Senator Klein, along with Pelham PACT and OASAS, host Opioid Presentation and Awareness Session

Attendees received free naloxone training and kits

Pelham, NY - Senator Jeff Klein joined members of the Pelham PACT Coalition and the Office of Alcohol and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) to host an Opioid Presentation and Awareness Session at the Pelham Town House on Tuesday. Community members were given free naloxone kits, as well as instructions on how to properly administer the life-saving drug that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose.

“Opioid abuse has impacted communities all across my district, including Pelham. It’s important to spread awareness on this serious health issue with informational sessions like these. I’m proud to again partner with OASAS and the Pelham PACT Coalition to provide my constituents with the tools necessary to fight this deadly disease,” said Senator Jeff Klein.  

“We know we need to be informed in order to best support our families, and in particular our youth, in fighting this epidemic. Pelham PACT is incredibly grateful to Senator Klein and OASAS for bringing this information directly to our community, and to the Pelham first-responders and school officials who came out to support our local efforts to get up-to-date information into the hands of our parents and youth,” said Pelham PACT Coalition Executive Director, Laura Caruso.

“Trainings like this teach people how to recognize the signs of an opioid overdose and how to use naloxone to save lives,” OASAS Commissioner Arlene González-Sánchez said. “Thanks to Governor Cuomo’s efforts to expand naloxone training throughout New York State, we are able to reach more people than ever before with this critical medication."

Tuesday’s event came on the heels of a recent heroin overdose in Pelham where naloxone was used by the Pelham Fire Department to save the woman’s life. Westchester county experienced 142 fatal opioid overdoses between 2015-2016. However, the number of deaths decreased from 83 to 59 during that time period. On the other hand, opioid-related outpatient emergency department visits jumped from 130 to 178 from 2015-2016, indicative of more people seeking help.

The Pelham opioid informational session was the third such class that Senator Klein has hosted across his district since July.