, he requires assistance with all activities of daily living and lives in a residential setting with 24hour -a-day care and supervision. You can hear more about Chris’s story on the Brain Injury Association of Pennsylvania’s YouTube channel. Chris & Andrea’s Story.
So how can we help these people who develop brain injury because of their drug use? First, we have to identify them and then adapt treatment so they are better able to benefit. Outcomes could likely be improved by following SAMHSA’s (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration) recommendations:
SAMHSA 2021 Advisory recommends that:
• Behavioral health professionals should screen for lifetime exposure to Brain Injury.
• Treatment should accommodate neurobehavioral deficits due to Brain Injury.
• Treatment should be holistic in order to address co-morbid conditions.
• Improvement gained by insight must be supplanted by other therapeutic supports.
continued on nexr page
CONNECTING BERKS COUNTY
Screening Tools
There are specialized brain injury screening tools that can determine the likelihood of lifetime history of brain injury and cognitive impairments that result. They are quick and easy to learn and administer. However, identification is only the first step. Next it is important to consider how the effects of the brain injury will impact the individual’s response to treatment. Impairments in attention, memory, and executive function, among other cognitive functions, will present barriers to learning and applying what is learned to everyday life.
These neurocognitive challenges leave individuals with brain injury less equipped to participate in and benefit from conventional treatment and more likely to experience treatment failures. Imagine a person who is only able to pay attention for 15 minutes and is expected to participate in a one-hour session without breaks. Imagine a person who is not able to remember what was discussed in a treatment session and, as a result, can’t build on that information in the next session. Imagine a person who struggles to plan and keep an organized schedule and misses appointments or assignments. These are a few examples of why persons with cognitive impairments, as experienced after brain injury, might not benefit from treatment without accommodations. Fortunately, there are strategies to help individuals compensate for these deficits.
Treatment
Once evidence of cognitive impairment is established, there is a need to adapt treatment so that individuals with brain injury are more able to benefit. Substance use disorder clinicians can be provided with brain injury strategy training to be able to build cognitive strategies into their practice.
Also, there are specific brain injury treatments and resources that can be considered. Individuals might receive brain injury rehabilitation services, including cognitive rehabilitation therapy provided by brain injury specialists, along with treatment for substance use disorder.
Outcomes of those who have cognitive impairment as a result of brain injury, and who have received blended cognitive rehabilitation and substance misuse treatment, would be expected to be better as compared with overall outcomes for substance misuse treatment programs. It will take collaborative effort from stakeholders in the brain injury community and substance use disorder community to achieve best possible outcomes for persons with co-occurring brain injury and substance use disorder.
Community Collaborations: The Growth of SOS Berks
By David Kostival
Over the past several years, the mission of SOS Berks Opioid Coalition has played a vital role in response to the Opioid Epidemic. The continued growth of SOS Berks is evident through its strong collaborations with organizations within the communities of Berks County.
First organized as The Berks County Opioid Task force by community leaders in early 2016, the coalition evolved into SOS Berks with the primary goal of reducing overdose deaths throughout Berks County. Today, SOS Berks continues to grow through the collaborative efforts of community members and stakeholders by providing education, resources and training in the prevention, treatment, and recovery of substance use.
The coalition work is divided into committees that are charged with projects that aim to reduce overdose deaths and raise awareness of resources available.
COMMUNITY SAFETY
As co-chair of the safety committee, Yvonne Stroman, Community Programs Specialist at the Council on Chemical Abuse, said her committee is charged with ensuring that there are resources available within the community.
“And by that, I mean that Naloxone is available throughout the community for people who are in need of it, whether it’s individuals or families, or even organizations,” Stroman explained. “And then we also help distribute medication disposal bags to ensure medication safety. We want to ensure that people who have unused or unwanted medications, particularly opioids, safely dispose of them.”
Stroman said the safety committee works in tandem with the others to ensure that people have access to treatment.
“We all collaborate together to make sure that we are taking a look at the strategies, as well as adhering to the mission and the vision of the coalition,” she said.
Stroman said it is important to ensure that potential users are armed with Naloxone.
“It’s not to give people permission to use, but to keep them safe,” Stroman stressed. “We want to lower the threshold so that less people are dying as a result of overdoses.”
As an example of community collaboration, Stroman said about a year ago she connected with Helping Harvest and coordinated efforts with them to deliver information regarding access to Naloxone kits and other services to those waiting for food distributions.
“By doing these outreach efforts, we’re finding more and more folks are willing to team up and partner with us and collaborate with us in some small way,” Stroman said. “It says a lot about Berks County coming together for good.”
Stroman said the collaborations are working to make sure that people have the right information and that they understand that this (drug use and addiction) is a disease of the brain.
“It’s not about judgment; it’s not about stigma; it’s about getting people the help they need,” Stroman concluded.
COMMUNITY AWARENESS
The community awareness committee focuses on public relations to keep the community informed of the local resources and programs that respond to the Opioid epidemic.
Laura Catalano, communications coordinator for COCA, said the committee collaborates with the others to publicize events being held within the community.
“There’s obviously a lot of work to do as far as getting the word out, but I think that people being more receptive (to our messages) is something that we’ve seen as far as stigma reduction,” Catalano said. “We did a reduction campaign back in 2019 and we continue to post those videos. We share stories of recovery because we of course want people to know about the issues with the overdoses and opioid use, but we also want people to know that recovery is possible, and that is always part of our mission is to tell that story.”
Catalano said part of the effort is being accomplished through a series of murals throughout the county that tell the story of recovery.
“They beautify the area for one thing, but also provide very positive messages about recovery,” she added. “The other thing about the murals is that they involve a lot of people who come to paint, and every one of those people then learns about SOS Berks and gets information about what we do.”
Catalano noted that close to one thousand community members worked on the first mural.
TREATMENT / HEALTHCARE
Key priorities for the treatment/healthcare committee are to increase recovery support and access to medication assisted treatment.
Bernice Hines-Corbit, case management supervisor at COCA, said the committee from the beginning began to deal with major healthcare barriers, such as addressing ways to respond to clients outside of normal working hours.
Hines-Corbit said one of the major accomplishments of her committee was collaborating with Tower Health to ensure there is staff at the medical centers to provide 24-hour coverage for people who overdose.
But it also goes beyond providing Naloxone kits at the emergency rooms.
An initiative, known as the warm hand off program, works to provide treatment intervention to those who enter the hospital with substance use disorders.
“People also come to the emergency department who are in need of substance use disorder treatment,” Hines-Corbit explained. “People come to the emergency department for treatment, not just people who overdose, so we worked with the hospitals so that they are able to respond to those situations.”
Hines-Corbit said the effort has made a big difference in saving lives, even though the data often reflects lives that were lost as opposed to those that were saved.
“The public has access to services and resources here for little or no cost, and we want to get out to the community and save some lives,” she added.
Hines-Corbit said the committee is working to spread the word by creating outreach programs in faith-based communities and connecting with community leaders to partner with them to help get the word out regarding treatment resources.
“We are working to get the community to trust us and building legitimacy to speak to the community,” Hines-Corbit said.
PREVENTION AND EDUCATION
Albert Dallao, a retired co-owner of ARCpoint Labs of Reading, serves on the prevention and education committee, which focuses on coordinating and performing substance use and opioid use prevention and education opportunities in the county.
“We have about half-a-dozen active members from a variety of different places in the community, business leaders, medical professionals and treatment professionals, and what the committee is charged with is exactly what it sounds like,” Dallao said. “We are basically trying to put together programs with the intent to eliminate overdose deaths around opioids. And we’ve broadened the scope now to include substance abuse disorders in general.”
Dallao said the goal is to educate people as to what is going on in the community from an overdose perspective.
“We talk about prevention, things that can be done in terms of awareness of somebody that might be having a substance use disorder,” he explained. “And we also talk about the resources that are out there, things like the medication drop boxes as well as the resources that COCA offers online or in person.”
continued on page 18
Dallao noted that one of the committee members, Eric Esterbrook, owner of West Reading Drug Store, was instrumental in working to put on some education awareness programs for local pharmacists.
“The other thing that we have done is to work with first responders to reduce the stigma around some of these situations that they’re dealing with,” Dallao added. “We engaged people from all over the county with the intent to educate them not only after Naloxone and its benefits, but also on the types of people they are encountering.”
Dallao said he always likes to point out that having Naloxone available is a good thing, regardless of the situation you are in.
DATA COLLECTION AND ASSESSMENT
The importance of having a committee to analyze data from within Berks County is to assist the other committees on current initiatives and future actions. The mission of the data team is to find and analyze various data sources to help guide the efforts of the coalition and to help measure the impact of various outreach activities. The data team takes direction from the other committees to help inform their efforts. This collaboration includes regular analysis of data sources that are aggregated or publicly available to ensure that the privacy of individual data remains protected.
One of the data analytics projects performed by the data team included an analysis of 911 overdose calls. Using the 911 data, this project has identified locations (i.e., businesses and public spaces) that have had repeated overdose events. The team has also reviewed overdose deaths data from the Berks County Coroner’s Office to identify disparities in race and ethnicity fatalities. The team has also analyzed Medicaid and uninsured treatment data, naloxone distribution and use data, and warm hand off data.
Health to Go Vending Machine Launches at Reading/Berks YMCA
Pennsylvania has one of the highest overdose rates in the country. On average, 14 Pennsylvanians die every day. Today, with the Smart1 Vending Machine, we are trying to change that. — Jennifer Murphy, PhD
On May 7, 2024, the ribbon was cut on a new, interactive “smart” vending machine located in the lobby of the Reading/ Berks YMCA, 631 Washington St., Reading, PA. The first of its kind in the state, the new machine offers health and wellness supplies at no cost, and also includes a touch screen with information on community services and resources, such as housing, food pantries, substance use treatment and more. The new machine includes personal care items, Narcan, drug checking strips, condoms, wound care kits, menstrual kits, pregnancy tests and more.
NARCAN SAVES LIVES NARCAN SAVES LIVES
Check the expiration date on your Narcan opioid
Visit cocaberks.org/narcan or scan here to order a free replacement or a new first-time kit.
About 40 people attended the ribbon cutting for the machine, which included speeches and demonstrations. Speakers included:
• Berks County District Attorney John Adams
• Berks County Commissioner Michael Rivera, who is also the Co-chair of SOS Berks
• Reading YMCA COO Ken Borkey
• SOS Berks member Yvonne Stroman, Council on Chemical Abuse (COCA) Community Programs Specialist
• SOS member Marcia Goodman-Hinnershitz, COCA Director of Planning & Resource Development
• Jennifer Murphy, PhD, Penn State Berks, Associate Professor and Chair of Criminal Justice
• Alice Zhang, MD, MPH, Penn State College of Medicine, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Family & Community Medicine
• Aleksandra Zgierska, MD, PhD, Penn State College of Medicine Professor and Vice Chair of Research, Dept. of Family & Community Medicine
This project is made possible, in whole or in part, by funds received through the Berks County Opioid Settlement Agreement.
overdose reversal medication.
Collaboration Tree
The SOS Berks initiative is like any strong collaboration. Nutrients feed the roots, the branches and leaves of success.
XYZALINE CHECKING STRIP DISTRIBUTION
NARCAN EDUCATION & DISTRIBUTION
TRANSPORTATION
FAMILY SUPPORT GROUPS
RECOVERY SUPPORT
EQUINE THERAPY
WOMEN AND CHILDREN PROGRAMS
CENTER OF EXCELLENCE
PRESCRIPTION DROP BOXES
FENTANYL CHECKING STRIP DISTRIBUTION
"HEALTH TO GO" VENDING MACHINE
THE BRIDGE™ DEVICE
RECOVERY SUPPORT SERVICES
NO WRONG DOOR
MUTUAL AID SUPPORT
MEDICATIONASSISTED TREATMENT
MURAL
MEDICATION AND PRESCRIPTION TAKE BACK PROGRAMS
DRUG TAKE BACK DAY
SOS BERKS WEBSITE INFORMATION PACKETS
NEIGHBORHOOD OUTREACH
CONTINGENCY MANAGEMENT
COMMUNITY SAFETY
TREATMENT/ HEALTHCARE
WARM HAND-OFF
Our collaborators nourish the tree through the organized efforts of SOS Berks. Our sub-committees are like branches providing service and outreach to our community through Data Analysis, Prevention/Education, Community Awareness, Community Safety, and Treatment and Healthcare programs and initiatives. The leaves are those various initiatives and projects connecting addiction and treatment resources within our community. As SOS Berks grows, our tree fills in and becomes stronger in addressing the issues associated with substance use. We invite you to join our team!
AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS
STIGMA REDUCTION CAMPAIGN
COMMUNITY EVENTS
RECOVERY SIMULATION
COMMUNITY HEALTH FAIRS
YOUTH AND PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION
COMMUNITY AWARENESS EDUCATION PREVENTION DATA
PHARMACIST EDUCATION MEDICAL FELLOW PROGRAM
PROJECT
STUDENT ATHLETE EDUCATION PROGRAM
INFOGRAPHICS
Our strong and growing group of community collaborators continue to be the source of inspiration,
COLLABORATORS:
The Journey (El Viaje)
Mural Dedication
SOS Berks dedicated a new recovery-themed mural on April 18, 2024. More than 50 people attended the dedication ceremony, which took place inside the Albright College public art studio at the Total Experience Learning Building, where parts of the mural were painted. Attendees walked one block from the studio to view the mural, which is located in a high traffic area at the corner of 11th & Richmond Streets.
The mural, titled The Journey (El Viaje), celebrates the journey of recovery from substance use disorder. It is based on the recovery story of Yvonne Stroman, and was designed by Reading artist Marian Njai and digital designer Gregory Didyoung, under the direction of Mural Coordinator Mike Miller. The artist, mural coordinator and Yvonne all spoke at the dedication, which took place in April in recognition of Alcohol Awareness Month. Other speakers included SOS Berks Co-chair & Berks County Commissioner Michael Rivera; Berks County Commissioner Dante Santoni; and Berks County COO Kevin Barnhardt, who as the former SOS Berks Co-chair initiated the SOS Berks Mural project. SOS Berks member Al Dallao served as the emcee, and Yvonne’s sisters Ethel and Marie spoke briefly about sharing with Yvonne her joy in recovery.
This is SOS Berks’ 2nd recovery-themed mural. The first, Mi Recuperación, Mi Familia, was completed in 2023 and is located at 9th & Oley Streets in Reading. That mural depicts the importance of family in recovery from substance use disorder, and is based on the recovery story of Jose Lugo.
SOS Berks hopes to install a series of murals in Berks County that focus on recovery from substance use disorder. The murals expand on a stigma reduction campaign that SOS Berks created several years ago, promoting the theme “Addiction Doesn’t Define Anyone.”
Learn more and view additional photos at https://sosberks.org/post/second-sosberks-mural/
Yvonne’s Story
Mural
Dedication
4/18/2024, Albright College, Reading, PA
GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE!
With recognition to the organizers of this great event and appreciation to the convening body whose decision it was to bestow such honor on my sister Yvonne L. Stroman – not in words only, but in demonstration with the dedication of this beautiful mural – “Yvonne’s Story”.
This memorialization testifies to the value you as leaders, hold regarding her contributions to the betterment of this community and Berks County Pennsylvania at large. Your bold stand in the fight against substance abuse and the decay it brings to any society is to be commended.
Like every family, we hope and pray for the best for each member, not knowing the particulars of what that might be, or how it might come about. But out of a city known as Elmira, NY came a high school graduate to Mansfield, PA for a college education. Her life in PA proves to be life-learning as she endured, overcame and conquered many hurdles that help mold her to the woman we love and know today.
Miss Yvonne has a heart that reaches out to help others push through seemingly unbearable struggles, especially with substance abuse/addictions. She knows the pain, the isolation, the lostness and loneliness this choice of life brings. But thanks be to God, she now knows what it is to be free and void of such bondage and live in the presence and freedom Christ brings to the soul. The mural is a reflection of the brightness & newness of life she now lives.
Yvonne, your story is uniquely yours. While there may be common foundational upbringings, life from your vantage point and understanding is uniquely yours! We give you your flowers while you are living! Know that no one is prouder of you than we who are eternally a part of you – Your Family
“Listen and Learn” Secretary Dr. Latika Davis-Jones Visits Reading on a Stakeholder Engagement Tour
Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) Secretary Dr. Latika Davis-Jones continued the agency’s statewide stakeholder engagement tour on March 27th at the RISE Recovery Center in Reading to hear top issues and concerns of stakeholders from Berks County’s drug and alcohol providers and local and state elected officials. According to Kathy Noll, Council on Chemical Abuse Executive Director, this is the first time a DDAP Secretary visited Berks County with the primary purpose of engaging a dialog with local stakeholders.
DDAP’s goal for the tour is to gather feedback that will help craft the agency’s plan for increased community and treatment provider engagement while also gaining stakeholder insight to assist the agency’s work on regulatory reform. The visit also provided an opportunity to showcase the programming at two Berks County drug and alcohol service providers: Berks Counseling Center and Easy Does It, Inc.
Stakeholders in the Berks County roundtable event included individuals in recovery and those with lived experience, service providers, active service recipients, community leaders, school administrators, and correction representatives. Dr. Davis-Jones initiated the community conversation by sharing the strategic goals of DDAP’s state plan. The goals consist of four pillars:
• Reduce Stigma
• Intensify Primary Prevention
• Strengthen Treatment Systems
• Empower Sustained Recovery
The Secretary then sought participant feedback on DDAPspecific issues related to regulations and reform efforts, data requirements and modernization needs, health equity work and advancement, treatment slot management, and improving departmental communication. An active dialog followed and provided various perspectives on each issue.
The discussion of regulatory concerns focused on confidentiality, treatment planning, required staffing ratios, and training requirements. With respect to data requirements, concerns were shared regarding the burdens associated with data collection and the need for better data exchange. The usefulness of DDAP’s data dashboards was emphasized by local stakeholders.
As the conversation focused on Health Equity and Disparities, Dr. Davis-Jones pointed to the fact that current enabling legislation for drug and alcohol services, which was adopted decades ago, contains stigmatizing language and revisions will be recommended by DDAP. In Berks County, a concern was shared that African Americans are more highly represented in local overdose incidents. A community meeting is being planned to initiate local dialog regarding this issue. The need for equity coalitions and workgroups was emphasized.
Improvement of treatment slot management was then discussed with all participants indicating this reform is needed and more information from DDAP would be welcomed. The conversation concluded with recommendations regarding how to improve communications. As participants interacted with Dr. Davis-Jones and her staff following the formal roundtable discussion, the value of collaboration and communication between state and local stakeholders was clearly evident.
Following the roundtable, Dr. Davis-Jones visited Berks Counseling Center and Easy Does It, Inc. to observe first hand the services offered to individuals in their recovery journey from substance use disorders. After touring and meeting with staff at Berks Counseling Center, the Secretary ended her day-long visit at Easy Does It, Inc., where she participated in a music therapy session. The visit served as a building block for continued dialog regarding resources needed to effectively address substance use disorders in Berks County.
The 2024 Rx and Illicit Drug Summit:
“Where Solutions Are Formulated and Change Begins”
By Marcia Goodman-Hinnershitz, Council on Chemical Abuse
“We need to collaborate to develop innovative/adaptive strategies to keep up with the changing epidemic. The harm reduction vending machine is one innovative option.”
Dr. Alice Zhang, Pennsylvania State University, College of Medicine
The opioid epidemic continues to maintain a deadly grip on the health and well-being of communities across the United States. With more than one million lives lost since the start of the epidemic, every community across our nation is feeling the impact. The nature of the substance use and/or overdose epidemic is constantly changing. Nationwide and locally, it is imperative that we collaborate in the implementation of strategies and programs that offer viable and effective responses to this health crisis.
The 2024 Rx and Illicit Drug Summit is the largest, most influential event addressing this crisis. In April 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia, the Summit brought together over 3,000 multi-disciplinary stakeholders “from federal to family” to share strategies and solutions. In its 13th year, the mission of the Rx and Illicit Drug Summit has become increasingly important. We can’t afford to lose more lives. It’s time to turn the numbers around.”
The Summit promoted the theme “Where Solutions Are Formulated and Change Begins” with offerings of over 100 workshops, daily plenary sessions with federal and state public health experts and a dynamic exhibit hall. The focus areas included tracks on advocacy, clinical, data and technology, illicit drugs, overdose prevention, public safety, treatment and recovery, and trending topics. The workshop presenters offered practical guidance on proven approaches to effectively address all aspects of the epidemic.
The 2024 Summit had a strong local connection. A workshop entitled “Not Just for Snacks: Vending Machines as a Low Barrier Access for Harm Reduction in Central Pennsylvania” was presented as a trending topic by Dr. Jennifer Murphy, Dr. Alice Zhang, and Marcia Goodman-Hinnershitz. The workshop provided an overview of this innovative initiative and the involvement of Pennsylvania State University and SOS Berks members as collaborative partners in the planning and implementation of the machine at the Reading/Berks YMCA. The utilization of vending machines to dispense harm reduction products such as naloxone and fentanyl and xylazine checking strips has now become a nationwide approach with our Berks County efforts being recognized for leadership in this innovation.
The knowledge and perspectives shared during the Summit provided hope that through collaboration, we are moving forward to proactively respond to the challenges of an unprecedented epidemic. As we all commit to learning from the successes of programs across the United States to sharing resources, our capacity to bring about change in Berks County is strengthened.
Rx and Illegal Drug Summit
Dr. Alice Zhang, Dr. Jennifer Murphy, and Marcia GoodmanHinnershitz present the workshop: “Not Just for Snacks: Vending Machines as a Low Barrier Access for Harm Reduction”
The Power of Lived Experience How Outreach Workers in Recovery Make a Difference
Helping Those in Active Addiction
By Jose Lugo, Executive Director, Recovery Coaching Services
This article is written from the perspective of Recovery Coaching Services, a SOS Berks collaborating agency.
When it comes to helping those suffering from addiction, there is a group of individuals who possess a unique and invaluable asset – lived experience. Outreach workers who have personally overcome drug and alcohol addiction bring a level of understanding, empathy, and relatability that is unmatched.
This article shares the immense value of Recovery Coaching Services outreach workers. With lived experience in drug and alcohol recovery, their work has had transformative impacts on individuals battling addiction.
Shared Empathy and Understanding
Outreach workers who have successfully navigated their own journey of addiction and recovery can relate to the struggles and challenges faced by those currently battling addiction. This shared empathy creates an instant connection and a sense of understanding that traditional professionals may not be able to replicate. Lived-experience outreach workers can offer a compassionate ear, providing a safe space for individuals to share their stories without judgment.
Inspiring Hope and Motivation
The presence of outreach workers who have triumphed over addiction serves as a beacon of hope for those still struggling. They offer living proof that recovery is possible, inspiring individuals to believe in their own potential for change. Lived-experience outreach workers can motivate and encourage individuals, showing them that there is light at the end of the tunnel and that a fulfilling life in recovery is within reach.
Tailored Guidance and Support
Outreach workers with lived experience possess a deep understanding of the unique challenges faced by individuals in recovery. They can provide personalized guidance and support, tailored to the specific needs of each individual. Having experienced the journey themselves, these outreach workers can offer practical strategies, coping mechanisms, and insights that resonate deeply with those they are assisting.
Breaking Down Barriers
Lived-experience outreach workers have a unique ability to break down barriers and build trust with individuals who may be hesitant to seek help. They can relate to the fears, shame, and stigma associated with addiction, and their nonjudgmental approach creates a safe space for open and honest communication. By sharing their own stories of recovery, these outreach workers can help individuals overcome the shame and guilt often associated with addiction.
Bridging the Gap to Treatment and Resources
Outreach workers with lived experience are well-versed in the available treatment options and recovery resources. They can provide invaluable guidance in navigating the complex healthcare system, making referrals, and connecting individuals to the appropriate services. Their firsthand knowledge of the recovery process allows them to offer practical advice on finding the right treatment program and accessing support networks.
Community Integration
Lived experience outreach workers play a crucial role in fostering a sense of community among individuals in recovery. This sense of belonging and support is instrumental in maintaining long-term recovery and preventing relapse.
Outreach workers with lived experience in drug and alcohol recovery possess a powerful tool – their own personal journey of triumph over addiction. Their unique perspective, empathy, and relatability make a profound impact on individuals battling addiction, offering hope, guidance, and support. By bridging the gap between the world of addiction and recovery, these outreach workers are instrumental in helping individuals reclaim their lives and embark on a path of healing and transformation.
If you or a loved one is seeking support with an addiction to alcohol and/or substance, Recovery Coaching Services (RCS) is here to support you. RCS is located at 505 Penn St., Reading, PA 610-816-5101, jlugo@recoverycoachingservices.com.
Safe Medication Management Education in the Elementary Classroom
By David Kostival
The education of young children about safe medication management is important, according to Alicia Kline, the prevention program supervisor for the Council on Chemical Abuse (COCA). And it is a topic that many adults rarely think about when they speak to their children about the dangers of drug use.
CHAPTER TWO
COURAGE’S WALK IN THE PARK
ADVENTURES with
Mrs. Kline coordinates a program on safe medication management designed specifically for elementary school students. “I think it’s really important that we instill these kinds of ideas when children are very young in order to prevent medication misuse as they get older,” Kline stressed. “The younger that we could start getting that into them – instilling these practices – the better off they will be as they grow.”
The first to fourth grade classroom education programs offered by COCA emphasize the dangers of sharing medications. “When we’re talking to elementary, we’ll focus not just on sharing medications, but we’ll talk about what it means to misuse medication,” Kline explained. “We talk about using medication safely, only taking as directed from a trusted adult and never sharing medication or taking medication from other people. There’s this misconception that sharing medications is not risky, especially if you are sharing medication with brothers or sisters,” Kline said.
Kline said the current education classroom program on safe medication use was developed during COVID when the COCA prevention staff created a booklet entitled “Adventures with Courage” to distribute to youth. The booklet is a series of stories about different prevention topics including one on medication safety.
After the booklet was placed in the Womelsdorf Library, the librarian reached out to the Conrad Weiser School District with the suggestion of bringing the message into the elementary grades. The district contacted COCA and requested this medication safety program for all students through 3rd grade.
In addition to the elementary program, COCA offers a twosession safe medication management program for the older grades. This program first focuses on medication safety and then explores how an addiction to pain medicine and other prescription medications may lead to addiction to other substances. COCA also offers a variety of classroom educational programs including the dangers of vaping and nicotine for both elementary and middle school students and a high school intervention program to help kids who are already vaping and violating school policy. “We really try to enforce those skills that they need to avoid using, like refusal skills and coping skills, and we always make sure that we are engaging them in some form of activity along with the education,” Kline stressed.
I’M COURAGE
Kline said parents play an important role in prevention including medication safety. Parents must protect their children and home from medication misuse. The use of medication lock boxes and medication disposal bags in the home is a good idea to store medication safely. The lock boxes help children from misusing medications and securing the medications so they cannot be accessed by other people who may come into the home.
Kline points out that COCA utilizes many strategies to inform schools and the community about safe medication management programs as well as other classroom prevention programs. Working with school guidance counselors and administrators has been invaluable in getting the word out. “Many schools are very familiar with what we do, and they’ll reach out to us,” Kline added. “Our website is a huge resource for us to put our programs, and school districts can then reach out to us. We also offer downloadable resources on a variety of topics.”
School districts are seeing the value and impact of prevention programing. COCA is just one of the agencies in Berks that offer quality prevention programs in the classroom. This year COCA prevention programs have been offered in 14
of the 18 Berks County school districts. Kline emphasized that “School districts provide us with positive feedback, and they have us back every year. It’s important and it’s needed. These partnerships benefit our youth, our families, and our community.”
In addition to the classrooms, Kline said prevention programs are available year-round including the summer through playgrounds and camps.
For more information on COCA Education Programs: Education Services - Council on Chemical Abuse | Your Bridge to Addiction Resources (cocaberks.org)
A New Edition of Adventures with Courage is Now Available - Council on Chemical Abuse | Your Bridge to Addiction Resources (cocaberks.org)
This article is written from the perspective of the Council on Chemical Abuse, a SOS Berks collaborating agency
Inspiration and Hope A Family Journey
By Donna Jacobsen
Mom, I’m sick; I need help, can you come get me?” Those words to many parents would be frightening, alarming, perhaps devastating, unsure of their meaning. To me they were all that and more. As the mother of a young adult with a substance use disorder, I felt overwhelmingly grateful. She was asking for help; the window of opportunity was small to get that help; I knew I had to act immediately. I did not even know what to do, except to get her, bring her home, flip my insurance card over and start making calls. This was in the summer of 2010, I had been living in fear for months, we finally had a breakthrough. Little did I know what our family was in store for as our daughter would begin her journey of recovery and our family would begin ours.
My husband and I were suspicious of our daughter’s abuse of anxiety medications that were prescribed to her which quickly escalated to other use and abuse of drugs and finally intravenous heroin use. At this time, we did not understand the genetic predisposition to addiction; both our families were affected and now, so was our daughter. We had much to learn, we realized our daughter was in crisis and so was our family. Would she survive, and could we?
We brought our daughter to the emergency department of our local hospital, grateful that they took care of her swiftly and were able to transfer her to a hospital for detoxification within hours. Riding in the back of the ambulance with her was one of the most terrifying days of my life, and leaving her at the hospital was overwhelming. I had to trust that this was the best first step for her to get healthy. I naively thought when I picked her up, less than a week later, that she was ‘all better’ and life would go back to ‘normal’.
Upon discharge, it was suggested that she participate in an aftercare program closer to home and we were given information about an IOP program. A what? So began my education. She started her Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) immediately and we investigated family therapy and counseling for the entire family, including our other two children. This was a
short first step and in the next year she went to two inpatient facilities and then lived in a Women’s Sober Living Home, for a year, where I believe her true road to recovery began.
What I did during this time changed my life forever. I sought counseling from a family addiction therapist, and she immediately suggested I start attending a newly formed Parent and Family Support Group in my area. Me? Why am I going to a support group when my daughter is ill? This is where MY recovery and education truly began. I walked into a room of about a dozen people, led by Bob and Carol L., also parents on this journey with their child. I was filled with guilt and shame walking into that room, barely able to breathe or speak through my tears.
My husband and I were welcomed by family members who were living and surviving the worst nightmare a parent can experience. They smiled and laughed; we hadn’t done that in a long time. Here is where I learned about self-care. I began to learn about setting healthy boundaries, how to offer support, how to encourage and empower my child on her road to recovery. The group continued to grow; the number of families attending our weekly meetings surpassed 30-50 each Thursday. By late 2015, we branched out to three groups in the Lehigh Valley, and I began facilitating the Thursday night Lehigh Valley and Parent Family Support while Bob and Carol continue to lead two other groups in the area. Our Parent Partnership meetings are a branch of the nonprofit organization, Be A Part of the Conversation, equipping families with skills and resources to understand substance use, addiction, and related health issues. I consider Bob, Carol and the many leaders at BPOC as my mentors, while on this family recovery journey.
My personal experience over these 14 years has led me to understand the value of the recovery community. For me and many others, this community consists of individuals who have struggled with addiction issues and their families. It includes attending support groups, counseling services, peer support, workshops and educational events. I personally wanted to get
involved with advocating for our loved ones that suffer from substance use disorder (SUD) for better health care, better recovery housing and helping to overcome the barriers to their personal recovery, including understanding and overcoming the shame and stigma associated with this disease. This led to my becoming a member of the Lehigh County Drug and Alcohol Advisory Board, which afforded me the opportunity to meet with people in our community that have made changes, for over five years.
As part of the outreach and networking I have done I have been invited to sit at several roundtable discussions including with former Governor Wolff, former Attorney General Josh Shapiro (now our Governor), schools, LVHN and others. I was honored to speak on behalf of families affected by SUD at AG Shapiro’s inauguration ceremony and invited to his inauguration to Governor. I am honored to sit on the planning committee for eight years, for the Corey and Kimberly Ride Continues, raising awareness and helping those who are struggling with SUD find their way. I am one of the founding members and current President of REACH LV Youth Recovery Center, in Emmaus and Easton, the only adolescent recovery center in our state utilizing the Alternative Peer Group model to create a sober recovery community for teens.
My daughter and I became involved with The Center for Humanistic Change, a not-for-profit organization providing drug and alcohol prevention education programs to students, as well as in the community and workplace. We are part of the HOPE Program, Heroin and Opioid Prevention Education, and received the Louise Wright Family Award for our volunteer work advocating and educating our community.
I continue to grow and learn about this insidious disease and what it can do to our loved ones and family members. I then share that information with others, so that they can heal and rebuild their lives and relationships with their loved ones. I offer hope to families that our loved ones can get healthy with our love and support and unfortunately, even if our loved one does not, WE can recover! I was honored to receive the Unsung Hero Award, from Caron Treatment Centers, for the volunteer work I do with families.
By becoming involved in your community and by using the resources available in your county, you too, can heal and recover. Berks County’s The RISE Center hosts activities and events to support individuals and families in recovery. In May of 2023, 3 C’s Family Recovery Program: Compassion, Communication and Change was introduced and today is a Facebook Live program, led by Beckey VanEtten, Certified Family Recovery Specialist, on Tuesday evenings with the hope to expand to an in-person meeting in the future.
Today, fourteen years later, our daughter is a licensed social worker and is thriving in all aspects of her life. We are so proud of the woman she is, and she brings joy to our lives every day. In my opinion, she is living the true definition of Recovery which is defined by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration as “a process of change through which individuals improve their health and wellness, live self-directed lives, and strive to reach their full potential.”
Contact Donna Jacobsen at donnajacobsen1657@gmail.com or 917-763-8978.
We accept Pennsylvania Medical Assistance
El Poder de la Experiencia Vivida
Cómo los Trabajadores en Recuperación
Marcan la Diferencia Ayudando a Quienes Enfrentan una Adicción Activa.
By Jose Lugo, Executive Director, Recovery Coaching Services
Cuando se trata de ayudar a quienes sufren de adicción, existe un grupo de personas que poseen algo que es único e invaluable: la experiencia vivida. Los trabajadores comunitarios que han superado personalmente la adicción a las drogas y al alcohol aportan un nivel de comprensión, empatía y capacidad de relacionarse incomparable.
En este artículo, Recovery Coaching Services se expone el gran valor de nuestros trabajadores de los Servicios de alcance. Gracias a su experiencia en la recuperación del alcoholismo y la drogadicción, su trabajo ha tenido un impacto transformador en las personas que luchan contra la adicción.
Empatía y comprensión compartidas
Los trabajadores comunitarios que han recorrido con éxito su propio viaje hacia la adicción y la recuperación pueden identificarse con las luchas y los desafíos que enfrentan quienes actualmente luchan contra la adicción. Esta empatía compartida crea una conexión instantánea y una sensación de comprensión que los profesionales tradicionales tal vez no puedan replicar.
Los trabajadores comunitarios con experiencias vividas pueden ofrecer un oído compasivo, brindando un espacio seguro para que las personas compartan sus historias sin juzgarlas.
Inspirar esperanza y motivación
La presencia de trabajadores comunitarios que han triunfado sobre la adicción sirve como un rayo de esperanza para quienes aún luchan. Ofrecen una prueba viviente de que la recuperación es posible e inspiran a las personas a creer en su propio potencial de cambio. Los trabajadores de extensión de experiencias vividas pueden motivar y alentar a las personas, mostrándoles que hay luz al final del túnel y que una vida plena en recuperación está a su alcance.
Orientación y apoyo personalizados
Los trabajadores comunitarios con experiencia vivida poseen un profundo conocimiento de los desafíos únicos que enfrentan las personas en recuperación. Pueden proporcionar orientación y apoyo personalizados, adaptados a las necesidades específicas de cada individuo. Habiendo experimentado el
viaje ellos mismos, estos trabajadores comunitarios pueden ofrecer estrategias prácticas, mecanismos de afrontamiento y conocimientos que resuenan profundamente en aquellos a quienes ayudan.
Derribar barreras
Los trabajadores con experiencias vividas tienen una capacidad única para derribar barreras y generar confianza con personas que pueden dudar en buscar ayuda. Pueden identificarse con los miedos, la vergüenza y el estigma asociados con la adicción, y su enfoque sin prejuicios crea un espacio seguro para una comunicación abierta y honesta. Al compartir sus propias historias de recuperación, estos trabajadores comunitarios pueden ayudar a las personas a superar la vergüenza y la culpa que a menudo se asocian con la adicción.
Cerrar el espacio entre el tratamiento y recursos conocen bien las opciones de tratamiento y los recursos de recuperación disponibles. Pueden proporcionar una guía invaluable para navegar por el complejo sistema de atención médica, referir, y conectar a las personas con los servicios adecuados. Su conocimiento de primera mano del proceso de recuperación les permite ofrecer consejos prácticos para encontrar el programa de tratamiento adecuado y acceder a redes de apoyo.
Integración comunitaria
Los trabajadores con experiencias vividas desempeñan un papel crucial en el fomento de un sentido de comunidad entre las personas en recuperación. Este sentido de pertenencia y apoyo es fundamental para mantener la recuperación a largo plazo y prevenir la recaída.
Los trabajadores comunitarios con experiencia vivida en la recuperación de drogas y alcohol poseen una herramienta poderosa: su propio viaje personal de triunfo sobre la adicción. Su perspectiva única, empatía y capacidad de relacionarse tienen un profundo impacto en las personas que luchan contra la adicción, ofreciendo esperanza, orientación y apoyo. Al cerrar el espacio entre el mundo de la adicción y la recuperación, estos trabajadores comunitarios son fundamentales para ayudar a las personas a recuperar sus vidas y embarcarse en un camino de recuperación y transformación.
Si usted o un ser querido busca apoyo para su adicción al alcohol y/o sustancias, Recovery Coaching Services (RCS) está aquí para ayudarlo. RCS está ubicado en 505 Penn St. Reading, PA 610-816-5101, jlugo@recoverycoachingservices.com
La Intersección entre Lesiones Cerebrales y Sobredosis de Opioides: ¿Qué se Puede Hacer?
Por Drew A. Nagele y Monica J. Vaccaro, Asociación de Lesiones Cerebrales de Pensilvania
La epidemia del uso indebido de opioides nos ha abierto los ojos en cuanto a lo que sucede en el cerebro cuando alguien sufre una sobredosis involuntaria de opioides, y el daño que esto puede causar al cerebro. Este daño afecta la función cognitiva y, como resultado, afecta la capacidad de tener éxito en los programas de tratamiento del abuso de sustancias. El propósito de este artículo es crear conciencia sobre este tema que a menudo es desconocido por el público.
Aquí hay algunas estadísticas reveladoras:
• El 67% de las personas en rehabilitación de lesiones cerebrales tienen antecedentes de abuso de sustancias antes de su lesión, y no recibieron tratamiento por abuso de sustancias o no tuvieron éxito en su rehabilitación.
• El 20% de las personas que no tenían problemas de abuso de sustancias antes de su lesión los desarrollan después de una lesión cerebral.
• El 50% de las personas en rehabilitación por trastornos
• causados debido al uso de sustancias muestran indicios
• de lesión cerebral.
Hay un nuevo término que ha surgido para describir el efecto en el cerebro de una sobredosis involuntaria: se llama “Cerebro Tóxico”. El daño cerebral causado por el uso de drogas podría incluir:
• Alteración de los nutrientes necesarios para el tejido cerebral
• Daño directo, lesión y muerte de las células cerebrales
• Reducción de los receptores de neurotransmisores
• Alteraciones en las concentraciones químicas cerebrales, incluyendo los neurotransmisores y las hormonas; y
• privación de oxígeno al tejido cerebral, lo que se conoce como anoxia, en el caso que las células están totalmente privadas de oxígeno, o hipoxia si las células están parcialmente privadas de oxígeno.
Las células cerebrales solo pueden pasar de 4 a 6 minutos sin oxígeno antes de que comiencen a morir.
La gama de lesiones que se producen cuando el cerebro se ve privado de oxígeno varía de leve a moderado a grave, dependiendo del nivel de anoxia o hipoxia. En los casos leves, con frecuencia el individuo se aleja de la sobredosis no fatal después de recibir Naloxona y es posible que no se dé cuenta de los efectos de la sobredosis en el cerebro. Un individuo
con un deterioro relativamente leve, pero significativo, habla sobre su experiencia en el documental “Sobredosis y lesiones cerebrales: caminos hacia la recuperación”. Habla de lo difícil que fue para él manejar su situación, diciendo que no recibió una intervención significativa y quedó “sin memoria ni funcionamiento ejecutivo”. Este documental, producido por el Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health System (Sistema de Salud Dartmouth-Hitchcock) y la Brain Injury Association of New Hampshire (Asociación de Lesiones Cerebrales de New Hampshire), se puede ver en YouTube. Overdose And Brain Injury - Roads To Recovery (Sobredosis y Lesiones Cerebrales: Caminos Hacia la Recuperación).
Algunas lesiones son más graves, según lo relatado por la madre de Chris, un adulto joven que sufrió una lesión cerebral anóxica debido a una sobredosis no fatal. Chris era un patinador ávido y se lastimó el tobillo mientras patinaba. Un amigo le dio una pastilla no identificada para ayudar con su dolor y finalmente desarrolló una adicción a los opioides. Antes de su lesión cerebral, Chris era independiente en todos los aspectos de la vida. Ahora, necesita ayuda con todas las actividades de la vida diaria y vive en un entorno residencial con cuidado y supervisión las 24 horas del día. Puede escuchar más sobre la historia de Chris en el canal de YouTube de la Brain Injury Association of Pennsylvania (Asociación de Lesiones Cerebrales de Pensilvania). Chris & Andrea’s Story (La historia de Chris y Andrea).
Entonces, ¿cómo podemos ayudar a estas personas que desarrollan lesiones cerebrales debido a su consumo de drogas? Primero, tenemos que identificarlos y luego adaptar el tratamiento para que puedan beneficiarse mejor. Es probable que los resultados se mejoren siguiendo las recomendaciones de la Administración de Salud Mental y Abuso de Sustancias (SAMHSA, por sus siglas en inglés):
El Consultivo de SAMHSA 2021 recomienda:
• Los profesionales de la salud conductual deben evaluar por la exposición a lesiones cerebrales de por vida
• El tratamiento debe adaptarse a los déficits neuroconductuales debidos a lesiones cerebrales
• El tratamiento debe ser holístico para abordar las condiciones comórbidas.
• La mejora obtenida por la perspicacia debe ser suplantada por otros apoyos terapéuticos.
Herramientas de Detección
Existen herramientas especializadas de detección de lesiones cerebrales que pueden determinar la probabilidad de antecedentes de por vida de lesiones cerebrales y deterioros cognitivos resultantes. Son rápidos y fáciles de aprender y administrar. Sin embargo, la identificación es solo el primer paso. Luego, es importante considerar cómo los efectos de la lesión cerebral afectarán la respuesta del individuo al
tratamiento. Las deficiencias en la atención, la memoria y la función ejecutiva, entre otras funciones cognitivas, presentarán barreras para el aprendizaje y la aplicación de lo aprendido a la vida cotidiana. Estos desafíos neurocognitivos hacen que las personas con lesiones cerebrales estén menos equipadas para participar y beneficiarse del tratamiento convencional y tengan más probabilidades de experimentar fracasos en el tratamiento.
Imagina a una persona que solo es capaz de prestar atención durante 15 minutos y se espera que participe en una sesión de una hora sin descansos. Imagínese a una persona que no es capaz de recordar lo que se discutió en una sesión de tratamiento y, como resultado, no puede desarrollar esa información en la siguiente sesión. Imagínese a una persona que tiene dificultades para planificar y mantener un horario organizado y pierde citas o tareas. Estos son algunos ejemplos de por qué las personas con deficiencias cognitivas, como las experimentadas después de una lesión cerebral, podrían no beneficiarse del tratamiento sin adaptaciones. Afortunadamente, existen estrategias para ayudar a las personas a compensar estos déficits.
Tratamiento
Además, existen tratamientos y recursos específicos para las lesiones cerebrales que se pueden considerar. Las personas pueden recibir servicios de rehabilitación de lesiones cerebrales, incluida la terapia de rehabilitación cognitiva proporcionada por especialistas en lesiones cerebrales, junto con el tratamiento para el trastorno por consumo de sustancias.
Además, existen tratamientos y recursos específicos para las lesiones cerebrales que se pueden considerar. Las personas pueden recibir servicios de rehabilitación de lesiones cerebrales, incluida la terapia de rehabilitación cognitiva proporcionada por especialistas en lesiones cerebrales, junto con el tratamiento para el trastorno por consumo de sustancias.
Se esperaría que los resultados de aquellos que tienen deterioro cognitivo como resultado de una lesión cerebral, y que han recibido una combinación de rehabilitación cognitivay tratamiento por abuso de sustancias, sean mejores en comparación con los resultados generales de los programas de tratamiento por abuso de sustancias. Se necesitará un esfuerzo colaborativo de las partes interesadas en la comunidad de lesiones cerebrales y la comunidad de trastornos por uso de sustancias para lograr los mejores resultados posibles para las personas con lesiones cerebrales concurrentes y trastornos por abuso de sustancias.
Se Inaugura una Máquina
Expendedora Health to Go en Reading/Berks YMCA
Pensilvania tiene una de las tasas de sobredosis más altas del país. En promedio, 14 residentes de Pensilvania mueren cada día. Hoy, con la máquina expendedora Smart1, estamos tratando de cambiar eso. — Jennifer Murphy, PhD
El 7 de mayo de 2024, se cortó la cinta en una nueva máquina expendedora interactiva “inteligente” ubicada en el vestíbulo de la YMCA de Reading, 631 Washington St, Reading PA. La primera de su clase en el estado, la nueva máquina ofrece suministros de salud y bienestar gratuitos, y también incluye una pantalla táctil con información sobre servicios y recursos comunitarios, como vivienda, despensas de alimentos, tratamiento para el uso de sustancias y más. La nueva máquina incluye artículos de cuidado personal, Narcan, tiras de control de drogas, condones, estuches para el cuidado de heridas, productos para la menstruación, pruebas de embarazo y más. pregnancy tests and more.
NARCAN SALVA VIDAS NARCAN SALVA VIDAS
Pero no dura para siempre.
Verifique la fecha de vencimiento de su medicamento de reversión de sobredosis de opioides Narcan.
Visite cocaberks.org/Narcan o escanee aquí para solicitar un reemplazo gratuito o un nuevo kit por primera vez.
Alrededor de 40 personas asistieron a la ceremonia de inauguración de la máquina, que incluyó discursos y demostraciones. Entre los ponentes se encontraban:
• El Fiscal de Distrito del Condado de Berks, John Adams
• El Comisionado del Condado de Berks, Michael Rivera, quien también es copresidente de SOS Berks
• Director de Operaciones de la YMCA de Reading, Ken Borkey
• Yvonne Stroman, miembro de SOS Berks, quien es la Especialista en Programas Comunitarios del Consejo sobre el Abuso de Sustancias Químicas (COCA, por sus siglas en inglés)
• Marcia Goodman-Hinnershitz, Directora de Planificación y Desarrollo de Recursos de COCA
• Jennifer Murphy, PhD, Penn State Berks, Profesora Asociada y Presidenta de Justicia Penal
• Alice Zhang, MD, MPH Penn State College of Medicine, Profesora Asistente, Departamento de Medicina Familiar y Comunitaria
• Aleksandra Zgierska, MD, PhD, Profesora de la Facultad de Medicina de Penn State y Vicepresidenta de Investigación, Departamento de Medicina Familiar y Comunitaria.
Este proyecto es posible, en su totalidad o en parte, gracias a los fondos recibidos a través del Berks County Opioid Settlement Agreement.
Safe Medication Storage and Disposal
Do you have unused or expired medications?
In Berks County, 49 percent of teens who said they had misused prescription drugs in the 2019 PA Youth Survey claimed to have acquired them “from someone living in my home.” You can help prevent misuse and protect our enviroment by safely disposing of your medications.
Medication Lock Boxes
The locking medicine case allows for organization and secure storage of medicines and medical supplies.
Free to Berks County residents while supplies last.
Drop Box Locations
Take your unused, expired medications (including pet) to one of the 29 drop boxes throughout Berks County.
Find a list of accepted items and locations on the COCA website.
Disposal Bags
Dipose of unused or expired medications safely at home! This disposal process works on pills, patches and liquids. The bag and its contents can then be safely disposed in a household trash can.
Bags are available at no cost to Berks County residents.
