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P.A.A.R.I. Leaders Travel to Washington D.C. for White House Event on the Nationwide Opioid Crisis

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P.A.A.R.I.
John Rosenthal, Co-founder & Chairman
186 Main Street
Gloucester, MA 01930

For Immediate Release

Thursday, Oct. 26, 2017

Media Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

P.A.A.R.I. Leaders Travel to Washington D.C. for White House Event on the Nationwide Opioid Crisis

GLOUCESTER — John Rosenthal, Co-founder and Chairman of the Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative (P.A.A.R.I.) is pleased to announce that P.A.A.R.I. leaders will attend a White House event Thursday afternoon on the nationwide opioid crisis. Chief Frederick Ryan (Arlington, Massachusetts Police Department), Chief Matthew Vanyo (Olmsted Township, Ohio Police Department) and Allie Hunter McDade, P.A.A.R.I. Executive Director will join the President and First Lady, cabinet members, members of congress, heads of government agencies, and leaders from around the county to represent for what may be a historic moment in the administration’s response to the nationwide opioid epidemic.

“The opioid epidemic is the most urgent public health and public safety issue we face today, as a country and as law enforcement, killing more than 175 Americans every single day,” Hunter McDade said. “Together, we have put 10,000 4mg doses of life-saving nasal naloxone into the hands of first responders and helped over 12,000 people into treatment. These programs make our communities safer, prevent overdose deaths, build community trust of their police, and save law enforcement and taxpayer funds.”

In August P.A.A.R.I.’s law enforcement members urged the federal government to declare a Public Health Emergency. Declaring a public health emergency is not only a symbolic recognition of the severity and urgency of this crisis, but also will mobilize the highest levels of the government to take immediate and effective action to deploy the resources required to save lives.

“We are hopeful that a declaration of a public health emergency also includes plans for the federal government to stock and deploy massive quantities of 4mg nasal naloxone and make effective treatments for opioid addiction, such as medication-assisted treatment, more available and affordable,” Hunter McDade said.

Recognizing that traditional criminal justice approaches to addiction have not been effective and that the nation cannot arrest its way out of the opioid epidemic, P.A.A.R.I. is leading a nationwide movement led by law enforcement that recognizes addiction is a chronic disease that needs long-term treatment, not arrest and jail. So far, 321 police departments from across the county have joined P.A.A.R.I. and created pre-arrest programs that create immediate and stigma-free entry points to treatment and recovery programs.

Chief Ryan, Chief Vanyo, and Hunter McDade are steadfast in their dedication to supporting people with substance use disorders and amplifying the unified voice of law enforcement in a nonpartisan effort to save lives in light of the mounting opioid epidemic.

P.A.A.R.I.’s law enforcement partners are on the front lines of the opioid epidemic, doing everything they can to grapple with this mounting crisis.  The organization is honored that P.A.A.R.I. representatives were invited to have a seat at the table to share our experiences and educate the administration and lawmakers about the success of P.A.A.R.I.’s approach to saving lives.

“We look forward to attending this afternoon’s event and learning more about how the President will honor his pledge to fight this epidemic and give people struggling with addiction access to the help they need,” Hunter McDade said

About P.A.A.R.I.:

The Police Assisted Addiction & Recovery Initiative (P.A.A.R.I.) is a 501c3 nonprofit with a mission to help law enforcement agencies establish pre-arrest programs that create immediate and stigma-free entry points to treatment and recovery programs. P.A.A.R.I. works across sectors to provide training, coaching, and support; program models, policies and procedures, and templates; seed grants; connections to over 300 vetted treatment centers; a network of like-minded law enforcement agencies; a unified voice with media and legislators; and capacity building through AmeriCorps. P.A.A.R.I. is free to join and open to any law enforcement agency that believes in treatment over arrest and views addiction as a disease not a crime. Since June 2015, P.A.A.R.I. has launched more than 320 law enforcement programs in 31 states, distributed 10,000 4mg doses of life-saving nasal naloxone, and helped over 12,000 people into treatment.

 

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Arlington Police Chief Fred Ryan Speaks at Opioid Forum in Washington, D.C.

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Arlington Police Department
Frederick Ryan, Chief of Police
112 Mystic St.
Arlington, MA 02474

For Immediate Release

Wednesday, July 26, 2017

Media Contact: Captain Richard Flynn, PIO
Office: 781-316-3907
Cell: 781-844-1224
Email: [email protected]

Media Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

Arlington Police Chief Fred Ryan Speaks at Opioid Forum in Washington, D.C.

ARLINGTON — The Arlington Police Department is pleased to announce that Chief Frederick Ryan spoke before 70 members of Congress and their staff during an opioid forum in Washington, D.C. last week.

Boston University and the Congressional Prescription Drug Abuse Caucus co-hosted the event, which was held on Thursday, July 20 at the Rayburn House Office Building.

Chief Ryan traveled to Washington, D.C. with Dr. Jean Morrison, Provost and Chief Academic Officer at Boston University, Boston University Professor David Rosenbloom and Kimberly Johnson, Director of the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, who also gave presentations at the forum.

Speakers focused on progressive responses to the opioid crisis, highlighting the need for Medicaid and that any cuts to treatment and prevention as it relates to substance abuse disorders could be devastating to communities fighting to save lives.

Chief Ryan spoke specifically about the Arlington Outreach Initiative and how the police assisted recovery program has evolved since it began in 2015. He shared the program’s successes and discussed areas where more work needs to be done.

In addition to his presentation, Chief Ryan also met with several members of Congress, including Congressman Joe Kennedy III, Congresswoman Katherine Clark and Congressman Hal Rogers to speak about the importance of maintaining vital treatment options to continue the fight to end the opioid epidemic.

“I was honored to share Arlington’s experiences with a police assisted recovery initiative, and I hope that other communities will learn from us and feel encouraged to start their own programs,” Chief Ryan said. “I would like to thank Boston University for inviting me to be a part of this event and look forward to working with Congressional Districts across the U.S. that have already expressed interest in creating similar programs.”

 

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Hull High School Concert Band Earns High Marks in Washington D.C.

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Hull Public Schools
Kathleen I. Tyrell, Superintendent
180 Harborview Road
Hull, MA 02045

For Immediate Release

Friday, May 12, 2017

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

Hull High School Concert Band Earns High Marks in Washington D.C.

HULL — Principal Michael Devine is pleased to announce that the Hull High School Concert Band earned a gold medal at the WorldStrides OnStage Music Festival in Washington D.C.

After a year of planning and practice for the festival, the band’s 38 members, Director Ian Barkon and other HHS teachers arrived in Washington D.C. on April 28 to be judged and rated against a set of national standards for music performance.

“This was a goal of mine since I was hired to be the high school band director in 2012,” Barkon said. “I had many great experiences with music including traveling with my high school band and bonding with my friends. I knew that the timing was right to pursue a music festival with this group of students as we have been ‘training’ for the past five years.”

The performance in the nation’s capital marks another milestone for the Hull band program since its revitalization in 2011. Thanks to efforts from the parents, administrators, guidance counselors and music teachers in Hull, the music department has grown to give the 40 students in the band the opportunity to perform and be rated based on a set of national musical performance standards.

After their performance, the HHS band was honored at a banquet for all of the participating bands from across the country, earning a gold distinction.

“I am so proud of all of the students,” Barkon said. “This event not only strengthens our music program in Hull, but it also shows the students that all of their hard work in the classroom has a purpose.”

Beyond the stage, the band explored the historic sights in Washington D.C., including the Washington, Lincoln, and Jefferson Memorials, the World War II and Korean War Memorials, the MLK and Theodore Roosevelt Memorials, Arlington Cemetery and the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum.

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P.A.A.R.I. Attends Signing of 21st Century Cures Act at White House

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P.A.A.R.I.
John Rosenthal, Co-founder & Chairman
One Bridge St., Suite #300
Newton, MA 02458

For Immediate Release

Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2016

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

P.A.A.R.I. Attends Signing of 21st Century Cures Act at White House

WASHINGTON and GLOUCESTER — Allie Hunter McDade, Executive Director of the Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative (P.A.A.R.I.), is pleased to announce that P.A.A.R.I. Co-founder and Chairman John Rosenthal attended the signing of the 21st Century Cures Act in Washington, D.C. today after being invited by President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden.

The bill, which Congress passed last week, will allocate more than $6 billion to address public health challenges like cancer research, mental health treatment and the country’s opioid epidemic.

Specifically, it will fund $1 billion worth of initiatives over two years, including $500 million in fiscal year 2017, to combat the prescription opioid and heroin epidemic. The resources included in the bill will allow states to expand access to treatment to assist individuals looking to recover from the disease of addiction.

The legislation also includes substance use disorder parity provisions that build on the work of the President’s Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Parity Task Force, mental health reforms, such as a renewed emphasis on evidence-based strategies for treating serious mental illness, improved coordination between primary care and behavioral health services and re-authorization of programs focused on suicide prevention.

On July 6, Rosenthal, along with 50 P.A.A.R.I. partner Police Chiefs from across the United States were invited to the White House to meet with President Obama’s Chief of Staff Denis McDonough, Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett and Michael Botticelli, Director of National Drug Control Policy, to discuss law enforcement’s role in increasing access to treatment, as well as to advocate with Congress for the need to support President Obama’s call for $1 billion to fund treatment.

Following the meeting, Rosenthal and the chiefs held a press conference on the White House lawn calling on Congress to approve President Obama’s funding request for $1 billion to increase treatment and recovery services for Americans suffering from opioid addiction.

“It’s been an honor to work closely with President Obama and his senior staff, who recognize the unique and game-changing involvement of law enforcement in the fight against opioid addiction. I am extremely grateful to have been invited to the White House bill signing today, and am proud to have represented P.A.A.R.I., along with our more than 200 police department partners who helped enact this historic legislation that will provide critical funding to expand access to treatment and address our nation’s opioid epidemic,” Rosenthal said. “We’re extremely pleased that Congress and President Obama have committed over $1 billion to fund addiction recovery initiatives and services. It is a great step forward in assisting those struggling with the disease of addiction to get the help they need for long-term recovery.”

About the Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative (P.A.A.R.I.):
P.A.A.R.I. police departments share a common mission: encourage opioid drug users to seek recovery, help distribute life saving opioid blocking drugs to prevent and treat overdoses, connect those struggling with the disease of addiction with treatment programs and facilities and provide resources to other police departments and communities that want to do more to fight the opioid epidemic.

P.A.A.R.I. is an independent nonprofit organization that supports law enforcement agencies in setting up, communicating and running their own addiction and recovery programs. The police departments, sheriffs offices, and prosecutors who have partnered with P.A.A.R.I. interact directly with members of the public and those seeking treatment, recovery, and resources. Learn more at paariusa.org.

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