32 LONGISLANDPRESS.COM • MAY 2020
DUELING PANDEMICS REHABS STEP UP THE
BY EDEN LAIKIN
The impact of the coronavirus pandemic
has not been lost on Long Island’s
addiction and recovery community,
which has banded together to support
each other during social isolation, job
loss, and less access to treatment and
support.
At the direction of the New York
State Office of Addiction Services and
Supports (NYS OASAS) several hospital
based treatment programs turned
their detox and rehabilitation beds into
beds for COVID-19 patients. To protect
health and safety, most outpatient counseling
providers are no longer holding
face-to-face counseling sessions and
self-help groups were forced to temporarily
close their doors.
“For people in the grips of active addictions,
usage escalated,” says Anthony
Rizzuto, LMSW, CASAC and director
of provider relations at Seafield Center.
“We were seeing more overdoses, more
people trying to get into treatment,
and the availability of treatment beds
lessened. In the world of recovery, a lot
of people find comfort and solace with
fellowship and meetings. Those had
been taken away as well.”
The remaining residential treatment
programs, such as Seafield Center, located
in Westhampton Beach, continued
to accommodate patients with social
distancing protocol. Its substance abuse
counselors continued to risk their own
safety and that of their families to provide
these crucial services. Others at
Seafield’s outpatient centers continued
to counsel patients via telehealth.
“If you don’t have a place to send people
who are struggling with substance use
disorder, if they remain active, you will
have overdoses, car accidents, and hospital
and emergency room admissions
to add to an already overburdened
hospital system,” Rizzuto says.
Recovery-centered groups did their
part when support group meetings
were closed. Several members of the
self-help groups Narcotics Anonymous
and Alcoholics Anonymous set up
Hospital-based drug rehab beds were being used to treat coronavirus patients. (Getty Images)
online meetings and “speaker jams” to
let people know that help and support
were a few clicks away. NA also set up
zoom meetings in several of the inpatient
treatment Facilities and added a
Spanish language help line.
“It was very important to me to help
get the online meetings set up because
I know how we as a community need
each other,” says Jillian R., a person in
long-term recovery. “I, with the help of
others, wanted to make sure everyone
had somewhere to go when they needed
to get things off their chest.”
The Garrett L Kassler Memorial Fund,
started by Lee and Lisa Kassler of Plainview
in memory of their 26-year-old son
who died from a fentanyl overdose in
2017, is offering financial help through
donations collected, to assist those
struggling with substance use disorder
find access to inpatient, outpatient,
medication-assisted treatment, or sober
living.
“The incredible amount of stress and
additional anxiety that they are facing
makes it even more important for them
and their families to know there is additional
help available for them,” the
couple says.
Bikers Against Heroin, a volunteer
organization of bikers and non-riders
alike, donated $1,000 for items such as
food and toiletries for five Long Island
sober homes whose residents were out
of work due to the COVID-19 shutdown.
“During this pandemic we realized
that many in recovery who already
face financial difficulties would feel
the pressure even further,” says Lisa
OPIOID
CRISIS
Goodfield, the group’s president.
Jamie Bogenshutz, licensed clinical
social worker and executive director
of YES Community Counseling Center
in Massapequa and Levittown, said the
outpatient counseling center’s efforts
went fully remote.
“We were able to connect with those
people who were connected to our
agency, and even continue to admit new
people who may have been looking for
help and support during the uncertain
time,” she says.“Technology made it possible
for us to conduct our groups in an
effort to ease the tremendous sense of
lonelinessand isolation.”
Speaking for her colleagues in the
industry, Bogenshutz added:“We
are a strong, dedicated, and very
committed field with staff who will
do whatever it takes to stay alongside
those in need.”
Editor’s note: Eden Laikin is a full-time
counselor at Seafield Center, and is on
the board of the Garrett L Kassler Memorial
Fund.
PRESS HEALTH
“We are a strong, dedicated, and very committed
field with staff who will do whatever it takes to stay
alongside those in need,” says Jamie Bogenshutz.
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