As the heroin epidemic worsens in the Buffalo Niagara region, a panel of local experts, including a former addict, will talk about the severity and fight against this issue at a discussion scheduled from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 19 in Daemen College’s Schenck Hall Room 202.
The panel discussion, which is free and open to the public, is being co-sponsored by the Daemen Master of Social Work Program and the Social Work Alliance student organization.
“Western New York’s heroin epidemic is a widespread public health crisis that is devastating lives and has led to a dramatic increase in opioid deaths,” said Dr. Isiah Marshall, MSW program director and associate professor of social work. “Our panelists will provide a range of perspectives on the area’s growing heroin addiction and open up a conversation on the ways we can come together as a community to combat this problem.”
Panelists will include:
- Martha Colburn, assistant district attorney in Monroe County.
- Barbara Howard, clinical scientist at Women and Children’s Hospital of Buffalo.
- Jessica Hutchings, Face 2 Face program director at Kids Escaping Drugs.
- Avi Israel, president and founder of Save the Michaels of the World.
- J. Marfolgia, caseworker at Erie County Child Protective Services.
- Elliott Repka, peer support advisor and former heroin addict.
- Helen Young, primary therapist at Westfall Associates.