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Luzerne County Flood Authority agreement with county on hold

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Illegal dumping recurring problem in Wilkes-Barre neighborhood, cleanup taking time

WILKES-BARRE &#8212; Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine on Monday said, &#8220;it is impossible to get someone into treatment who is dead.&#8221;Levine joined the effort &#8220;Opioids: The Fight Continues&#8221; as part of Stop Overdoses in PA: Get Help Now Week &#8212; a statewide initiative to get the overdose reversal medication naloxone to Pennsylvanians and get help for residents suffering from the disease of opioid-use disorder.&#8220;The opioid crisis is an ongoing battle, but we will not give up our fight,&#8221; Levine said. &#8220;Every Pennsylvanian has a role to play as a potential first responder who can save a life by having naloxone on hand and using it if they come across someone who has overdosed.&#8221;Levine said the Wolf administration&#8217;s work to address the opioid crisis focuses on three areas: prevention; rescue and treatment. Levine highlighted the collaborative work with state agencies and local, regional and federal officials that has resulted in substantial action to address the opioid crisis.As part of National Recovery Month, Pennsylvania is hosting Stop Overdoses in PA: Get Help Now Week, where residents will be able to go to a state health center or their local pharmacy to get the overdose reversal medication naloxone, which reverses the effects of an opioid overdose and gives the patient a chance at recovery.Residents will be able to visit one of 95 locations across the state to obtain their free naloxone. The distributions will primarily take place at state health centers and county and municipal health departments on Wednesday, Sept. 18, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Wednesday, Sept. 25, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., as supplies last.Some locations are operating at different hours and not on both days.The Opioid Command Center, established in January 2018 when Gov. Tom Wolf signed the first opioid disaster declaration, meets every week to discuss the opioid crisis. The command center is staffed by personnel from 17 state agencies, spearheaded by the departments of Health and Drug and Alcohol Programs.Work to address the opioid crisis focuses on three areas: prevention, rescue and treatment. Efforts over the past four years, working with state agencies, local, regional and federal officials, have resulted in significant action to address the opioid crisis.Recent efforts include:&#8226; The Prescription Drug Monitoring Program has reduced opioid prescriptions by 27% and has virtually eliminated doctor shopping.&#8226; The Opioid Data Dashboard and Data Dashboard 2.0 is providing public-facing data regarding prevention, rescue and treatment.&#8226; The waiver of birth certificate fees for those with opioid use disorder has helped close to 2,500 people, enabling easier entry into recovery programs.&#8226; A standing order signed by Levine in 2018 allowed EMS to leave behind nearly 1,100 doses of naloxone.&#8226; More than 6,000 health care professionals have been visited and provided training on how to prescribe opioids cautiously and judiciously.&#8226; 813 drug take-back boxes help Pennsylvanians properly dispose of unwanted drugs, including 482,000 pounds of unwanted drugs in 2018.&#8226; The Get Help Now Hotline received more than 25,000 calls, with nearly half of all callers connected directly to a treatment provider.&#8226; The state prison system has expanded their Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) program, which is viewed as a model program for other states.&#8226; More than 100 licensed physicians or prescribers have been disciplined for wrongful practice over the past two years.&#8226; Several agencies have worked together to collaborate on the seizure and destruction of illicit opioids across Pennsylvania.&#8226; The coordination with seven major commercial providers has expanded access to naloxone and mental health care, while also working to make it more affordable.&#8226; 2,940 cases of neonatal abstinence syndrome have been reported to the Opioid Command Center.Naloxone has been made available to first responders through the Commission on Crime and Delinquency, with more than 25,000 doses made available and more than 4,500 saves through that program.In addition, EMS have administered more than 25,000 doses of naloxone and more than 7,000 doses were made available to members of the public during the state&#8217;s naloxone distribution last year.For more information on Pennsylvania&#8217;s response to the opioid crisis visit www.pa.gov/opioids.<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta>By Bill O&#8217;Boyleboboyle@www.timesleader.com</bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta>Reach Bill O&#8217;Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.</shirttailMeta></div>

State kicks off ‘Get Help Now Week’ to stop overdoses in PA