Campaign to include be heard across Countywide radio spots, billboards and social media
KINGSTON, N.Y. – Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan today announced a new public awareness campaign on the dangers of prescription opioids, including radio, billboards, and social media ads. This public awareness campaign is a part of County Executive Ryan’s ‘Big Five’ priorities, to ramp up Countywide efforts to combat the opioid epidemic.
This series of PSAs will be heard across County radio stations and will highlight the story of Adam Nadiak, a veteran and 2004 US Army Soldier of the Year from Ulster County who lost his personal battle with PTSD and prescription painkillers when he was 30 years old. The PSA can be heard across radio stations and the video can be watched on the Ulster County Government social media found here.
“Behind every statistic is a person. Behind every person is a family. We cannot allow this crisis to continue to rip apart our community and our families,” said County Executive Ryan. “This new campaign will serve as a way to help us begin to change the conversation and save lives. As County Executive, one of my top priorities is tackling the opioid epidemic here in Ulster County.
“The opioid epidemic is a public health problem which affects the entire community,” said Dr. Carol Smith, Commissioner of Health and Mental Health. “It must be treated by engaging multiple sectors and resources. I commend the County Executive, Pat Ryan, for making stopping the loss of life in this epidemic one of his top priorities.”
County Executive Ryan has announced his commitment to reducing opioid-related fatalities by 50 percent in two years. The County has been awarded nearly $3 million in grants to assist in meeting this goal. The public awareness campaign is in coordination with the Ulster County Department of Health.
Opioid-related deaths in Ulster County increased by 345 percent since 2010, culminating in 2018 with the highest per-capita rate of opioid fatalities of any county in New York State. Ulster County has also had one of the highest rates of opioid prescribing (6th highest out of 62 counties) per capita.
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