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PARTNERS | HEALTHY CITY | HOW HEALTHY | VISION | SUMMIT | PRIORITIES | FUNCTIONS | CITY OF FALL RIVER |
One of the
biggest
health challenges that the City of Fall River faces is the high rate
of substance abuse, including the use of opioids such as
heroin and
Oxycontin,
the very potent and highly addictive prescription pain-killer.
Suboxone, a relatively new
medication for the treatment of opioid dependence, can be prescribed to
addicts in a doctor's office without the rigorous procedures required
for the dispensing of
methadone. As such, it is a powerful tool in assisting heroin
addicts to stop using and can be the first step toward a drug-free life.
The medication is currently prescribed by small number of Fall River
physicians and the Habit OPCO,
SSTAR and
HealthFirst clinics. The
B.O.L.D. (Building Our Lives
Drug-free) Coalition arranged for a presentation to Fall River community
leaders at an educational forum held at the Venus deMilo Restaurant in
nearby Swansea on September 7, 2007. Dr. Christopher Lukonis, medical
director of the Habit OPCO (formerly Habit Management) clinic on Front
Street in Fall River, gave a brief presentation and then engaged the
audience in a question and answer session. Clinical Educator
Kristen Araujo
of Reckitt Benckiser,
the medication's manufacturer, was also available to answer questions.
For further information about Suboxone, contact Ms. Araujo at
1-800-444-7599, Ext. 8125 or at 401-316-1551. For information about
B.O.L.D., contact Program Director Karen Fischer at
Stanley Street Treatment & Resources
at 508-324-3537. |
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(Top row, left) Clinical Educator Kristen Araujo, M.Ed., QMHP, of Reckitt Benckiser welcomes the audience to the presentation and discussion emphasizing the opportunity to ask questions of the speaker. (Top row, center) Dr. Lukonis presents an overview of heroin addiction and the use of Suboxone in treatment as Susan Wolfson and Karen Fischer of B.O.L.D., Fall River School Superintendent Nicholas Fischer, and Dr. Jay Schachne, founder of the Katie Brown Educational Foundation, listen. (Top row, right) Ms. Breton talks with B.O.L.D. Coalition vice-chair and local pharmacist Tom Pasternak, R.Ph., who helped to plan the event. (Middle row, left) Lt. Jim Keighley of the Fall River Police Department vice unit, who has attended similar presentations given to the Fall River police, and Dr. Schachne, listen to the presentation. (Middle row, right) Dr. Lukonis takes questions from the audience. (Bottom row, left and right) City Councilor and Sandy Beach Neighborhood Association Chairperson Pat Casey asks a question during the presentation and speaks with Dr. Lukonis individually. (Bottom row, center) James Bartley of the Lower Highland Historic Downtown Neighborhood Association,left, poses a question about the potential for violence of heroin users as Sue Phenix, right listens. |
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