Tag Archives: opioid epidemic

Matt Adams Foundation for Opioid Recovery Receives $79,000 Cigna Foundation Grant

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. /ScoopCloud/ -- Matt Adams Foundation (MAF), a non-profit bringing innovative change in the field of harm reduction and recovery initiatives in Northwest Arkansas (NWA) is pleased to announce they are the recipients of a $79,000 grant endowed by The Cigna Foundation. The funding will expand Peer Recovery Support and harm reduction services in Arkansas; a state where in the past three years drug deaths have increased by 17%* and during a time when those who struggle with substance use are at a higher risk due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

In partnership with Ozark Guidance, the initiative funded through this grant will increase access to Peer Recovery Support Specialists (PRSS) in NWA for nights, weekends and moments of crisis. PRSS assists persons at high risk of substance use and/or mental health crisis with the navigation of multiple systems such as treatment, housing, transportation, supportive employment, supplemental benefits, and the building and rebuilding of natural supports.

"Peer recovery support is vital for those who are seeking recovery, in recovery and need support after recovery," said Katherine van den Bogert, program manager at the National Safety Council. "Drug overdose is the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S., but recovery is possible. We are excited that the Matt Adams Foundation has the financial support it needs to ensure people with substance use disorders receive the support they deserve so they can live their fullest lives."

The grant comes at a time when aid for those struggling with substance use is that much more vital, with many being higher risk during the COVID-19 outbreak of not only experiencing complications from the virus, but also of relapsing without their crucial support networks. While it is too early for conclusive data, experts across the field warn that the crisis could reverse recent strides made to combat the opioid epidemic.

On March 24, 2020, Dr. Nora Valkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), wrote: "As people across the U.S. and the rest of the world contend with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the research community should be alert to the possibility that it could hit some populations with substance use disorders (SUDs) particularly hard."

"Cigna is committed to fighting the opioid crisis in our communities, which is why we are so proud to support the important work the Matt Adams Foundation is doing," said Greg Allen, MidSouth market president, Cigna. "The Foundation shares our mission to help Arkansans who are struggling with opioid addiction, and this grant will enable even more people to start their journey to recovery."

Additionally, this project will establish regular naloxone trainings in the community and increase access to MAF's harm reduction program. Since its inception in March of 2019, Matt Adams Foundation for Opioid Recovery has trained and distributed Naloxone opioid overdose reversal kits for over 2,200 community members, including outfitting more than 20 police and fire departments across the region. Over 47 lives have been saved through the program, with many additional unreported positive outcomes. In receiving their largest grant to date, MAF seeks to double these numbers in the coming year.

"This grant is going to be life changing for so many struggling with addiction in NWA. When I was trying to get help and become clean it was hard to find the right resources. There was no one to help me and my family navigate the first days and weeks of this frightening time," states Melissa Cole who is in recovery and now a Marketing and Harm Reduction Specialist at the Matt Adams Foundation. "It would have been instrumental in my recovery to speak to someone who could provide critical direction and give me hope for the future." Cole believes continued care during recovery, especially in the beginning, is essential and this generous grant from Cigna Foundation is going to help provide that to residents in need in NWA.

This partnership with MAF and Ozark Guidance will extend community resources with proven efficacy in our communities.

Libby Bier, Director of Substance Abuse and Recovery Services at Ozark Guidance / Arisa Health says, "We are excited about the opportunities this Cigna grant and MAF partnership offer. Having additional Peer Support Specialists on our team will allow us to reach more people with substance use disorders in our communities. Certified Peer Support Specialists receive formal training and combine that with their personal lived experience."

Adds Bier, "They can offer help and hope in a unique way that marries nicely with our counseling and medication services."

About Matt Adams Foundation

Matt Adams Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit working to combat the opioid epidemic in Northwest Arkansas and beyond. With a focus on prevention through education, life-saving harm reduction programs and improving access to, and effectiveness of, treatment for those seeking recovery, MAF has been recognized for innovative approaches and bringing positive change to the community. The Matt Adams Foundation was awarded the 2019 Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce's Non-Profit of the Year.

Learn more at: https://mattadamsfoundation.org/

*Note 1: https://www.americashealthrankings.org/learn/reports/2019-annual-report/state-summaries-arkansas

Media Contact:
Heather Starbuck, Co-Founder
Matt Adams Foundation
Phone: 978-855-4669
Email: heather@mattadamsfoundation.org

Matt Adams Foundation (MAF), a non-profit bringing innovative change in the field of harm reduction and recovery initiatives in Northwest Arkansas (NWA) is pleased to announce they are the recipients of a $79,000 grant endowed by The Cigna Foundation.

Related link: https://mattadamsfoundation.org/

Spodak Dental Group Gifts New Smile to Recovering Mother in Need

DELRAY BEACH, Fla. /ScoopCloud/ -- When Dr. Craig Spodak was approached by Liz Quirantes of WPEC CBS 12 regarding a mother who needed help with her smile, there was no hesitation. Before long, Ashley Roberts not only had the smile she's always dreamed of, but she was also given another chance at turning her life around.

"I can't explain it. I feel ... it's a dream come true," said Roberts, who reached out to Quirantes for help. Roberts was homeless and addicted to opioids for 10 years, often sleeping in Kelsey Park in Lake Park, Fla., when she reached out to Quirantes for help. After making a few calls, Quirantes was able to get her into a treatment program where she could start to rebuild her life.

Now sober for a year, she realized that her addiction not only cost her her job and her family, but also her smile. So, she reached out to Quirantes again and asked for help with her smile and her ill-fitting dentures. This is when Dr. Craig Spodak of Spodak Dental Group was brought in to help.

After a few appointments with the surgical team, Roberts was given a full mouth restoration with permanent upper and lower dental implants. The entire treatment, totaling $56,000, was donated to Roberts.

"I literally cannot wait to give her that mirror," Dr. Spodak said just before the final reveal. "It's the most transformational thing. I can tell you it's for her, but I know better after 21 years of doing this, this is really for me. The getting is in the giving in this case."

Since 1976, the Spodak Dental Group, a 2017 Inc. 5000 honoree, has evolved to become South Florida's premier, comprehensive dental facility, and comprises a world-class association of dental professionals poised to provide full-service dental care second-to-none in both scope and skill. The Spodak Dental Group team includes General and Restorative Dentists, Endodontists, Periodontists, Board Certified Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, Master Ceramic Artists and Anesthesiologists, as well as one of the nation's only in-office dental labs.

Spodak Dental Group is located at 3911 W. Atlantic Ave. in Delray Beach, Fla. Please visit https://www.spodakdental.com or call/text (561) 303-2413 for more information or to make an appointment.

VIDEO (YouTube): https://youtu.be/ygZI8sFAvsQ

When Dr. Craig Spodak was approached by Liz Quirantes of WPEC CBS 12 regarding a mother who needed help with her smile, there was no hesitation. Before long, Ashley Roberts not only had the smile she's always dreamed of, but she was also given another chance at turning her life around.

Related link: https://www.spodakdental.com/

Trump’s wrong attack on Opioid Epidemic

CORTE MADERA, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Dr. Don Harte, chiropractic activist, says Trump's new panel, headed by Chris Christie, to deal with the opioid epidemic, is "philosophically and scientifically dead wrong."

Dr. Harte declares, "The reason for this epidemic is clear. Orthopedists and other doctors freely prescribe Oxycontin, Fentanyl, Soma and other opioid drugs, get their patients addicted, then cut them off. These patients end up seeking heroin on the street. It all begins in the doctor's office. It ends in pain, life disruption and, often, death."

"It begins with sciatica, arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, or some sports injury," Dr. Harte says. "Modern orthopedic medicine can do nothing to fix these things. This opioid epidemic is emblematic of the failure of Medicine."

Dr. Harte continues, "While they can't get you better, orthopedists can and do make conditions, and pain, worse, in two ways. Cortisone shots damage already-damaged (by anti-inflammatories) joint surfaces. Spinal surgery has such a bad record that they have a name for their failures... 'Failed back surgery syndrome.' And when joint replacements aren't right, it's disastrous!" He charges, "This is irresponsible science; it is irresponsible doctoring."

"There is no hope," says Dr. Harte, "in pain management. It fixes nothing, while causing constipation and sleep problems, lung and heart damage, as well as addiction. To empower the government to provide more and better rehab for opioid addicts, created by medical care, is not the answer! Such a safety net will likely lead to a bigger epidemic."

Dr. Harte's answer to this crisis? "The only answer to the current life-destroying opioid epidemic is to point the finger at orthopedic medicine, and lead the way to safe and effective chiropractic care, on a widespread basis. It is high time that people reject what does not work, and seek what does." He concludes, "Chiropractic works. It corrects cause, with zero risk for addiction."

Dr. Don Harte, former medical student, is a traditional chiropractor, serving Marin and the Greater Bay Area since 1981. He is an activist in the struggle for free speech for chiropractors. Dr. Harte was named 2006 "Chiropractor of the Year" by the World Chiropractic Alliance (WCA). He has served on the Boards of the WCA and the Council on Chiropractic Practice. His articles have been published in OMNI magazine, San Francisco Chronicle, Chiropractic Journal and Journal of the California Chiropractic Association.

The Harte of Chiropractic, Prof. Corp. - http://www.chirodrharte.com/

Media Contact:
Dr. Harte
The Harte of Chiropractic,
415-847-9678

Dr. Don Harte, chiropractic activist, says Trump's new panel, headed by Chris Christie, to deal with the opioid epidemic, is "philosophically and scientifically dead wrong." Dr. Harte declares, "The reason for this epidemic is clear. Orthopedists and other doctors freely prescribe Oxycontin, Fentanyl, Soma and other opioid drugs, get their patients addicted."