County's Substance Abuse Prevention Group to Host Forum

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The recently formed Berkshire Opioid Abuse and Prevention Collaborative is hosting a community forum on prescription drugs and heroin abuse on Oct. 30 from 8:45 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the Ralph Froio Senior Center, 330 North St., 2nd floor. 
 
The community is invited to attend to learn how the proliferation of pain-killer prescription drugs has affected the community, what the collaborative is doing to prevent and reduce access and what treatment options are available. The forum is also designed to obtain feedback from the community. Members of the public are invited to share their own knowledge about pathways to use, access issues, youth and parent attitudes about use of prescription drugs and heroin. 
            
Guest speakers include Ron Hayden, chairman of the emergency room at Berkshire Medical Center; Jennifer Michaels, medical director of the Brien Center for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services; a member of the Berkshire County Drug Task Force; a parent of a young person in recovery; and a person in recovery. 
 
The abuse of prescription drugs and heroin is an alarming problem in Berkshire County.  The Brien Center reports that prescription pills are the third most common substances abused by adolescents — behind marijuana and alcohol. 
 
During the period from 2000 to 2013, there were 169 confirmed fatal overdoses in Berkshire County attributed to opioids, methadone and heroin. Data shows that the vast majority of people who abuse pain killers get them from the home medicine cabinet, or from friends and relatives. Doses of prescription pain killers prescribed have increased every year since 1996.
 
For more information on the forum, contact Karen Cole at 413-442-6948 or kcole@berkshireunitedway.org.
 

Tags: information session,   opioids,   prescription drugs,   

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Companion Corner: Dolly at Berkshire Humane Society

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — There is an affectionate kitty at Berkshire Humane Society looking for a new home.

Dolly is a 1-year-old domestic shorthair with white and tabby markings who has been at the shelter for a short amount of time.

Feline/small animal adoption counselor Alyssa Petell introduced us to her.

"Her name was actually inspired off of Dolly Parton because she came in on the day that Dolly Parton passed away," she said. 

The shelter doesn't have a lot of information on Dolly as she was a stray, but knows she is very sweet.

"She was originally found as a stray. So we don't have much background information as to exactly what happened and why she ended up becoming a stray," Petell said. "Unfortunately, a lot of times kitties will become abandoned and become strays or get left behind."

Dolly needs a home with no other cats and will prefer somewhere quiet because she can get a little shy and nervous at times.

"She doesn't like other cats. I think a quiet home, older people would be best for her, just because of her shy personality in the beginning," Petell said. "But she eventually will warm up, and she is a lovely lady."

Dolly loves to be pet and might even play with some feather toys. Like any other cat, she will let you know when she has had enough pets but will be back for more shortly after.

"She loves butt scratches. She's super affectionate. She actually does have a little bit of a playful side when she gets used to you, and she just wants to snuggle with you and be loved on all day long," said Petell.

Dolly is healthy and will join your family up to date with all of her vaccines.

"She doesn't have any health issues. She is spayed, and when you adopt a kitty from our shelter, the adoption fee does include everything medically wise. So their spay or neuter, their vaccines, their health certificate from the vet, everything is included. So she will have all of that done before she goes," she said.

One of her ears is clipped to show she has been spayed as she was a part of the Community Cat Program, but since she was so friendly, the Humane Society decided to adopt her out.

"She was originally caught as a stray from our community cat program. They normally work with trap, neuter, return for feral, semi-feral cats, or friendly strays, and when she was caught, they realized that she was very friendly, and she was then brought into our shelter so we could adopt her out," Petell said.

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