Suffolk County Announces New Tool, Partnerships to Fight Heroin & Opiate Abuse  

Suffolk County will  hold a press conference today, 1/12 at 11:30 to announce a new county-wide initiative to provide residents with an alternative to combat heroin and other opiate abuse.

In 2012 and 2013 combined, Suffolk County suffered more than 400 opioid-related deaths.  The vast majority of these were from heroin and oxycodone.

County Executive Bellone will discuss the formation of partnerships to raise awareness and facilitate the use of the FDA-approved drug, extended-release naltrexone, in the County’s fight against heroin and opioid addiction.

The County will also announce a partnership with Suffolk’s largest school district, Sachem School District, to help address substance abuse among adolescents.

The follow inividuals are expected to attend:

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone, Assistant Deputy County Executive & Former Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Sini, Suffolk County Health Commissioner Dr. James Tomarken, Art Flescher, Suffolk County Department of Health, Patrice Dlhopolsky, Director of Suffolk County Probation, Vincent DeMarco, Sheriff of Suffolk County,  Edward Gialella, Program Coordinator of the Suffolk County Drug Court,  Steven Chassman, LCSW, CASAC, Executive Director of the Long Island Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependency, also known as LICADD, Jeffrey Reynolds, President and Chief Executive Officer of Family and Children’s Association.

The press conference will be held at the H. Lee Dennison Building Lobby,  100 Veterans Memorial Highway,  Hauppauge, NY.

Read more about Suffolk’s heroin epidemic here.