Cunningham’s CornerFree Access

Incremental Progress


 

In the terrible scourge of heroin overdoses and deaths, small forward steps are hard to come by. Thus, all the more encouraging to see genuine progress. Notably, these two steps are not coming from the bureaucracy, either state or federal.

The first is that Arms Acres Outpatient Substance Abuse Clinic Services has begun an opiate treatment program that includes methadone. Arms Acres, an institution of long standing in Carmel, will bring the wherewithal and dedication needed to make this kind of program work. The clinic can be reached by calling 225-5202.

We need to be realistic what will work. We are not going to arrest our way out of this. If this kind of treatment program will save some of our sons and daughters, brothers and sisters – and I believe it will – it deserves wholehearted support.

The second is that Drug World Pharmacy, the small chain based in New City with pharmacies in Cold Spring, Amenia and Crotonon-Hudson, is offering Narcan training to anyone who walks in the door. That’s right: For the price of a copay, you can be trained on the use of the overdose antidote, and walk out with one dose of Narcan. CEO Heidi Snyder said the heroin crisis goes across all barriers: economic, racial, social. “Everybody knows somebody. I’ve been educating my pharmacists on the need, and we’re sitting right in the community. I’m also a mom, and a pharmacist and the owner of the pharmacy.”

She reiterated – just walk in. “That’s it. No judgment. To me, it’s like being part of the solution, even if you never have to use it.”

The pharmacy can be reached at 845-265-6352.

Two sides of the county. Two steps forward. We need these and a hundred besides. Incremental progress.

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The Putnam County 4-H Fair was this past weekend, wrapping up Sunday. Having grown up on a farm, I would have enjoyed seeing more livestock, and fewer speeches from politicians. Still, it was refreshing. We have an awful lot of young people who are doing great stuff, who are thoughtful and smart and, when they enter the workforce, are going to make contributions from Day 1.

Likewise, it was good to see so many people from the across the county and talk with them. But if we missed one another, know that I am open to talking to any civic group in Putnam about our work here at the Courier. I’ll even come to you.

Douglas Cunningham is editor and publisher. Reach him at editor@pcnr.com. Letters to the editor are welcome; please limit to 500 words or less and email by 9 am Monday. To reach us by phone, call 845-265- 2468.

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