CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. (WKBW) — The commissioner of the state Office of Addiction Services and Supports visited Cheektowaga on Thursday to hear from Western New York’s recovery community.
Dr. Chinazo Cunningham discussed the dramatic decrease in overdose deaths over the last four years, but heard significant concerns from the crowd about how the state’s $111 million opioid settlement with drug makers is being spent, especially from small boots-on-the-ground outreach organizations.
Stacy Schwab of Midnight Marauding Mamas pushed back on the framing around the overdose death statistics.
“Do you realize that there are still people overdosing? That 43% decrease is because of the boots on the ground work being done,” Schwab said…