Program to combat drug addiction introduced [ http://clearprogram.org/ ]
Photo by Tracy Klimek/New Jersey Herald - Sussex County Prosecutor Francis Koch speaks to a crowd outside Newton Police Department on Friday March 11, 2016, announcing the official start of the CLEAR Program (Community Law Enforcement Addiction Recovery).
Posted: Mar. 13, 2016 12:01 am
NEWTON -- The county's new collaborative effort in fighting back against the opiate epidemic was officially introduced to the public Friday afternoon.
The C.L.E.A.R., or Community Law Enforcement Addiction Recovery, program is a coalition of like-minded agencies in Sussex County that are committed to improving prevention, education, outreach and enforcement in the fight to save lives afflicted by drug addiction.
At a press conference in front of the municipal building, Newton Police Chief Michael Richards said the C.L.E.A.R. program was "posed to be a vehicle to make a difference."
"There's no easy solution to complicated problems," Richards said. "But the Sussex County C.L.E.A.R. program has a very proactive and collaborative approach that I believe can be more effective because we're working together. This approach is hopeful."
Working with the Newton Police Department in introducing the new program were the Center for Prevention and Counseling, the Sussex County Prosecutor's Office, Newton Medical Center, the Sussex County Police Chiefs Association and the Sussex County Department of Human Services, along with support from local and state government officials.
In reading the program's mission statement, Richards said, "The mission of the Sussex County C.L.E.A.R. program is to form a collaborative network of professionals in our community who will facilitate medical intervention, improved access to treatment and recovery support for those struggling with drug addiction who seek assistance, without fear of arrest or prosecution, in order to make a positive difference in the quality of life for individuals, families and our entire community."
Sussex County Prosecutor Francis Koch said his hope was that people addicted to drugs could take advantage of the program and seek help prior to becoming caught up in the criminal justice system.
"This program is a rebirth in our county for people seeking recovery," Koch said. "The program is an exciting start for Sussex County in its fight against addiction."
Koch said the county has "been long affected by the disease of addiction."
"We also have to learn to accept the fact that addiction can affect anyone," he said. "It knows no economic, education, geographic, racial or age discrimination. There is none. Who is the face of addiction? The face of addiction is anyone."
Koch detailed the county's use of Narcan -- the life-saving antidote that counteracts a drug overdose -- and said he believed Sussex County was the only county in the whole state where "every single police department volunteers" to participate in administering it.
Since 2014, Koch said, there have been more than 60 deployments -- 17 this year alone -- of Narcan in the county. Yet, even with Narcan, Koch said there have been over 45 overdose deaths since 2014-- four in 2016 already -- in Sussex County.
Rachel Wallace, director of clinical services at the Center for Prevention and Counseling, said the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has labeled the prescription drug and heroin problem in the United States an epidemic, which "is a word they do not use lightly."
"We need to do more to assist those who need to access treatment," Wallace said, "and that is one of the goals of the Sussex County C.L.E.A.R. initiative."
In New Jersey, 47 percent of those seeking treatment are doing so for addiction to prescription medication or heroin, Wallace said. In Sussex County, that number jumps to over 60 percent of people who identify opiates as their primary drug of choice, she said.
"We might be smaller and more rural than other areas, but we're effected equally by the devastation of this epidemic," Wallace said. "Opioid addiction permeates every town in this county. It's imperative that we continue to educate the public about addiction and substance-abuse disorders."
Wallace said research shows that additional support, such as social, emotional, spiritual and recreational opportunities, demonstrate that sustained recovery is possible.
"We believe in the individual's ability to recover, absolutely," Wallace said. "It simply starts with someone asking for help, and the Sussex County C.L.E.A.R. initiative is here to offer that help. We stand before you with that hope that the Sussex County C.L.E.A.R. initiative will have an exponential impact on our community. Increasing access to treatment without consequences is key to engaging those addicted in the treatment they so desperately need and deserve. Every life is worth saving."
Wallace said support and volunteers are needed to make the program viable.
"This community problem needs a community solution," Wallace said, "and we believe C.L.E.A.R. is the answer we've all been looking for."
Becky Carlson, executive director of the Center for Prevention and Counseling, announced the launch of the program's new website where volunteers can fill out an application to become a certified recovery coach or people can donate money to help the initiative.
Richards told the gathered crowd that Newton Medical Center had donated $7,500 to help launch the C.L.E.A.R. initiative.
Joseph DiPaolo, president of Newton Medical Center, said the hospital was very excited to participate in the new program.
"This (program) is an example of how collaboration have been able to piece together something that will be truly innovative," DiPaolo said.
Carlson introduced a young woman named Katie Calvacca who had recently been hired by the Center for Prevention and Counseling to be a part-time employee and full-time advocate for the recovery coach academy.
Calvacca told the crowd that she had 71/2 years of long-term recovery, meaning she had abstained from alcohol or drugs completely during that time.
She told the story of how recovery has offered her a chance to have a full, rewarding life.
"I've been able to just become me," Calvacca said of her recovery. "I'm living proof that change is possible. As members of society, we need to be able to foster that change in our community, and that is exactly what the C.L.E.A.R. program is all about."
Richards concluded the announcement by simply saying, "We're going to need your help."
For more information about the program, to learn how to become a recovery coach or to donate, visit clearprogram.org.
David Danzis can also be contacted on Twitter: @ddanzisNJH, or by phone: 973-383-1274.
http://www.njherald.com/article/20160313/ARTICLE/303139959
