The Rockefeller Institute of Government gathered substance abuse providers, law enforcement officials, and peer engagement specialists to discuss responses to the growing opioid epidemic in the first of a series of forums on Wednesday, June 27. 

Despite aggressive interventions at the state and local levels, the crisis continues to worsen, with opioid deaths rising year after year. The Rockefeller Institute has been conducting in-depth research in Sullivan County, New York, to see the problem from the ground up and build an understanding of how communities respond. These forums will build on that research with a particular focus on highlighting solutions that are effective and practical.

Wednesday’s forum was accompanied by the release of Stories from Sullivan, Vol. 1, a collection of the first eight reports from the real-time research project in Sullivan County.

Panelists included (from left in video):

+ Jesse Chapman, peer engagement specialist, Rensselaer County

+ Gay Hartigan, chief operating officer, Liberty Behavioral Management Group Inc.

+ Craig Apple, Albany County sheriff

+ Avraham Schick, executive director, Silver Lake Behavioral Health and RevCore Recovery Center

+ Luke J. Nasta, chief executive officer, Camelot of Staten Island Inc.

+ John Coppola, executive director, New York Association of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Providers

Video