OCAN Writes Grant for one month's rent to The Solution Recovery Home in Philadelphia on behalf of Chianti Zimmerman
The Opioid Crisis Action Network (OCAN) wrote a second grant yesterday to the The Solution recovery home Philadelphia, PA, this one on behalf of Chianti Zimmerman, pictured below, to cover one month's rent. Chianti contacted me with a plea for financial support for rent at the recovery home. We spoke on the phone, I met him at the home where I had already received a tour from the House Manager, displaying what a clean, comfortable home it is, I have spoken to co-owner, Sam Jones, and learned about their rules, services and practices. They support those, like Chiante, pursuing medical best practices medication - assisted treatment (MAT) regimes. Chiante has had a difficult journey but has been sober over eighteen months, is serious about his recovery and his priority is to be a model father to his daughter and friend to those in recovery. Please contribute so we can continue our mission to help those in recovery.
Study: home Methadone treatment prescriptions during pandemic did not increase overdoses (Philadelphia Inquirer, 7/16/22)
OCAN Writes Grant to The Solution Recovery Home on Behalf of Luis B.
The Opioid Crisis Action Network (OCAN) wrote a grant Saturday to the The Solution Recovery Home, Philadelphia, PA, on behalf of Luis B, pictured below with his two sons, to cover one month's rent. Luis posted a plea for financial support for rent at a recovery home on the Never Surrender Hope Facebook page last week, I saw it and messaged him. We spoke on the phone, I met him at the home and received a tour from the House Manager there, displaying what a clean, comfortable home it is, I spoke to co-owner, Sam Jones, and learned about their rules, services and practices. They support those, like Luis, pursuing medical best practices medication - assisted treatment (MAT) regimes. Luis has had a difficult journey but has been sober almost four months, is serious about his recovery and his priority is to be a model father to his sons and friend to those in recovery. Please contribute so we can continue our mission to help those in recovery.
Only a Few PA County Jails Offer Medical Best Practice Treatment for Substance Use Disorder
Since our founding, the Opioid Crisis Action Network (OCAN) has called for every county in PA to implement best medical practices drug treatment programs for inmates in county jails. This program will save lives, reduces recidivism and taxpayer expenditures. With over 5,000 overdose deaths in PA alone last year, over 100,000 nationwide, both records, it is past time for the state and every county to make this a priority. The article is from today's Philadelphia Inquirer.
The PA Senate HHS Committee is meeting today! Please call Senator Brooks (717-787-1322) or email her (mbrooks@pasen.gov) and ask her to post SB 975 and SB 976 to votes!
Dear Honorable Senator Brooks and other Honorable Members of the HHS Committee,
Please post SB 975 and SB 976 for HHS Committee votes today!
Senator Schwank prime-sponsored these life-saving bills and they were sent to the HHS Committee several months ago. We are hopeful that you will vote these life-saving bills to the floor and they will pass by the end of this session next week.
SB 975, the "Deny no one treatment or coverage for treatment because they are sober Act," will ban the common practice of denying coverage for treatment because sobriety signals treatment is "not medically necessary." By definition, those recovering from addiction suffer urges to relapse. Over 100,000 overdose deaths last year proves that relapses are often deadly. Fortunately, urges to relapse are treatable. Please help ensure that those in need of treatment receive it. Vote yes on SB 975!
SB 976, the "Treatment Center and Recovery Home Transparency Act" would require that DDAP send a questionnaire to all treatment centers and recovery homes registered in PA and publish on the DDAP website the responses they receive. If a facility chooses not to respond, "did not respond" will be listed on the website. Those evaluating treatment centers and recovery homes need information to make the life-saving decision regarding the right place to go or send their loved one for help. Please help provide those in recovery and their families the information they need to make this life-saving decision. Vote yes on SB 976!
Please call us to discuss these exciting opportunities to help those in recovery.
In memory of Brendan,
Larry and Heather Arata
Co-Founders, Opioid Crisis Action Network
610-290-3934
OCAN supports the PA Harm Reduction Network's campaign for PA HB 2264 and PA SB 926 for Syringe Service Programs
Vote YES on SB926! Support SSPs in Pennsylvania!
We ask you to contact Senator Lisa Baker's office (717) 787-7428) and demand for SB926 to be moved out of the Senate Judiciary Committee and onto the floor. We are days away from the summer legislative break. Thanks to you, we have come so far. We must keep fighting for expanded access to SSPs.
Pennsylvania Harm Reduction Network urges the community and Pennsylvania’s legislators to support PA HB2264 and SB926 for Syringe Service Programs (SSPs)!
Pennsylvania families and communities are devastated by the needless loss of loved ones. Drug overdose is the leading cause of accidental death in PA and has the 3rd highest rate of overdose deaths in the country. PA also ranks with the 9th highest rate of new HIV infections nationwide. Hepatitis C rates are also rising across the state. Currently, most local health departments, medical professionals, and social service providers are not legally permitted to provide syringe services in PA.
SB926 will increase life-saving access to sterile syringes and other medical supplies, disposal of syringes, HIV/HEP-C testing, naloxone distribution and training, treatment referrals for mental health, substance use disorder, and other social services to prevent disease and death among Pennsylvanians. Tell Senator Baker to vote YES on SB926 by taking action now!
Please email PA Senator Brooks today and ask her to post SB 975 and SB 976 to HHS Committee votes!
Dear Opioid Crisis Action Network (OCAN) Supporters,
We are only days away from the end of this legislative session, and every second counts! Please click on the email address below for PA Senate HHS Committee Chair Michele Brooks (R- Erie) and ask her to post our two life-saving bills for a committee vote.
Our two bills, PA SB 975, the "Deny no one treatment or coverage for treatment because they are sober Act," and PA SB 976, the Treatment Center and Recovery Home Transparency Act, were referred to the PA Senate's Health and Human Services (HHS) Committee several months ago and we are hopeful that they will be posted for a committee vote in the next couple days and a floor vote by the end of this legislative session at the end of next week, 6/30/22.
OCAN is grateful for the continuous dedication to advocacy of the primary sponsor of these bills, Senator Judy Schwank (D-Berks). The bills have also received the stated bi-partisan support of HHS Committee Members Argall (R-Berks), Haywood (D-Montgomery / Philadelphia) and Cappelletti (D-Delaware / Montgomery). We thank everyone who took the time to help make this progress possible.
Vote Yes on PA SB 975 - the "Deny no one treatment or coverage for treatment because they are sober Act!" will ban the common practice of denying coverage for treatment for those who report for treatment for addiction while sober. This happened to our son, Brendan, who suffered from urges to relapse after 60 days sober and reported to the facility where he previously received excellent in-patient care. The treatment facility wanted to admit him but our insurance company refused to cover his admittance because it "was not medically necessary." Urges to relapse are potentially deadly and treatable. This practice must be banned so lives can be saved.
Vote Yes on PA SB 976 - the "Treatment Center and Recovery Home Transparency Act!" This bill will require the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) ro send a questionnaire to every treatment center and recovery home licensed in PA and publish on their web site the responses from the treatment centers and homes. For those who choose not to respond, the web site will list "did not respond." The questionnaire will address treatment centers' and recovery homes' locations, bed numbers, number and qualifications of staff members, willingness to accept those pursuing medication-assisted treatment (MAT) regimes, ability to address those with dual diagnosis, and results of care such as average days sober of residents, relapses, deaths, etc., in order to provide those evaluating facilities with the means to make a life-saving decision regarding the best care available to them and their loved ones.
For more information on these life-saving bills, click on the links below:
Bill Information - Senate Bill 975; Regular Session 2021-2022 - PA General Assembly (state.pa.us)
Bill Information - Senate Bill 976; Regular Session 2021-2022 - PA General Assembly (state.pa.us)
Thank you for your commitment to advocating for life-saving public health policies. We cannot make these bills laws without you!
With gratitude,
Larry and Heather Arata
Co-Founders, Opioid Crisis Action Network (OCAN)
610-290-3934
Please Email PA Senator Brooks (mbrooks@pasen.gov) , Chair HHS Committee, and ask her to post SB 975 and SB 976 to a committee vote.
Dear Opioid Crisis Action Network (OCAN) Supporters,
We are only days away from the end of this legislative session, and every second counts! Please click on the email address below for PA Senate HHS Committee Chair Michele Brooks (R- Erie) and ask her to post our two life-saving bills for a committee vote.
Our two bills, PA SB 975, the "Deny no one treatment or coverage for treatment because they are sober Act," and PA SB 976, the Treatment Center and Recovery Home Transparency Act, were referred to the PA Senate's Health and Human Services (HHS) Committee several months ago and we are hopeful that they will be posted for a committee vote in the next couple days and a floor vote by the end of this legislative session at the end of next week, 6/30/22.
mbrooks@pasen.gov
OCAN is grateful for the continuous dedication to advocacy of the primary sponsor of these bills, Senator Judy Schwank (D-Berks). The bills have also received the stated bi-partisan support of HHS Committee Members Argall (R-Berks), Haywood (D-Montgomery / Philadelphia) and Cappelletti (D-Delaware / Montgomery). The bills also have the support of many other Senators from both parties. We thank everyone who took the time to help make this progress possible.
Vote Yes on PA SB 975 - the "Deny no one treatment or coverage for treatment because they are sober Act!" will ban the common practice of denying coverage for treatment for those who report for treatment for addiction while sober. This happened to our son, Brendan, who suffered from urges to relapse after 60 days sober and reported to the facility where he previously received excellent in-patient care. The treatment facility wanted to admit him but our insurance company refused to cover his admittance because it "was not medically necessary." Urges to relapse are potentially deadly and treatable. This practice must be banned so lives can be saved.
Vote Yes on PA SB 976 - the "Treatment Center and Recovery Home Transparency Act!" This bill will require the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) to send a questionnaire to every treatment center and recovery home licensed in PA and publish on their web site the responses from the treatment centers and homes. For those who choose not to respond, the web site will list "did not respond." The questionnaire will address treatment centers' and recovery homes' locations, bed numbers, and qualifications of staff members, willingness to accept those pursuing medication-assisted treatment (MAT) regimes, ability to address those with dual diagnosis, and results of care such as average days sober of residents, relapses, deaths, etc., in order to provide those evaluating facilities with the means to make a life-saving decision regarding the best care available to them and their loved ones.
For more information on these life-saving bills, click on the links below:
Bill Information - Senate Bill 975; Regular Session 2021-2022 - PA General Assembly (state.pa.us)
Bill Information - Senate Bill 976; Regular Session 2021-2022 - PA General Assembly (state.pa.us)
Thank you for your commitment to advocating for life-saving public health policies. We cannot make these bills laws without you!
With gratitude,
Larry and Heather Arata
Co-Founders, Opioid Crisis Action Network (OCAN)
610-290-3934
Watch this disturbing, well-researched video by Vice News, featuring Sarah Laurel of Savage Sisters, emphasizing deadly changes in the street drug supply.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82QhIOgJy1c
Thank you Sarah Laurel, Founder, Savage Sisters, a non-profit in Philadelphia helping those in recovery, for distributing this disturbing, well-researched video by Vice News, that everyone who cares about the overdose crisis should watch. The street drug supply has changed to fentanyl cut with synthetic benzo-based chemicals, common in British Columbia, and that of xylazine-based animal tranquilizers (tranq) in Philadelphia. Philly users are now suffering from open wounds, infections, losing fingers, toes and feet and overdosing more than ever. Narcan is ineffective in reviving those overdosing on tranq. Therefore, the ingredients of our street supply needs to be assessed on an ongoing basis and our first responders and volunteers need to retrained appropriately. Savage Sisters is working with the Philadelphia Health Department to implement such a program. OCAN is eager to help in Delco.