Mass. to Host Provider-to-Provider Networking Event to Help Fight Opioid Epidemic

Oct. 09--During a brief conversation, as we walked out of a Women's History event, state Rep. Carole Fiola mentioned to me and Laura Washington, director of prevention services for SSTAR, that we should put together an event to address the opioid epidemic.

Fiola's no stranger to these types of events -- she's already held a couple in the city -- and anyone who knows her knows that once she sets her mind to doing something, she gets right down to it.

Within a couple of weeks, Fiola gathered us for a meeting, along with Fall River's substance abuse prevention coordinator Michael Aguiar, Southcoast Hospital's Rachel Davis, Saint Anne's Hospital's Stephanie Perry, Capt. Joe Cabral of the Fall River Police Department, Chief Robert Lynch of the Fall River Fire Department, and Beth Faunce of EMS, to determine what type of event this should be.

What became clear right away is that many of the groups and individuals who are combatting this epidemic don't know each other. Worse, many in the community don't know about the important work they are doing.

So on Wednesday, Oct. 12, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the UMass Dartmouth Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, we will host a Provider to Provider networking event. The event is designed to bring every organization together, whether official and fully funded, or exclusively volunteer-based, to ensure that each entity is fully aware of the resources available by the others and how to access these services on behalf of an individual or family in need.

Massachusetts Commissioner of Public Health Monica Bharel will address the group, providing an update on the newest regulations and data on this opioid epidemic as well as answer questions from the providers.

Following the forum, the Herald News has committed to publishing a daily profile of each organization that participates so the community can learn more about these services. The profiles will live on our website at heraldnews.com, so families or individuals in need will be able to seek out services in one location at their convenience.

"We cannot and do not deny the impact of this disease here in Fall River," said Fiola, who serves on the legislature's Joint Committee of Mental Health and Substance Abuse. "There are many groups working hard on this issue but don't all know what the others are providing, so we came together to organize this forum. I am pleased that the Provider to Provider Gathering will be bringing together some of the most resourceful members of this community who are deeply committed to educating others and fighting this epidemic."

According to statistics provided by the Fall River Police Department, the city of Fall River had 643 overdoses in 2015. Through September 2016, there have been a total of 688 overdoses -- with three months remaining in the year.

The numbers are staggering, and it's easy to feel overwhelmed by this epidemic. What we hope to stress with the daily profiles is that there are many people working day in and day out to help, addressing every imaginable angle of drug addiction, overdose and prevention.

The organizations that have committed to attending include:

• AdCare of North Dartmouth
• Bristol County District Attorney's Office
• Bristol Elder Services
• Community Counseling of Bristol County
• City of Fall River: Mayor's Office and Veteran's Services
• Corrigan State Hospital
• Department of Children and Families
• Department of Mental Health
• Department of Public Health Department
• Fall River Drug Court
• Fall River EMS Services
• Fall River Fights Addiction
• Fall River Fire Department
• Fall River Police Department
• Fall River Public Schools
• Family Service Association
• Gone Too Soon
• Gosnold
• Habit OPCO
• High Point Treatment Center
• Learn to Cope
• NAMI
• Northeast Addiction Treatment Center
• People Inc.
• Positive Action Against Chemical Addiction
• Recover Fall River
• River to Recovery
• Seven Hills Behavioral Health
• South Bay Community Services
• Southcoast Behavioral Health, SSTAR (BOLD Coalition)
• Southcoast Health
• South Bay Community Services
• St. Anne's Hospital
• Steppingstone, Inc.
• Treatment Development Corporation

Sponsors of the event include Southcoast Health, Saint Anne's Hospital, and state Rep. Carole Fiola.

Copyright 2016 - The Herald News, Fall River, Mass.