CEO Update: March 7, 2025

Meeting with Elected Officials

​This week, I had the opportunity to meet with Senator Borrello and Assemblyman Sempolinski alongside Carrie Whitwood from Ardent Solutions and Ann Battaglia from Healthy Community Alliance. We discussed the importance of increasing funding for our programs and ensuring continued support for the vital services we provide.

We are grateful that both the Senator and Assemblyman each sent letters to the Governor, urging an increase in funding. Their advocacy is a positive step in recognizing the critical role our organization plays in supporting EMS and healthcare services in our region, including efforts tied to the 1115 waiver to expand access to care, harm reduction initiatives to address substance use challenges, and our Safe Kids programs to promote injury prevention and child wellness.

We sincerely appreciate Senator Borrello, Assemblyman Sempolinski, and their staff for their ongoing commitment and support in advocating for the resources needed to strengthen our programs and enhance the services we provide to our communities.

Supporting Opioid Services 

Jordan and I met with Dawn Colburn, the Opioid Director for the Seneca Nation, and Cheryll Moore, a consultant assisting with their strategic plan to enhance opioid services. Their plan outlines 25 to 30 initiatives designed to close service gaps and provide better support for individuals affected by opioid use in Cattaraugus County.

During our discussion, we shared that while we do not currently have funding to support the harm reduction position as we have had in the past, we are committed to assisting their efforts in any way possible. We remain hopeful that Local Government Unit (LGU) funding for the harm reduction position will be approved soon, enabling us to continue our vital work in reducing opioid-related deaths in our community. 

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