CEO Catholic Charities of Orange, Sullivan and Ulster

To the editor:

As the CEO of Catholic Charities of Orange, Sullivan & Ulster, a leading provider of substance use disorder prevention and treatment services in Sullivan County, I want to applaud Melissa Stickle, Sullivan County Director of Community Services, on her recent letter addressing the use of medication to manage Opioid Use Disorder (OUD). Catholic Charities is proud to partner with Sullivan County to fight the epidemic of OUD and break the stigma of medication-assisted treatment. Since assuming management of the recovery program in 2015, Catholic Charities has provided lifesaving treatment and recovery support to 3,462 individuals at our Monticello campus.

Every day, Catholic Charities sees firsthand the toll OUD takes on people, the families who love them, and our community at large. The physical, mental, emotional, and financial effects are devastating. I want to echo Director Stickle’s message that lifesaving medications are available to treat OUD. It’s critical that we increase awareness of their availability and decrease stigma around their use.

Addiction, which includes Opioid Use Disorder, is a disease of the brain. There are medications to treat this disease which should be made readily available in the same way that medications are prescribed for people with diabetes, cancer, or other chronic illnesses. Medications for Opioid Use Disorder save lives by lowering the risk of relapse and death. They help people stay in treatment, enter remission, and achieve long-term recovery.

Catholic Charities offers a continuum of recovery assistance for those suffering with OUD and the disease of addiction. Services include medically supervised detox services, stabilization, residential rehabilitation, reintegration, day rehab, and an outpatient clinic. Medication for OUD is available at all levels of care under the supervision of physicians and nurse practitioners and is coupled with individual, group, and family counseling to increase engagement and support positive recovery outcomes.

As Director Stickle said, addiction is not the result of moral weakness or flawed character. That’s why it’s incumbent upon us to break the stigma to ensure those in need have access to lifesaving medication to manage their disease and maintain recovery. Catholic Charities can help. To learn more, contact our HELPline at 845.794.8080 «HELP (4357), come see us at 396 Broadway, Monticello, or visit www.cccsos.org. Help is available. Recovery is possible.