Reforming the education and treatment sectors of Chautauqua County in the midst of a debilitating heroin epidemic may seem Herculean in scope.

But according to some community leaders, a matter of collaboration – and a little initiative – can not only save lives now, but make a big difference for tomorrow’s afflicted youth.

On Wednesday, the Jamestown branch of the American Association of University Women and the League of Women Voters presented a program entitled “Drug Abuse in Chautauqua County: Should We Be Part Of The Solution?” at Moon Brook Country Club in Jamestown.

The program featured a panel of community leaders, including Harry Snellings, Jamestown police chief, Christine Schuyler, director of the county Department of Health and Human Services, and Rick Huber, executive director of the Mental Health Association in Jamestown.

Dr. Lillian Ney, chair of the Strategic Planning and Partnership Commission’s Health Care Action Team, opened the program by suggesting the county’s system of care has not only been problematic when dealing with heroin, but antiquated.

“With this epidemic, people weren’t prepared and so many things had to be changed,” she said. “Our systems, some of which are slightly on the older side- including the laws and the criteria for admission to certain places- don’t fit in with what we’re seeing here today.”

A frequent area of consternation for addicts and families alike has been the lack of a readily available detox center, and the long, often painstaking process endured by those trying to access inpatient care.

Huber, in an effort to find solutions, said the MHA, in conjuction with The Resource Center, will start a 24-hour Social Recovery Support pilot program.

The program, he said, will involve TRC prescribing medications to addicts – on an outpatient basis – to help them through withdrawal. The addicts will then stay at the MHA, where they can receive 24-hour support and counseling from coaches who have endured the withdrawal process before.

“Will this replace a detox program that would be in a hospital? Absolutely not,” Huber said. “But is it a way to try and slow things down? Maybe. It’s a start.”

Huber said the pilot program will begin with just two people due to the current lack of space at the MHA. It is set to begin next month.

Another program being offered by the MHA involves jail diversion, and a possible solution to the rampant overcrowding of the County Jail, which has become a costly burden on the local economy.

Huber said individuals scheduled to attend treatment court often have to wait in jail for two months before receiving any sort of care.

The new diversion program, in contrast, would have these individuals attend the MHA program during these two months and get linked with various treatment providers around the community. The goal, according to Huber, is to get these individuals ready for treatment court and increase their chances of success.

Schuyler conversely focused on educational measures that could potentially prevent the onset of addiction, specifically a comprehensive health education curriculum known as the Michigan Model for Health.

According to Schuyler, this program provides students in grades K-12 with knowledge and skills needed to practice and maintain healthy behaviors and lifestyles in both school and life. Moreover, it provides lessons addressing issues commonly faced by students, such as the use of alcohol, tobacco and drugs; prevention of HIV/AIDS; nutrition and physical activity.

“Establishing healthy behaviors during childhood is easier and more effective than trying to change unhealthy behaviors during adulthood,” Schuyler said. “Schools play a critical role in promoting the health and safety of young people and helping them establish lifelong healthy behavior patterns.”

To that end, Schuyler said that federal, state and local funding has been secured through the DHHS and the county Department of Mental Hygiene to purchase Michigan Model kits for all children in K-12 in Chautauqua County.

“Schools will have to sign up with BOCES if they want to participate (in this curriculum),” she said. “They will have to pay for every one of these programs, but we want to change that and make it affordable and sustainable.”

Schuyler said there will be no cost to any school district in the county for the first year, and costs moving forward will be minimized since the materials have already been purchased. She added, however, that countywide participation in the program is necessary for state funds to continue.

Snellings discussed the ongoing efforts of the Jamestown Police Department in cracking down on heroin, and how significant resources have been diverted to address the problem.

Notably, in 2012 and 2013, 119 and 826 bags of heroin were seized, respectively. In 2014, more than 5,000 bags were seized.

Snellings said the county is plagued mostly by low- to mid-level dealers who take advantage of the high profit margin available in the area due to less competition. Property crimes and home invasions in the area are almost always drug-related too, he said.