Experts weigh in on local opioid and heroin treatment at Tenney forum
Maggie Gilroy
About 50 people attended an opioid and heroin forum hosted by Rep. Claudia Tenney, R-New Hartford, Tuesday evening at Binghamton University.
The free forum, held at BU's Symposium Hall on Murray Hill Road, was open to the public and organized by Tenney to highlight community efforts to combat the epidemic.
A panel of five experts spoke at the forum: Capt. Kate Newcomb, of the Broome County Sheriff’s Office and member of the Broome Opioid Abuse Council; Alexis Pleus, of Truth Pharm; Jill Alford-Hammit, Lourdes substance abuse program and member of the council; Alan Wilmarth, administrative director of Behavioral Health at UHS hospitals; and Jessica Dube, a recovering addict who is three years clean.
At the start of the event, Tenney said the purpose of the forum was to hear the opinions of community members to bring back to Washington, D.C.
Tenney spoke scarcely spoke during the forum, spending a majority of time listening and taking notes.
Drug treatment services coming to Broome Developmental Center in early 2018
Earlier in the day, Wilmarth gave Tenney a tour of the New Horizons addiction and chemical dependency treatment program at UHS.
"It's clear to me more resources are needed," Tenney said during her opening remarks.
It's this lack of resources that drew Marsha Guzewich, 66, of Sherburne, and Patty Matson, 57, of Hamilton, to the panel. They are two of the founding members of Sherburne Earlville Fighting Back, a component of Truth Pharm that is working with the Sherburne-Earlville Central School District.
The pair came to the forum to learn what resources Tenney is planning to put toward the epidemic, specifically in terms of health care.
"I'm concerned with the lack of support and resources in our area," Guzewich said.
The forum began with questions asked by Robert Simpson, a legislative assistant in Tenney’s office in D.C. and moderator of the panel. At the start, Simpson explained that he lost his brother and mother to addiction.
Questions and conversation topics included barriers to treatment, changes in the way the opioid epidemic is being addressed, and a debate on the effectiveness of forced treatment.
Wilmarth cited the stigma and shame that surrounds opioid addiction as one of the biggest barriers to treatment.
“We’re working to get the treatment of this disease more normalized and get it treated like any other disease,” he said.
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Following the moderated portion, Simpson read questions from audience members submitted in writing prior to the event.
Many concerns revolved around a lack of treatment and support, both for addiction and mental health issues.
In her closing remarks, Dube urged the community to improve after-treatment programs, so addicts can stay clean after leaving treatment.
“Who are you going to call when you have to live life on life’s terms?” she asked.
Attendees ranged from health professionals and activists, to family members of addicts who were seeking help and information for their loved ones.
In the audience was Deanna Caiati, a Town of Union resident who works with Hope Teen Challenge Recovery Center, a faith-based organization that offers recovery for women who are struggling with issues including addiction and abuse.
Caiati found the forum to be "incredibly informative," and appreciated learning about health insurance and hearing the perspective of a law enforcement officer (Newcomb).
"It gave me hope," she said. "I'm glad that we're talking about it."
Mark Walker, a plastic surgeon who practices in Binghamton, found Tenney to be "disingenuous and hypocritical" due to her vote against the Affordable Care Act and for the Affordable Health Care Act.
"For her to stand in front of this group and even pretend that she gives a hoot about people that have a problem like this is total bull," Walker said. "If she cares, she wouldn't have done what she did in her vote, which is where she has the power. She has the power of the vote. She's our representative, but she's not representing the people."
It was when the topic of health care was raised that one of the few moments of applause erupted from the audience.
“We need universal health care for everyone,” Pleus said in her final remarks, drawing cheers from the crowd. “And it needs to look at the whole health of the whole person.”
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