A community discussion followed a screening of the documentary “Love in the Time of Fentanyl” at the Strand Theatre in Plattsburgh, examining the state of the overdose crisis in the North Country of New York.
The discussion explored what the overdose and addiction crisis looks like here in our region, the impact the pandemic has had on the crisis, the availability and importance of local prevention and treatment options, and the impact of harm reduction programs like needle exchanges, Narcan, and fentanyl test kits.
Panelists:
- Chief Christopher J. Premo, Village of Malone Police Department
- Jared Croy, Program Director Champlain Valley Family Center Recovery Campus
- Zachary Randolph, Interim Chief Executive Officer St. Joseph’s Addiction Treatment & Recovery Centers
- Rheannon Croy, Program Manager at Alliance for Positive Health
- Michael Carpenter, Founder MHAB Life Skills Campus & Recovery Center
The video above contains excerpts from the discussion. You may watch the entire discussion online as well.
About “Love in the Time of Fentanyl”
Airing on Mountain Lake PBS on February 13 at 10 PM
As deaths in Vancouver, Canada reached an all-time high, the Overdose Prevention Society opened its doors—a renegade supervised drug consumption site that employs active and former drug users. Its staff and volunteers do whatever it takes to save lives and give hope to a marginalized community in this intimate documentary that looks beyond the stigma of people who use fentanyl and other drugs.
“Overdose Epidemic” week of special programming
February 13th – February 19th
Public media partners across New York State will come together for “Overdose Epidemic”: a week of special programming examining the addiction and overdose crisis facing New York. The programming will touch on topics as wide-ranging as the science of addiction, reducing the stigma of addiction and recovery, addiction among veterans and young people, and what public health officials are doing to combat the crisis. Educating the public is essential to helping end stigma; ensure that people know how to access help; and to promoting the effectiveness of prevention, treatment, harm reduction, and recovery services.
The special programming will include a one-hour live broadcast “New York State Public Media Special Report: COVID-19 and the Overdose Epidemic” airing at 8pm on Friday, February 17th which will feature stories from across the state of New Yorkers in recovery, experts on addiction and the COVID-19 epidemic, government officials addressing the crisis, and local agencies providing services and support to those affected by the crisis.
Funding for this initiative is provided in part by the New York State Education Department.