Pathways Autumn 2016 Secret File

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V O L U M E 20 I S S U E 3

PATHWAYS

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AUTUMN 2016

Published by Evergreen Health Services

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PRESIDENT & CEO / Ronald T. Silverio EDITOR/ART DIRECTOR / John Carocci EDITOR / Martha Sawicki COPY EDITOR / Theresa Woehrel CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Martha Sawicki, Christopher Reybrouck CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER John Carocci __________________________________________________

EDITORIAL & ADVERTISING / 716-847-0212 FACSIMILE / 716-847-0418 EMAIL / publications@evergreenhs.org ON THE WEB / www.evergreenhs.org _________________________________________________

Copyright 2016 by Pathways, all rights reserved. Published by Evergreen Health Services, 206 South Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo, New York 14201. Pathways circulation is 5,000. Pathways is received by request by donors and supporters. Distribution is by mailing list and placement. Views expressed herein are not necessarily the views of the publisher. Publication of any person or organization in articles, advertising or listings in Pathways is not to be construed as any indication of the sexual orientation or HIV status of such person or members of such organizations. Pathways cannot acknowledge or return unsolicited manuscripts unless they are accompanied by a selfaddressed stamped envelope. Pathways’ mailing list is never shared. Pathways urges readers to consult their medical practitioners about any therapies or treatment strategies in this publication. To be put on the Pathways Magazine mailing list, call 847-0212, or email ssciandra@evergreenhs.org. _________________________________________________

inside this issue From the President / 1 CAS Fights Health Disparities / 2 Meet Amanda Jackson-Jacobs / 3 The Opioid Epidemic and Evergreen / 4 Governor Cuomo Visits Evergreen / 5 DOFL: Our Compliments to the Chefs / 6 Block Club: Guided by Vision / 10 SCOUT Helps a New Generation Face HIV / 12 Evergreen Lofts Opens / 14

on the cover

Black Sheep's Steve and Ellen Gedra will Co-Chair Buffalo's Dining Out for Life 2016. Photo by John Carocci.

Mission and Change as Always Last year, over 13,000 individuals came through Evergreen’s doors to receive one or more of our services. These individuals come from all walks of life, socioeconomic levels, racial and cultural backgrounds, and a variety of gender and sexual orientations. What all of them received was a welcome and total acceptance of where they are on their earthly journeys. For over thirty years we have opened our doors and hearts to folks facing multiple challenges. It started with individuals and communities struggling to understand and cope with the AIDS epidemic. Our commitment to serve them and their families required us to develop multiple services including medical, housing, mental health, substance abuse, and various prevention strategies. We supported those living with HIV and AIDS, we provided a safe and nurturing environment for them to interact with caregivers, did our best to be present and resourceful in assisting them in their struggle, and we were often asked to celebrate their lives when they passed. Moving ahead several decades, we still provide those services and support to over 1,200 HIV+ individuals and their families. Happily, there are treatments available that provide healthier and longer lives than ever imagined 30 years ago. And now we are confronted with a vicious new epidemic — characterized by frequent overdoses and life-threatening episodes. The epidemic of substance abuse, like HIV and AIDS, cuts across all walks of life, socio-economic levels, racial and ethnic backgrounds, and various genders and sexual orientations. We serve well over 4,000 individuals who use unprescribed substances. With our once highly unorthodox, and now standard of care Syringe Exchange Program, we provide a safe and nurturing environment for substance users to remain healthy and open to use less but to always use safely. We provide counseling, medical care, mental health support, nutrition, and housing services. We engage our clients in a Harm Reduction process that encourages thoughtful and measured responses to maintaining a healthy and balanced life for substance users, always with an eye towards sobriety. Every epidemic is different, but responses to epidemics have much in common. We — our staff, volunteers, and Trustees — strive to provide a compassionate, professional, safe, and accepting environment for individuals, families and communities challenged by a variety of health and social challenges. Epidemics come and go — the mission of being present and supportive to those most affected by epidemics is what we do. Warmly, Ronald Silverio and Joy Feldman


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