HAUPPAUGE, NY – On Monday, November 18, Suffolk County Legislator Sarah Anker joined Presiding Officer DuWayne Gregory, Legislator William Spencer, Northwell Health and Central Nassau Guidance & Counseling Services health care professionals at a press conference to announce at $350,000 grant awarded to CN Guidance from the Suffolk County Legislature to expand Project CONNECT, a program which assists overdose victims in hospital emergency rooms.
Project CONNECT, which was created by CN Guidance with a grant from the county, is activated when a patient, brought to the emergency room after a Narcan save is ready and willing to accept support. Northwell Health’s Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) develops a plan of action for treatment and provides necessary referrals and appointments for the patient in collaboration with SBIRT protocols. Then patients, are connected to coordinators at CN Guidance who will provide information and resources for the patient outside of the hospital. In addition, Project CONNECT staff continues to outreach with the patience once they leave the hospital and provides follow-up support for up to 120 days.
“Project CONNECT is a wonderful example of our efforts in filling the gaps of support in the fight against the opioid crisis,” said Legislator Anker. “Too often we hear of overdose victims relapsing after leaving the emergency room. Project CONNECT prevents that from happening. I wholeheartedly thank my colleagues in the Legislature and at Northwell Health and CN Guidance for understanding the importance of this key component in combating the opioid epidemic.”
CN Guidance & Counseling Services, a nonprofit organization, provides support for people living with mental health and substance use conditions through innovative and person-centered integrated clinical treatment, counseling, housing and support services—empowering those served to live healthy and fulfilling lives. For more information, please visit www.centralnassau.org.
Pictured L-R: CN Guidance & Counseling Services CEO Jeffrey Freidman, Suffolk County Legislator Sarah Anker, Suffolk County Legislature Presiding Officer DuWayne Gregory, CN Guidance & Counseling Services Integrated Counseling & Recovery Services Division Director Mary Silberstein, Suffolk County Legislator William Spencer, Northwell Health Director of Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral of Treatment (SBIRT) Dr. Sandeep Kapoor, Northwell Health SBIRT Project Manager and Patient Health Coach Linda DeMasi, CN Guidance & Counseling Services Project Director Keisha Graham-Wilson, and Suffolk County Heroin and Opiate Epidemic Advisory Panel member Veronica Finneran