As the opioid crisis continues to devastate communities across New York State, a cross section of county leaders have come together to create a campaign to bring awareness to the signs of opioid abuse.
The New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC) has partnered with the New York State Association of Coroners and Medical Examiners (NYSCCME) to create a hard-hitting advertisement that will run on television stations throughout New York State.
A comprehensive website, ny.seethesignssavealife.org, was created to anchor this campaign and is a resource for anyone affected by this fast-growing epidemic.
Chuck Nesbitt, Orleans County Chief Administrative Officer and NYSAC President-Elect said, “As local leaders, we must do everything we can to raise awareness about the opioid crisis in our communities and prompt families to look for the signs of addiction. This public service announcement is another valuable resource to educate our residents and help those who are suffering from addiction.”
NYSAC and its member counties have been battling the opioid epidemic for years, through several agencies including county social services, health departments, law enforcement, jails, 9-1-1 dispatch, district attorneys, public defenders, probation, coroners and medical examiners.
Scott Schmidt, Chief Coroner of Orleans County and President of NYSCCME, said, “The rationale behind this PSA was simple. We as Coroners, Medical Examiners and Funeral Directors are tired of watching people die senselessly. While we aren’t on the front lines of this epidemic, (such as Fire and EMS personnel), we are on the front line working with families in the aftermath as the last responders. We hear the repeated mantra of family members emphatically denying that their loved one used drugs. We are often the recipients of the overwhelming and often times heart-wrenching displays of grief and violent emotion because we are the ones with the answer that no one wants to hear. ‘Your loved one died of a drug overdose.’ The far-reaching effects of a drug overdose death are mind blowing. NYSCCME felt that by showing the after effects of using these lethal substances with an ‘in-your-face’ approach, we might be able to save at least one life.”
Hon. Cheryl Dinolfo, Monroe County Executive said, “The opioid crisis has taken a heartbreaking human toll in every corner of our State, including the Rochester region. While the statistics are staggering, we can never forget what the numbers truly represent – sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, and friends and family lost to addiction. In Monroe County, we are making great progress with our new Opioid Action Plan, but more can always be done to support education and prevention. I am grateful that our new ad campaign will help to raise awareness about the signs of addiction while providing another resource for those who need help.”
“Opioid abuse takes its toll on many facets of our communities, and it will take all of us, working together, to reduce its devastation,” said NYSAC President MaryEllen Odell, the Putnam County Executive.
“From ‘first responder’ law enforcement receiving calls for help, to the ‘last responder’ Coroners and Medical Examiners confirming the cause of death, local government officials confront the effects of addiction and opioid abuse in our communities every day,” explained Stephen Acquario, Executive Director of NYSAC. “We need to continually educate and inform our communities of the danger associated with opioid abuse. We are hopeful that this campaign will raise awareness of the signs of addiction before it’s too late. We can all encourage our families, friends, and neighbors to seek help and break the all too familiar cycle of use, abuse, addiction, overdose and death. It’s never too late to see the signs and save a life.”
View the PSA and other resources from NYSAC at http://www.nysac.org/opioids.
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