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In 2013, New York State created the Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) to track which prescriptions were given to patients and put a stop to duplicate prescriptions. The program aimed to make narcotics harder to come by.

But that isn't quite what happened, said Keith Brown, executive director of Catholic Charities' Care Coordination Services.

By taking away the prescription drug market with PMP, he said, drug users were driven to obtaining opiates on the street: "It drove people to heroin."

Heroin has been making inroads in the Capital Region in the last few years, rising in availability in both urban and rural areas.

"We can't turn a blind eye to this anymore," said Maureen Billa, pastoral associate for evangelization and catechesis at St. Mary's parish in Clinton Heights. On Feb. 22, 7 p.m., St. Mary's will host a presentation and discussion about addiction, including addiction to heroin.

"One of our goals is to bring awareness to the kids," Mrs. Billa said. "We want [parents] to reach out to the kids before [they try heroin]; we want to start the conversation before it's too late."

Frightening stats
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heroin use in the United States increased by 63 percent between 2002 and 2013. Heroin use is epidemic; according to Mr. Brown, the drug now kills more people each day than motor vehicle accidents.

St. Mary's parish decided to address the issue after Catherine Lanci, parish nurse and coordinator for pastoral care, attended a similar presentation last November at Our Lady of the Assumption parish in Latham, "Riding the Down Spiral: A Response to the Impact of the Heroin Epidemic on our Community."

That event, sponsored by the diocesan Consultation Center in Albany, featured a panel discussion by a parent of a heroin addict, a professor of social work, a priest and a journalist. They talked about how the drug affects not only the user, but also the people in his or her circle.

Build awareness
More than 250 people attended the discussion. "It brought tremendous awareness," said Rev. Geoffrey Burke, pastor at Our Lady of the Assumption.

Afterward, Ms. Lanci decided that she wanted to help educate her own parish and the greater community.

"It's not just a problem with the youth," the 65-year old said. The National Institute on Drug Abuse points to an increase in heroin addiction for all age ranges, starting as young as 12.

"Whatever we can do to live good and holy lives and protect [people from] the dangers of drug addiction, we should be doing," Father Burke told The Evangelist.

He noted that the Church has a role in this epidemic, since it deals with the dignity and sanctity of human life: "If there's a danger out there, we are meant to be responding to it."

Mr. Brown explained that, although cases of fatal heroin overdose have increased dramatically, statistics regarding them are not always accurate. Often, in the coroner's report, overdose is not listed as the cause of death.

Catholic Charities
In an attempt to combat overdoses, Catholic Charities of the Albany Diocese for several years has been offering training sessions on the overdose antidote Naloxone, and distributing Narcan kits that include the life-saving drug.

Mr. Brown said Catholic Charities has already trained around 6,000 people in using the antidote, which can temporarily stop the effects of heroin and other opioids.

For many people, he said, an overdose scare is enough to make them get the help they need to overcome their addiction.

"Dead people never recover," he added. "If someone had a fatal overdose, that's someone's child, that's someone's loved one."

Since 2002, there has been a 286-percent increase in heroin overdoses, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"The Church is trying to be an active participant in responding to the epidemic," Father Burke told The Evangelist.[[In-content Ad]]

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