SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — Death rates from opioid overdoses continue to climb in Onondaga County. President & CEO of Helio Health, Jeremy Klemanski is hiring qualified clinicians to join his team.
“This epidemic that’s been going on for well over a decade now has done tremendous damage to our families, to our community,” Klemanski said. “It’s institutional damage.”
Drug overdoses are leaving families broken and grieving while synthetic drugs are some of the deadliest weapons, ripping through the streets.
“Families who have lost someone to an overdose have been changed forever,” Klemanski said. “Relationships that would’ve happened, aren’t and people aren’t there to have moments where someone is walking them down the aisle.”
Trauma also plays a significant role in opioid addiction.
The epidemic has led to an increase in training costs for medical professionals and a higher demand for housing.
Ross Sullivan is the Executive Medical Director at Helio Health, Inc. in Syracuse.
“People use different things,” Sullivan said. “But, we’re certainly seeing quite a few people who don’t use opioids, who use cocaine or methamphetamine, are testing positive for fentanyl,” Sullivan said.
Today, some of Sullivan’s patients are prescribed long-acting opioids, like biponorphinz or Suboxone, which help treat cravings and withdrawals.
“We want to get people on medications as soon as possible, to start decreasing the chances of overdose and death,” Sullivan said.
