Drug Free Communities Coalition Organizes in Kittanning
The conference room of the Belmont Complex in West Kittanning Borough was filled with community stakeholders worried about the ongoing drug problem in Armstrong County yesterday morning. The group got together for the first local Drug Free Communities Coalition meeting.
by Jonathan Weaver
About 75 community stakeholders, including from Armstrong and Apollo-Ridge School Districts, local and state police agencies and local dignitary offices, are committed to finding a solution to the drug crisis in Armstrong County.
Those officials and more - including community residents and pastors that have witnessed the effects of drug use - attended an inaugural meeting of the Armstrong-Indiana Drug Free Communities Coalition yesterday at the Belmont Complex in West Kittanning Borough.
During the two-hour meeting, officials heard from County District Attorney Scott Andreassi and Armstrong-Indiana-Clarion Drug and Alcohol Commission Executive Director Kami Anderson with their thoughts.
“This was a problem we hadn’t seen before - it was on our radar screen but it wasn’t there yet,” Andreassi said. “We now see people with multiple bricks of heroin, so now that one-or-two bag person was now a 30-40 bag person.”
County Coroner Brian Myers added his office responded to more than 40 drug overdoses in 2016 - and four already in 2017, including from the deadly opioid carfentanil - estimated to be 10,000 times more potent than morphine officials point out.
The next stakeholders meeting in Armstrong County is scheduled for 10AM-noon February 16 at the Belmont Complex in Kittanning.
“To see you all here tells us the community does care,” Andreassi said. “We are reaching out for answers on how to deal with this problem.
“It’s not an easy fix, and it never will be.”
Despite Indiana County investigators probing more than 50 total deaths - including drug overdoses - in 2016, “The Open Door” Executive Director Vince Mercuri has said the monthly Drug-Free Coalition meetings in Indiana have led to a better drug awareness in Indiana County.
“There’s no doubt that the Drug-Free Coalition of Armstrong/Indiana County has had an impact on saving lives in these two counties,” Mercuri said. “We have distributed Narcan (Naloxone) all through the counties, to Police and EMS. In addition, we have prevention programs through the Armstrong-Indiana-Clarion Drug and Alcohol Commission in all of the schools in both counties.
“It’s difficult to measure it, but there’s no doubt we’ve saved lives, impacted a lot of people to help them make easy and better decisions, and we believe that we’ve improved the quality of life in Armstrong, Indiana and Clarion.”
Drug Take-Back boxes are also found scattered through both counties.
A Drug-Free Coalition has met in Indiana County for nine years. The group, which usually has upwards of two dozen officials, meets the first Wednesday of each month at the West Pike EMS on Philadelphia Street.
Mercuri was impressed with the turnout yesterday morning at the Belmont Complex.
Armstrong residents who may not be able to attend the February 16 meeting at the Belmont Complex are welcome to attend the Indiana meeting.
Mercuri has worked in the field of addiction for 40 years, and is a certified trainer in the State of Pennsylvania.
Community stakeholders will be able to receive a free continental breakfast before each meeting.
Local News | jweaver January 20, 2017
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