St. Bonaventure University's Wellness Center is hosting an ASIST Training FREE of charge for 28 individuals on September 5th and 6th.  We are offering this training to school staff and to community service professionals who work in Cattaraugus County.  If you are interested in attending this wonderful training, please contact Christopher Anderson, LMHC at St. Bonaventure University at 375-2310 or email at canderso@sbu.edu. 

Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) is a two-day interactive workshop in suicide first aid. ASIST teaches participants to recognize when someone may have thoughts of suicide and work with them to create a plan that will support their immediate safety. Although ASIST is widely used by healthcare providers, participants don't need any formal training to attend the workshop—anyone 16 or older can learn and use the ASIST model. 

Since its development in 1983, ASIST has received regular updates to reflect improvements in knowledge and practice, and over 1,000,000 people have taken the workshop. Studies show that the ASIST method helps reduce suicidal feelings in those at risk and is a cost-effective way to help address the problem of suicide. 

Learning goals and objectives 
Over the course of their two-day workshop, ASIST participants learn to:

• Understand the ways that personal and societal attitudes affect views on suicide and interventions
• Provide guidance and suicide first aid to a person at risk in ways that meet their individual safety needs
• Identify the key elements of an effective suicide safety plan and the actions required to implement it
• Appreciate the value of improving and integrating suicide prevention resources in the community at large
• Recognize other important aspects of suicide prevention including life-promotion and self-care

Workshop features:

• Presentations and guidance from two LivingWorks registered trainers
• A scientifically proven intervention model
• Powerful audiovisual learning aids
• Group discussions
• Skills practice and development
• A balance of challenge and safety

As always, if you have any other questions, please feel free to reach out to me as well. 

Thank you, 
Amy (Lafler) Mann, MSEd, LMHC
Clinic Director
Suicide Prevention Coalition Coordinator 
Cattaraugus County Community Services 
1 Leo Moss Drive 
Olean, NY  14760 
Phone: 716-701-3323 
Fax:  716-701-3729

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today took additional action to mitigate shortages of EpiPen (epinephrine) auto-injector by extending the expiration date of specific lots of 0.3 milligram products marketed by Mylan by four months beyond the labeled expiration date. This change beyond the approved 20-month shelf life is based on stability data provided by Mylan and reviewed by the FDA. To help ensure patient safety, these products, which already have been dispensed to patients, should have been — and should continue to be — stored as labeled.

Click here for the press release.

Click here for the extended use date list. 

Please share this information with public safety personnel within your jurisdiction.

• Yale New Haven Hospital confirmed as many as 71 overdoses since Tuesday of this week were caused by synthetic marijuana.  Further media coverage of this issue can be found at: https://www.nhregister.com/news/article/Synthetic-marijuana-laced-with-fentanyl-confirmed-13159368.php

• The New York State Intelligence Center (NYSIC) provided the following information to law enforcement:

There has been a significant increase in the presence of potent synthetic cannabinoids (K2 Spice or cannabis substitutes) that has contributed to multiple overdose incidents in New York and surrounding states. 
NYSIC Note:

• In May 2018 approximately 56 subjects over several days overdosed in Brooklyn, NY found to be linked to a lethal batch of K2, and more than 70 people overdosed in New Haven, CT within a 24 hr. span on Tuesday August 14, 2018 on some form of K2, or synthetic marijuana.
• Laboratories in NYC, NJ, CT and PA have identified a potent synthetic cannabinoid linked to these incidents known as 5F-ADB that has dangerous adverse effects in humans. 
• In July 2018 NJ and PA experienced both fatal and non-fatal overdoses where a mixture of 5F-ADB, Fentanyl and heroin were identified in contents that led to those overdoses.

First responders are increasingly likely to encounter such substances as the presence in NY and surrounding states continues to rise. 

• New Jersey Regional Operations Intelligence Center shared the information below and attached bulletin regarding this issue:

Transmittal sent on 16 August 2018 at 1647
(U//FOUO) Multiple recent overdose events have involved 5F-ADB, a potent synthetic cannabinoid known for its dangerous adverse effects in humans. New Jersey has observed a significant increase in the presence of 5F-ADB in its drug environment. For more information, see the attached Intelligence Dissemination Report (IDR).
Distribution: DMI Working Group
Contributing Agencies: New Jersey State Police; New Jersey Office of Forensic Sciences (OFS), Drug Enforcement Agency Hartford, CT
ROIC#: ROIC201808-11120D
(U//FOUO) For Official Use Only (U//FOUO)

Dan Albert
Office of Counter Terrorism
NYS Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Services
1220 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12226
(518) 242-5078  | (518) 337-1971  | Daniel.Albert@dhses.ny.gov
www.dhses.ny.gov/oct/safeguardNY


Click here for the Increased Presence of Potent Synthetic Cannabinoid
Intelligence Dissemination Report

 Please see below for a course announcement from our partners at Lake Plains Community Care Network Program Agency:
Click here to register
Click here to download a copy of the flyer

The forms and instructions regarding reimbursement for 2018 Vital Signs has been added to our website. For information and to access the form, please click here. If you have any questions regarding this process, please feel free to reach out to me.
 
2018 Vital Signs Conference Reimbursement Instructions

1. Reimbursement must be funding of last choice.
2. Only conference registration fee and hotel fee is reimbursable.
3. Maximum amount per individual is $400 and will be dependent on the number of people who apply for reimbursement from each county.
4. Original receipts must be submitted with reimbursement voucher.
5. Receipts must be made out to the individual seeking reimbursement, not an agency.
6. A PPA and current year skills sheet must be on file with STEMS.
7. Agencies will not receive reimbursement of any kind.
8. Forms must be submitted to SWREMS c/o STHCS by Thursday, November 8, 2018. STHCS will compile and submit to each county council for approval. The county council must return reimbursement forms to SWREMS c/o STHCS by Wednesday, December 5, 2018.

The Vital Signs 2018 Conference will be held October 11-14, 2018 in Syracuse, NY. Click here for the brochure or to http://www.vitalsignsconference.com/ for more information and to register. ​