Inside a small package is a tool that’s been saving lives in Broome County in a time when it’s needed the most. For Chris Scott, protecting the community from overdoses is a passion, but his life wasn’t always going down that route.
“For more years than I like to remember, I was in the criminal lifestyle. I sold drugs. I don’t really have a history of drug use, other than marijuana, but with that being said, I was a liability to my community for a number of years,” said Chris Scott, ACBC certified peer advocate.
Chris’ story is one of many that drew these individuals to the Addiction Center of Broome County. With overdoses on the rise, they’re educating the community about the reversal drug known as Narcan.
“The reality is is that everybody should be trained. Everybody should be trained. Everybody who can should have a Narcan kit because you never know where you’re going to be when you come across someone who’s overdosing,” said Scott.
For the Addiction Center of Broome County, it’s all about community outreach. It’s a job Amanda Lewis takes seriously.
Drug use is an issue that hits close to home with her. She’s been in recovery for nearly five years. Now, she works with police to find help for those going down a similar path as she once did.
“All of the departments in Broome County we have partnered with and do ride along services so we work with them to discover people that are major suffering from substances, and we go with an officer for initial engagement to offer services to those patients,” said Amanda Lewis, ACBC clinician.
This door-to-door outreach is perhaps the most important part of Lewis’ job and she knows she can connect with these individuals.
“I’ve been there. I’ve been homeless, I’ve had legality issues, I’ve overdoses multiple times so I can really relate to what they’re going through,” said Lewis.
Following her community outreach, Lewis is back in the office, finding solutions to a skyrocketing number of overdoses that are happening across Broome County.
“I think it’s a combination of everything, what is being put in the drugs, the fentanyl, also I think COVID has a large part of the return to use of a lot of patients and mental health is huge and the services here in Broome County is lacking in the mental health side,” said Lewis.
While there’s still a lot of work to still be done, Lewis knows when she walks through these doors, she’s making a difference and that makes it all worth it.
