The Town of Islip held its fourth annual Islip Goes Purple event on the 20th anniversary of International Overdose Awareness Day, Monday, Aug. 31.The Greater Sayville Chamber of Commerce held …
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The Town of Islip held its fourth annual Islip Goes Purple event on the 20th anniversary of International Overdose Awareness Day, Monday, Aug. 31.
The Greater Sayville Chamber of Commerce held multiple awareness sessions in front of the Chamber House in downtown Sayville, where they supplied the community with local resources available for those struggling with addiction.
The Great South Bay Association, a key, integral organization in the fight against opioid usage and overdoses, held its annual tree-lighting ceremony at the Bayport-Blue Point Library in remembrance to those who have succumbed to addiction.
Wendy Bennett, the assistant director of the Bayport-Blue Point library, said, “Libraries have evolved to become true community centers, so it is important to be equipped to provide excellent service to all patrons. Providing information and resources on the prevalent topics of opioid addiction and mental health is a necessary and important extension of library service.”
Some of the services/resources offered by the Bayport-Blue Point Library include:
Providing meeting space multiple times per year for Narcan training, offered by The Great South Bay Coalition
Many library staff members have attended Narcan training offered through the Suffolk Cooperative Library System, and has Narcan kits available for staff to use in case of an emergency
Offering a wide range of books, e-books, and audiobooks on opioid addiction and mental health concerns
Employing social work interns who can work one-on-one with library patrons and connect those in need with mental health resources
Sayville Library also prides itself in being committed to helping the community with addiction and treatment resources.
“The Sayville Library recognizes the impact of addiction and mental health issues on our community. It was important for us to join with other community organizations in order to share and expand our resources. I like to think of the librarians here as navigators, who can help guide patrons to solid referrals and connect with the right resources in a kind and compassionate way,” said Sayville Library director, Jennifer Fowler.
Jonathan Pryer, head of outreach services, said, “The library collaborates with local community organizations and attends their meetings. As we listened to members of our local community organizations, and of course, our friends and neighbors who visit the library, we noticed a growing need for all sorts of social and mental health resources.”
The Sayville Library is one of only eight libraries in Suffolk County partnered with the SUNY Stony Brook Healthy Libraries program. From that partnership, the library now offers social worker interns from September through May in the library building.
The interns have a regular schedule of office hours each week to meet with anyone who comes in looking for help.
“We are especially mindful that some people may be experiencing life-impacts that stem from an addiction. For the last two years, and resuming this fall, the library offers a SMART Recovery Group, held online via Zoom. People can join our SMART Recovery group from the privacy of their own home,” said Pryer.
The SMART Recovery Group is facilitated by social worker interns and is based on a cognitive behavioral therapy model that takes into account the struggles people will encounter on their recovery journey.
SMART Recovery is a group that can accept and help people experiencing any type of addiction: drugs, alcohol, shopping, and gambling, among others.
The Sayville Library is also laden with posters displaying crisis and recovery hotlines, even in restrooms, to make sure crisis hotlines are available in places that people can discreetly take down the information, or snap a picture of them with their phones.
“The Community Outreach Department is making the library into a touchpoint for our health care system. On a regular basis, we have had crisis counselors from New York Project Hope in our lobby at an information table, ready to speak with community members that are experiencing struggles with mental wellness as a result of the pandemic,” said Pryer.
On Sept. 13, 27, Oct. 25 and Nov. 8, the SUNY Stony Brook Healthy Libraries team will be in the Sayville Library’s lobby with a registered nurse supervisor, nursing interns, public health interns, and social worker interns to screen for blood pressure and answer any health-related question people may have.
“This is another venue where people experiencing an addiction or mental wellness issue can ask for more information. The Stony Brook team is happy to make referrals,” said Pryer.
“Our hope in creating this rotation of touchpoints to health care organizations is that when people are experiencing an addiction or any other health issue, they can find an opportunity to connect with the health care system and professionals in a very relaxed, non-threatening environment, without negative stigma. All of the agencies and organizations we have had can offer referrals to treatment options for people experiencing addictions or mental wellness issues, if the person brings the subject up to the health care worker,” said Pryer.
September is Recovery Awareness Month, and in support of that, Islip Town has turned purple, the color of recovery. Signage, ribbons, and flags adorn streets, trees, and lampposts throughout the town. The Islip Town Hall cupola will be lit purple during the month of September, and resourceful television programming will air weekly on Channel 18 and Verizon Channel 1982.
“Recovery is possible,” said Islip supervisor Angie Carpenter. “Islip Goes Purple is about supporting those who are struggling with addiction or who have lost a loved one from an overdose,” she added.
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