Substance abusers or those who care for them in the Chemung County area soon will be able to open a phone app to seek treatment and resources.
Last week, the Chemung County Legislature unanimously approved to enter an agreement with the iMatter Foundation and the Chemung County Department of Mental Hygeine to address the local heroin and opioid epidemic.
“Nationally and locally, the heroin and opioid numbers are going in the wrong direction. Fatalities are rising,” said Brian Hart, director of community services for the Department of Mental Hygiene.
Hart said he acknowledges the work New York State and Chemung County has put forth to fight the rising numbers, but he thinks more can be done.
Currently, the Southern Tier Integration Team offers mobile assistance to those with immediate needs. Those facing a substance abuse crisis are taken directly to Trinity of Chemung for outpatient services, Hart said.
In April, Gov. Andrew Cuomo recently approved a $200 million budget to combat substance abuse. President Donald Trump recently declared the opioid and heroin epidemic a national emergency.
Chemung County Legislator Rodney J. Strange said there is a crisis occurring in our community that needs to be addressed. “Chemung County experienced 20 fatalities related to this epidemic in 2016, and has already exceeded that number in 2017,” Strange said. “We need to work to find a solution to this scourge that is killing our young people and having a devastating impact on our community,” Strange continued. “I will work to eradicate this awful problem that we face as a community, until we end the senseless deaths that occur from the use and abuse of these killer drugs,” Strange concluded.
“This is where the app comes in,” he added.
Hart said he plans to coordinate with local developers like Arounja Mobile, an app and website that link community members to local business and services, to focus on services for those facing substance abuse.
Smartphone or tablet users will be able to download the app for easy access to information about all substances and the dangers associated with them, Hart said. in relation to Arounja, there will be an added GPS feature that has the ability within the app to show users where local services are available.
The app will be free.
An expected amount of $81,082 from the Chemung County Department of Mental Hygeine budget will be used for the project, Hart said.
“This is such a big issue so we want it to be available to everyone,” Hart said.
The State Comptroller’s office released a report in 2016 stating 825 people died from opioid-related deaths in 2014, a jump of more than 23 percent than deaths in 2013.
“Compared to national averages, New Yorkers are significantly more likely to be admitted to treatment for heroin use or prescription opioid abuse. Factors in these trends may include New York’s higher-than-average rate of health insurance coverage…,” the report said.
Hart said the app will be available to download between 6 months and a year from now.
“We need to educate the masses,” he added.
Part of the budget will go toward developing a campaign with TV advertisements and a push in social media posts about addiction information and links to services.