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HCAT Proposes Another Public Health Forum

The Health Care Action Team is proposing to host another public health forum similar to the one they hosted entitled ”Striking Back at the White Plague.”

On Thursday, Dr. Lillian V. Ney, HCAT chairwoman, said it would be a good idea to host another public health forum, especially if it is another opportunity to invite Dr. Karen McElrath, professor of criminal justice at Fayetteville State University in North Carolina. In September 2014, HCAT hosted their first forum with guest speakers McElrath, Harry Snellings, Jamestown police chief and public services director, and Dr. David Withers, associate medical director of the Marworth Treatment Center in Waverly, Pa.

During the 2014 forum at Jamestown Community College’s Scharmann Theater, McElrath described how the surge in heroin was greatly fostered by a reliance on prescription medications, born out of an America she referred to as ”a nation of pain.” She said that long-term rehabilitation centers that housed patients for six months or more were necessary to treat such addiction. During the forum, Withers provided an in-depth look at heroin, its origins and effects, the scope of the drug and ways to enforce and treat it. That same evening, Snellings described to the audience how the police department uses the media to essentially ”out” dealers to the public, and how they use the community to get as many tips and as much information as possible. With the goal of attaining ”actionable intelligence,” Snellings said investigations are persistent, but must rely on a communitywide effort.

On Thursday, Linda Swanson, Ralph C. Sheldon Foundation executive director, said the new forum could be a chance to educate the public about the next health care issue for the community. She said with HCAT’s ”Striking Back at the White Plague” and the two public health forums the county sponsored in 2014 and 2015, the public has been educated about the community’s opioid epidemic.

”What is the next nuisance we need to talk about,” she said.

Andrew O’Brien, WCA Hospital chemical dependency director, said perhaps the discussion might be on suicide and depression. He said this is a subject he is rarely asked to speak about, but is a health care concern for the community.

”It really is a big time issue,” he said.

Ney asked HCAT to think about possible subjects and guest speakers for another public forum.

The HCAT, which is a subcommittee of the Jamestown Strategic Planning and Partnerships Commission, was formed to focus on the impact of health care on development in the community, as well as accessible, high-quality health care for residents. Partners on the team consist of City Council members; various foundations; UPMC Chautauqua WCA; Jamestown Area Medical Associates; The Resource Center; Jamestown Primary Care; Chautauqua County Health Network; The Chautauqua Center; Mental Health Association of Chautauqua County; Workforce Investment Board; SUNY Fredonia; Jamestown Community College Nursing Program; and Chautauqua County Health & Human Services and Mental Hygiene departments.

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