Stories From Suffolk to Share Opioid Addiction Solutions
Suffolk County and the Rockefeller Institute of Government will be holding a forum on the opioid addiction crisis, “Stories from Suffolk,” on Wednesday, Feb. 6 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Kimisis Tis Theotokou Church in Southampton.
The program is being billed as “a policy conversation among leading experts in the field on substance use and opioids to assess the next steps that should be taken to combat this epidemic.”
“County governments are the laboratories for developing smart public policy to combat the opioid crisis in New York,” said Suffolk County Executive Bellone. “This forum will bring together leading experts in the field to share their experiences and discuss next steps in addressing this epidemic.”
Medical providers, academic scholars, community advocates, faith leaders, state officials, local law enforcement and criminal justice advocates will be in attendance for the program, which consists of two separate panels on prevention methods and treatment and recovery options. The event is modeled off the “Stories from Sullivan” series in Sullivan County, NY, another large suburban county upstate.,
The keynote address will be delivered by Suffolk County District Attorney Timothy D. Sini.
“This forum will cover a broad range of topics, both about what has been accomplished so far and what the challenges are ahead,” said Mr. Sini. “We will be discussing everything from prevention and treatment opportunities to new technology and law enforcement strategies being employed to combat the opioid epidemic.”
“In more than a year of studying New York’s opioid epidemic, our researchers have found that to move the dial and tackle this crisis, policymakers must listen to the people on its front-lines,” said Dr. Jim Malatras, President of the Rockefeller Institute of Government. I commend County Executive Bellone for convening this forum to push the conversation forward on Long Island and identify evidence-driven solutions to this growing crisis.”
Breakfast and registration will begin at 9 a.m. For more information, contact the Rockefeller Institute at 518.445.4150.
