Tag Archive for: Staten Island

Buprenorphine Training Equips Staten Island Healthcare Professionals to Offer Medication-Assisted Treatment

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There are many different paths on the road to recovery from opioid use disorder. Each individual must find the path that works for them, and sometimes that path involves medication-assisted treatment such as buprenorphine, also known as Bupe or its brand names Suboxone and Subutex.

Studies have shown that buprenorphine is highly effective in treating opioid use disorder. According to the results of a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) survey, physicians and patients reported an average of an 80% reduction in illicit opioid use, along with increases in employment and other determinants of health.

However, in order to be treated with buprenorphine, individuals seeking recovery must first find a provider who is certified (or waivered) to offer the treatment. With Staten Island being an epicenter of the opioid crisis, the Staten Island Partnership for Community Wellness (SIPCW) and the Staten Island Performing Provider System (SI PPS) have been working diligently to ensure that this evidence-based treatment is available to all individuals in a primary care setting. Our vision is to have buprenorphine treatment integrated in healthcare providers’ offices across the Island, where opioid use disorder can be managed alongside a patient’s other health issues. To achieve this, SIPCW’s Nadeen Makhlouf, PharmD., MPH has been providing clinical coaching and support to existing buprenorphine providers in order to expand their services and to certify a new wave of providers to meet the need of the community. Through SI PPS’s Behavioral Health Infrastructure Project (BHIP), SIPCW coordinated a buprenorphine training at Richmond University Medical Center (RUMC) this past Friday, provided by New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC DOHMH).

While previous training sessions only reached a handful of Staten Island-based healthcare professionals, Friday’s training included 34 clinicians from various backgrounds and departments, willing and enthusiastic at the prospect of helping Staten Islanders achieve recovery. Due to the response to this event, SIPCW and NYC DOHMH are exploring additional training opportunities for local providers, including an event at Staten Island University Hospital – Northwell Health.

Makhlouf, SIPCW’s Senior Coordinator for Clinical Outreach and Education, arranged the event. “We’re so grateful to every single person in the room that took more than six hours out of their busy schedules for this vital training,” said Makhlouf. “This response has taught us that Staten Island healthcare providers and hospital systems understand the gravity of this crisis and the steps needed to help certain individuals find recovery. Thank you to all who supported this event, especially President and CEO of Richmond University Medical Center, Dr. Daniel J. Messina; the Staten Island Borough President James Oddo‘s Health and Wellness Director, Dr. Ginny Mantello; the Executive Director of the Staten Island Performing Provider System, Joseph Conte, PhD, CPHQ; and Assistant Commissioner for the Bureau of Alcohol and Drug Use Prevention, Care and Treatment at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Dr. Hillary Kunins.”

To find a buprenorphine treatment practitioner, visit SAMHSA’s practitioner locator.

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Seven Staten Island Stores Recognized as “Great Neighborhood Stores”

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We asked, and Staten Island answered.

 

 

Staten Island Neighborhood Food Initiative and The Staten Island Partnership for Community Wellness (SIPCW) asked Staten Islanders for the names of stores or restaurants with fresh produce, local ownership, healthy and tasty food, ethnic diversity and authenticity, and owners and managers who love their neighborhoods. More than 90 stores were recognized by community members as a “Great Neighborhood Store” and seven were selected as winners.

 

 

Tonight St. John’s University, Staten Island Campus, is holding the Difference Makers Certificate Ceremony to acknowledge Tottenville and Susan Wagner High School students who have worked on this important project and others for local non-profits. The event will be held in the gymnasium from 6 to 8:30 p.m. The seven winning stores will also be recognized.

SINFI decal is on display at Great Neighborhood Store winner Big Time Produce, 1361 Forest Avenue.

The winning establishments are:

Great Neighborhood Store winner Pastosa Ravioli, 1076 Richmond Road, shows off its nomination decal.

  • Big Time Produce, 1361 Forest Ave.
  • Everything Goes Book Café, 208 Bay St.
  • Jimmy Max, 280 Watchogue Rd.
  • Leo’s Deli, 1153 Forest Ave.
  • Pastosa Ravioli, 1076 Richmond Rd.
  • Seaside Turkish Restaurant, 124 Ocean Ave.
  • ShopRite, 985 Richmond Ave.

The Staten Island Neighborhood Food Initiative is a coalition of City Harvest, Staten Island Partnership for Community Wellness, and other businesses, organizations, and individuals committed to making Staten Islanders healthier one neighborhood at a time by increasing access to and demand for healthy fruits and vegetables.

 

For more information about the Staten Island Neighborhood Food Initiative contact Susan Fowler at (917) 734-3746 or at sfowler@cityharvest.org.

Staten Island: Rethink Your Drinks

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Put down the mocha latte and step away from the sugary energy drink.

On Tuesday, June 27, the Staten Island Child Wellness Initiative unveiled its new campaign to bring awareness to disparities in sugary drink marketing. More than a dozen community members gathered at the Pride Center of Staten Island to view a gallery about the dangers of sugary drinks and targeted marketing efforts by companies to black and Hispanic communities.

Here are some of the incredible stats shared through the gallery:

  • From 2008 to 2010, children’s and teens’ exposure to full-calorie soda ads on TV doubled (Fact from the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at the University of Connecticut)
  • People of color are more likely to have limited access to healthy beverages, more inclined to consume sugary beverages, and more affected by preventable chronic diseases (Fact from Leadership for Healthy Communities, a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation)
  • Sugary drinks and energy drinks often featured positive nutrition messages, including ‘all-natural’ or ‘real’ ingredient claims on 64% of packages  (Fact from the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at the University of Connecticut)
  • Overall, Black youth saw more than twice as many TV ads for sugary drinks and energy drinks compared with white youth (Fact from the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at the University of Connecticut)
  • Food and beverage companies disproportionately target marketing efforts promoting sugary drinks toward people of color (Fact from Leadership for Healthy Communities, a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation)
  • Hispanic children saw 49% more ads for sugary drinks and energy drinks in 2010 than in 2008; in the same period of time, Hispanic teens saw 99% more ads for sugary drinks and energy drinks (Fact from the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at the University of Connecticut)

Following the gallery walk through, visitors were welcomed into the conference room at the Pride Center of Staten Island, where

Dr. Ginny Mantello, Director of Health and Wellness at the Office of the Borough President, spoke about the consequences of sugary drink consumption. Members of the community chimed in with suggestions on how to better reach Staten Islanders. All attendees then walked to the Staten Island Ferry Terminal – St. George – to view the advertisement, which will run for the next five weeks.

To finish off a wonderful day dedicated to wellness on Staten Island, the group visited The Living Room, managed by Greensulate.

To learn more about the Staten Island Child Wellness Initiative, visit our website.