Poster Project Presented at Rutgers’ 29th Annual Public Health Symposium

Shown above: Kathleen Scrivanich (top) and Cassandra Colaizzi (bottom)

Prevention and recovery support were the focus of The Center for Alcohol and Drug Resources’ poster presentation at the 29th Annual Public Health Symposium held at Rutgers University in early April. The Symposium theme this year, “From National Crisis to Community Solutions — Public Health’s Role in the Opioid Epidemic,” highlighted both local trends and national strategies to address the crisis in the New York and New Jersey area with both speakers and presenters.

The Center’s poster, presented by Cassandra Colaizzi, Bergen County Prevention Coalition Coordinator, and Kathleen Scrivanich, Law Enforcement Coordinator, was titled, “Supporting Bergen County: Integrating Prevention and Recovery Support Services.” The poster highlighted how members of The Center’s Prevention and Recovery Support Teams have supported the community.

Services featured included their 24/7 hotline, STOP THE OD’S, 201-589-2976, an opioid overdose recovery program and community-based pop-up tables. Data on The Center’s reach was also included. “Our poster shows collaboration between recovery support and prevention work being done in Bergen County,” says Cassandra. Through outreach efforts, harm reduction strategy and community education, the team has served the most populous county in New Jersey across the continuum of both addiction and prevention.

Cassandra and Kathleen were there to answer questions and raise awareness about The Center’s support services. “We were able to engage and network with staff from the Department of Health as well as health departments across the state, educators, Rutgers students and people who work in prevention,” says Cassandra.

The event kicked off National Public Health Week 2024 and was held at Rutgers University’s Livingston campus in Piscataway. It was sponsored by the Center for Public Health Workforce Development at Rutgers University School of Public Health and the Alpha Eta Chapter of the Delta Omega Honorary Society in Public Health.