Educating the community on opioid addiction:Several public events scheduled on the crisis
The Shelter Island Police Department, Town Social Worker Alexandra Hakim, and the Shelter Island School, have teamed up to create a series of events designed to educate students, teachers, parents, and the broader community on the issue of opioid addiction.
The events will consist of public educational forums funded by the New York Opioid Settlement Sharing Agreement. This was a legal settlement totaling $2.6 billion that New York Attorney General Letitia James negotiated with pharmaceutical companies that were involved in manufacturing, distributing, and selling opioids. The funds are earmarked for communities in New York for treatment, recovery, and prevention efforts.
Suffolk County was allocated funds through the agreement and distributed them to the towns. Shelter Island Town’s portion is approximately $100,000 annually for three years, which began in 2023.
The incidence of deaths due to drug overdoses has become a national crisis. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates there were 107,543 drug overdose deaths in the United States during 2023.
Shelter Island has been spared reported overdoses this year, according to Emergency Medical Services Director Jack Thilberg, and there have been no Narcan — the anti-overdose medication— administrations so far this year by Island EMTS. But in 2023, there were six overdoses reported and three situations where Narcan was used, Director Thilberg said.
The first in the series of public events here is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 25. All presentations will be held at the Shelter Island School auditorium, with sessions during the school day for students and teachers.
The funds for Shelter Island have been divided, Police Chief Jim Read said, into two general categories — enforcement and social services. About $70,000 is allocated to law enforcement, while $30,000 goes toward social services, specifically to support the work of Town Social Worker Hakim.
On the enforcement side, Sergeant Anthony Rando has taken the lead to organize the Department’s response. The Department has supported the East End Drug Task Force in opioid-related casework by covering overtime costs. Working with Ms. Hakim, Sgt. Rando proposed the educational series. The Police Department plans to allocate around $15,000 this year toward this series.
The kick-off presentation next week will be given by HUGS, Inc., which helps those struggling with addiction on the East End. HUGS (Human Understanding & Growth Services) is a licensed agency by the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports.
It defines its mission as providing “individuals, families, schools, and communities with prevention education strategies aimed at reducing high-risk behaviors among individuals while fostering wellness and positive attitudes to improve all areas of life.”
Ms. Akim said part of the educational segment of the events will be “how to learn to recognize situations where an individual could fall into opioid addiction.” On the job here since January 2023, she said, “No one has come to me with a problem with opioid addiction. But I’ve had several parents of adult children come to me who have lost their lives due to addiction.”
Todd Gulluscio, whose one of many hats at the Shelter Island School is Director of Health and Wellness, said, “Our commitment is one of educational purpose. We recognize that this issue is far-reaching, not just into our community but in others around the country. This partnership provides an opportunity to increase awareness and education for our students, staff, parents, and community from the multiple perspectives of the guest speakers who will join us.”
Following the Sept. 25 presentations, from 1 to 4:30 p.m., Sgt. Rando said, there will be two more at the school. On Oct. 25 at 5:30 p.m., the event will be led by Officer David Gomez, a 14-year veteran of law enforcement with national expertise in social media and juvenile safety. Officer Gomez will focus on educating students, parents, and educators about the latest technology trends and online dangers.
On Nov. 13 at 5:30 p.m., Richard Jensen will give a presentation at the school. Mr. Jensen, overcame 15 years of addiction, serving seven years in jail, and became a National Wrestling Champion. He will share his story, and bring a message of recovery and resilience.