WEBVTT 1 "Dieter, Angela" (2655713024) 00:00:04.705 --> 00:00:25.700 Good afternoon, everyone. My name is Angela Deeder. I am the director of our Office of harm reduction over at the Earry County Department of Health. Welcome to our monthly bridge early learning collaborative. Today, our guest speaker is Maria. She goes by Apple Domingo serves as Director of Veterans Affairs at the Veterans one Stop Center. 2 "Dieter, Angela" (2655713024) 00:00:25.700 --> 00:00:45.700 She brings a deep commitment to supporting those who have served with a degree in behavioral science and over 30 years of experience in the nonprofit sector. Apple has cultivated expertise in working with diverse populations. Her background includes twelve years in refugee resettlement and 18 years in adult education, which she now channels into comprehensive support service. 3 "Dieter, Angela" (2655713024) 00:00:45.700 --> 00:01:03.488 This is focused on homelessness prevention and suicide prevention for veterans. Known for her compassionate leadership and strategic vision, Apple is dedicated to empower empowering veterans and fostering resilience in the community. Welcome Apple and you're welcome to take it away. 4 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:01:03.488 --> 00:01:21.650 Thank you, everyone. 1st, I'd like to thank everyone for inviting us to present it today. This is wonderful. We get to kind of showcase who we are and get to know everyone from your department. Before I proceed, I just want to know if anybody wants to. 5 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:01:21.650 --> 00:01:51.390 Talk more, please don't hesitate to email us. We are working through partnerships and collaborative with the entire Buffalo Eri and the community, so if there's any way we could collaborate, we are very much flipping to it, ok? So VOC veterans one stop center. This is who we are. We have two kind of grants that fall under harm reduction, but the big one we have is the. 6 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:01:51.390 --> 00:02:11.390 Sergeant Gordon Fox, who side Prevention Grant program and the SSVF, the supportive services for veterans families. This is the homeless prevention programming. So, I apologize, I have the sniffles, so you'll see me kinda sniffle here and there. 7 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:02:11.390 --> 00:02:29.880 But what we do promote is housing stability and then overall health and well being. So part of that is harm reduction, right? To, to have the overall health and well being of the vets, we have to really look at everything including health. 8 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:02:29.880 --> 00:02:47.520 Okay, so we have, the approach is built into two of those programs. Like I said, it's built into SSCF and it's built into the Fox prevention program. So what we do is we integrate those services. 9 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:02:47.520 --> 00:03:07.520 While prioritizing safety dignity and empowerment, most of our programs are low barrier, so especially the housing program, we won't require you to, e.g., be Stober in order to receive the services, but we will address those type of things while you are working with us. 10 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:03:07.520 --> 00:03:26.100 If that makes sense to everyone. The Fox program is very press prescriptive, we really have to do harm reduction, legally safety programming through fox. That's part of our ten core services, which includes community education. Okay, so. 11 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:03:26.100 --> 00:03:43.740 What are our services? So there's through those two programs, we have what we call a health care navigator. So our healthcare navigator provides the services if you are enrolled on those two programs. So part of that is overdose protections, safety and hygiene education. 12 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:03:43.740 --> 00:04:03.740 Peer recovery support, prices intervention, and then access to treatment referrals. So we have community partners that can do that including the VA and coordination with all of the health providers in the area. While we might not have direct referral system, we do have them in our. 13 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:04:03.740 --> 00:04:22.680 Resource, a resource list to make sure that we are comprehensive because we do serve twelve counties, right? The healthcare navigation, these are three of the partners that are already established with us, through health care navigation. 14 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:04:22.680 --> 00:04:40.139 So we actually have the matters network. I don't know if you guys have heard about matters. It is a direct referral, to people for substance. We partner with them and they can give. 15 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:04:40.139 --> 00:04:58.739 One of the things that we like about them is they would provide transportation to our veterans if need be, and it's NO cost to the veterans. They provide us with a, a book, a MacBook, so we can just open that referral and refer them right away. They will test and. 16 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:04:58.739 --> 00:05:14.159 Oh, ok. I'm so sorry. It doesn't change slide. Okay, we tested this earlier and it seemed to work. I apologize. Give me a few minutes, let me see if putting them. 17 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:05:14.159 --> 00:05:34.159 Hang on 1 s, I will stop sharing, give me a second. 18 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:05:34.159 --> 00:05:53.980 Can everybody see that now that Is it advancing now? 19 "Ables, Lee" (2014983168) 00:05:53.980 --> 00:06:02.202 We can, but you're gonna also want to put it into presentation mode. I think that might help with the slides per. 20 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:06:02.202 --> 00:06:19.160 I think that's what I did when I put it in presentation mode, it stopped doing that, so I had to go back here, but let's see from current slide, can you see them now? Is it. 21 "Ables, Lee" (2014983168) 00:06:19.160 --> 00:06:26.469 Are you? We do what we see on our side is that it is the harm Reduction Services slide. 22 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:06:26.469 --> 00:06:44.169 Okay, I'm gonna move it forward to alright, move forward. Okay, it's not moving for me. I'm so sorry. 23 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:06:45.081 --> 00:06:51.422 Let me see. Okay, it doesn't move now to about ZOC? 24 "Ables, Lee" (2014983168) 00:06:51.422 --> 00:06:58.351 We're still on the harm reduction slides. I'm gonna see if sharing my screen will be helpful. 25 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:06:58.351 --> 00:07:11.643 Okay, so I think that's what happens when I share the, the slide. It actually doesn't move on your end. But if I just leave it here in PowerPoint, you can see me move it, right? 26 "Ables, Lee" (2014983168) 00:07:11.643 --> 00:07:19.686 Yeah, so I'm gonna, do you, would it be helpful if I took over this portion and and shared the shared the slide. 27 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:07:19.686 --> 00:07:22.021 That's for you? That would be wonderful. Thank you. 28 "Ables, Lee" (2014983168) 00:07:22.021 --> 00:07:22.742 Thank you so much. 29 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:07:22.742 --> 00:07:27.719 Stop sharing. 30 "Ables, Lee" (2014983168) 00:07:59.325 --> 00:08:03.045 So you want to be here? 31 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:08:03.045 --> 00:08:13.949 We should be on the services matters, VOCs harm reduction services. 32 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:08:13.949 --> 00:08:29.124 So you seeing the overdose prevention, safety use and hygiene, peer recovery, and crisis intervention? 33 "Ables, Lee" (2014983168) 00:08:29.124 --> 00:08:31.800 So that's. 34 "Dieter, Angela" (2655713024) 00:08:33.081 --> 00:08:37.928 It was the one that was saluting. Okay. 35 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:08:37.928 --> 00:08:43.946 Actually, I'm sorry. Could you move to slide five, which is the partners? 36 "Ables, Lee" (2014983168) 00:08:43.946 --> 00:08:47.629 Yep, that's where I thought we were. Okay. 37 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:08:47.629 --> 00:08:54.030 Okay, perfect. Are we good? 38 "Ables, Lee" (4068588544) 00:08:54.030 --> 00:08:56.425 If apples. 39 "Ables, Lee" (2014983168) 00:08:56.425 --> 00:09:01.509 If you're able to see the screen where the slides are? Yes, the slides are shared with everybody. 40 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:09:01.509 --> 00:09:20.699 Yes. Okay, sounds good. Thank you so much. Okay, so these are, like I said, direct, programs that we're working with. We also work with the VA domissary at bath where we would refer people if necessary. Some of our veterans would. 41 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:09:20.699 --> 00:09:35.939 Would want it by themselves like they would request for this service, but we have that referral for the DOM. What is good with these and then we also have Freedom Village through Horizon Health Services. 42 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:09:35.939 --> 00:09:54.599 Where they can stay, for substance abuse and stuff like that. And what we normally do with all of them is that when they're exiting the DOM or freedom Village and they need homeless prevention and suicide prevention, then they get referred back to us. 43 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:09:54.599 --> 00:10:14.599 If that makes sense to everyone. Okay, can we next slide please? Alright, so integration with Fox, Suicide prevention program and SSCF. What we have found is that people who are homeless. 44 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:10:14.599 --> 00:10:30.599 I'm also tend to exhibit presidel behaviors and part of what we need to do is assess their health. Why aren't they able to pay their rent? And most of the time it's because. 45 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:10:30.599 --> 00:10:49.439 There is that alcohol substance abuse and everything involved, and so they would use their VA benefits and then end up on the street, if that makes sense. So by integrating this two programs the suicide prevention program. 46 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:10:49.439 --> 00:11:09.439 Can you go back, please? Sorry, thank you. So by integrating this two program, we really reduce barriers at both junction. So if we engage with them under the fax program, we will look for those barriers. 47 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:11:09.439 --> 00:11:35.059 Years if we engage with them under SSVF, we will do the same. And then they are cross referred to our programs, which means that they're gonna get health navigation, so the services that we had discussed earlier meant that they're getting that through those programs. So which wherever they enter, they will get that health navigation. And then when they're in crisis and they can see that we are helping them, it's kind of. 48 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:11:35.059 --> 00:12:03.119 Builds trust a little bit to say that, you know, we didn't come here for this, but you recognize the need for help and support and you gave it to us. So when we we support the recovery, we are then able to address the housing and maybe improve their income needs. Does that make sense? Because most of the time the reason why they're homeless is because they're not paying rent and the reason why they're not paying rent is because they're using it for. 49 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:12:03.119 --> 00:12:22.619 Devices, if that makes sense, ok? Next slide please. Okay, so, like I said, we do collaborate with community partners. We are not the clinical. 50 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:12:22.619 --> 00:12:40.379 Provider for all of the support and the help that we do. However, if it lands on our desk, we will collaborate with providers and local agencies to make sure that we're not crushing that problem off, right? We're just not saying, oh, we don't help you with that, so. 51 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:12:40.379 --> 00:12:59.339 We're not gonna address it. So we'd love to collaborate and partner with community community partners and service providers. And what we want to do is make sure that we expand access to harm reduction resources for the veteran and we facilitate cross referrals for care. 52 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:12:59.339 --> 00:13:15.029 And we also are proponent for not reinventing the wheel, so if there is best practices, we are well and willing to adopt it to make sure that both agencies, both providers are getting what they need. 53 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:13:15.029 --> 00:13:35.029 For data and for improved outcomes. Substance abuse disorder is recognized as a risk factor for suicidal behaviors, so really we need to address those risks such as opioid use as part of our strategy in order to address the suicidal ideation. 54 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:13:35.029 --> 00:13:55.739 If that makes sense. So really the strong collaboration with other programs helps us with that. In fact, one of our core service in the foxyce prevention program is to refer out to any services and any emergency needs including emergency assistance. 55 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:13:55.739 --> 00:14:15.739 To our veterans when they're experiencing any type of health emergency, including substance youth disorder. Does that make sense? Okay. Next slide please. Under the. 56 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:14:15.739 --> 00:14:42.689 These are the specific interventions that we provide through the Fox program. So we have littleine's safety, and secure storage. So we can through Fox pay for expensive associated with littleine safety, unlocks, medication storage or anything of that sort. So we always assess for that and we educate families. 57 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:14:42.689 --> 00:15:02.689 On little means safety, on Safetalk and on firearm storage. So that is required through the grant, and sometimes residually we will see some substance when we're doing substance use when we're when we're doing little means. Sometimes part of the reason why they are unable. 58 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:15:02.689 --> 00:15:24.919 Able to coherently participate in, in their stability plan is because of substance use, if that makes sense. So then substance use reduction is part of our specific intervention, if that makes sense. We gotta link them to treatment. If the baseline mental health, we provide. 59 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:15:24.919 --> 00:15:40.049 Mental health screening, and if it says there is a very high risk of suicide due to the mental, the behavioral and the the substance use, then we must refer the eligible individual 1st to VA because we are funded with VA. 60 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:15:40.049 --> 00:16:00.049 But if that veteran says, No I don't want to go to VA, we have to refer them to community services and we do, ok? It can never be like it's there and you don't refer, we have to make that referral. So we do employee case managers and healthcare navigators, like I said, and what we normally want to do is. 61 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:16:00.049 --> 00:16:20.309 Provide a warm handoff. Sometimes the veterans would say NO, I don't want you to do that and we, because of confidentiality or they want to do that on their own, we will respect that. But, really the rule of thumb is to do warm handoffs. So the more we have contact with services in. 62 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:16:20.309 --> 00:16:40.309 A point of contact from the services around the community, the better the warm handoffs are. But we would respect if a veteran says I'll do that myself. Does makes sense? Okay, part of that intervention, once we have the safety, the substance, use reduction is pure support. So we provide peer support services. 63 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:16:40.309 --> 00:16:59.249 Here in veterans one top and some of them have lived experiences, some of them don't, but the the idea is to have a peer and not a point for professional kind of collaborate with the vet. Most of them would need to establish that trust and there's a. 64 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:16:59.249 --> 00:17:19.249 Automatic camaraderie that's built in for, from people who serve, that cannot be replicated if you did not serve. So having that peer support programming with us, we are not, we're not going to mandate what they need to do, but they're there to kind of listen and look at change. 65 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:17:19.249 --> 00:17:39.329 Just in behavior and things like that and bring it up to the surface when they see it. But most of our peer support, are in, if you go to our website, you'll see some events and most of the peer support is kind of hiding under those events. I don't want to say hiding, but we provide that platform through fun. 66 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:17:39.329 --> 00:17:59.329 And sometimes people will go to all events and then all of a sudden stop going. So the peer support are the 1st people to kind of recognize that and then refer to the case managers and then, you know, peer to peer be like, are you ok? Why are you not participating, you know, and so on and so forth. But. 67 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:17:59.329 --> 00:18:22.499 Those specialists kind of serve a role and model for our, for our veteran participants so they can be almost like their mentor without drinks attached, if that makes sense. Like it's not like a mentor that you have to see every day that you're required to see every day. We kind of put this in a relationship type base where a peer and a, and a veteran. 68 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:18:22.499 --> 00:18:41.819 Would organically develop that relationship through, through fun, through events like we have events like uber diving, breakfast, dinners, arts therapy, and things like that, that kind of gets them into the building and gets them. 69 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:18:41.819 --> 00:19:01.819 Get the veteran to engage in another veteran and in our peer support specialists if that makes sense. Sorry, I stutter a little bit, but next slide please. So outcomes and impact that coordination of. 70 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:19:01.819 --> 00:19:22.169 Of of everything from our from our program, from peer support to site prevention to homeless prevention, really increased veteran engagement in services. And the hopes, the impact that we want to do is reduce overdose incidents among participants. Of course when that happens. 71 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:19:22.169 --> 00:19:39.509 The outcomes for recovery, for housing stability and for suicide prevention also goes up. But again, we want to be able to stressen partnership with healthcare and outreach networks. I want to tell you guys the story while we're here in, in outcomes and impact if. 72 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:19:39.509 --> 00:19:59.509 We've had one veteran that came to our organization, he was homeless and he was here with his father and uncle. So they were telling him to come to us and to avail of our services. So he came in day one and we were going to enroll him. He was supposed to come back the following. 73 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:19:59.509 --> 00:20:21.299 Day to give us the paperwork to finish enrollment and he overdrove, right? So, our engagement was sort of like not there yet and it was, it was very heartbreaking. But what happened then is the father and the uncle. 74 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:20:21.299 --> 00:20:37.259 Would hang out here. We do have a 3rd floor where vets can just hang out for that isolation factor, but he would just hang out here and he would say this is this is my happy place because this is the last place I saw my son. And in turn, he. 75 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:20:37.259 --> 00:20:54.269 Enrolled in our prevention program, you know, and so on and so forth. So it kind of shows you, I mean that the the outcome is not what we want, but recognize that that engagement sometimes becomes a safe space for. 76 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:20:54.269 --> 00:21:10.949 The the loved ones here at veterans one, ok? Next slide please. Like everyone, we do have challenges, right? Sigma surrounding substance abuse is really big and. 77 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:21:10.949 --> 00:21:30.949 Just military culture, people don't always reveal this to us, right? Because in the military you don't wanna show your weaknesses. So many veterans do not want to receive the services because they don't want the stigma attached to it. So a lot of times. 78 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:21:30.949 --> 00:21:51.139 They will come forward and sometimes we already know we suspect it, but so the stigma is still big with mental health and substance use for veterans. It's just something in a military culture that, you know, have been embedded in them like. 79 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:21:51.139 --> 00:22:20.869 Up, just continue on, check on, don't complain, you know, and so on and so forth. So most of the time they self Medicaid if they have PTSD and most of them go to substance use. So this is still something that we're battling, and I don't know how long it's gonna take for the stigma to go away, but slowly and surely I think we're chipping on the block especially because, part of the PTSD, the substance use and all of that are being recognized. 80 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:22:20.869 --> 00:22:40.869 By the VA and sometimes if we can get them, their claims for benefits through the diagnosis, increase their service connection disability, then it helps them come forward. But we're still not there. So I I know you all know this, I I'm preaching to the choir, but I just wanna make sure that you. 81 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:22:40.869 --> 00:23:04.189 Know that it's a higher level of figma when veterans are involved, ok? Next slide please. Okay, so what do we hope, to happen? What is our call to action? We'd love to have more referrals. We'd love to loop in more partners and maybe conduct some joint. 82 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:23:04.189 --> 00:23:29.719 Reduction trainings between our population and everyone else, including vet families. I don't know if there's room to advocate for funding and policy alignment, but we're open to all of these possible call to action. Again, my name is Apple Domingo I work for veterans fun stuff. I am the director of Veteran Services. My email, you can get me through M Domingo or Adamingo, it'll come to me at the OC. 83 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:23:29.719 --> 00:23:55.679 WNY.org. Just really quick, before I end, I wanted to show you in the next slide some of the Oh, sorry. Okay, I just want to make sure that you know our website is wWWC.NY.org. You can move on to the next slide, I apologize. 84 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:23:55.679 --> 00:24:17.119 There you can actually see all of the events that we are talking about. The big one right now for veterans is the skydive, nope. Sorry, lake plastic trip, and any veterans, even if they're enrolled in our program or not, any of the events at the website, people can just refer a veteran or the veteran can. 85 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:24:17.119 --> 00:24:32.387 Sign up for themselves and then they're now engaged in our peer support. Does that make sense? Alright, I am open for questions, you guys. 86 "Ables, Lee" (2014983168) 00:24:32.387 --> 00:24:47.339 Thank you so much, Apple. I haven't seen any questions posted in the chat while you were speaking, but we can give folks a couple minutes if there's any last minute things folks are thinking about while we transition over to Jason. 87 "Ables, Lee" (2014983168) 00:24:47.339 --> 00:25:19.129 And Apple, if there's any resources you want folks to have direct access to, if you wanna send those over to me, they will be sent over in the newsletter to folks after, after we are done here. So it'll be like the following week Folks can have access to any sort of resources or anything like that that you'd like. 88 "Ables, Lee" (2014983168) 00:25:19.129 --> 00:25:21.508 What folks to know about. 89 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:25:21.508 --> 00:25:29.890 Thank you. Thank you guys. Thank you again for having me. I will I'm gonna apologize and I'm gonna hop off because I have another one. 90 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:25:30.949 --> 00:25:35.686 Scheduled at 01:00, so I apologize, but I did I couldn't stay but yes, I will. 91 "Ables, Lee" (2014983168) 00:25:35.686 --> 00:25:36.704 I'll send them all to you. 92 "Dieter, Angela" (2655713024) 00:25:36.704 --> 00:25:39.810 Yeah thank you so much for your time today. 93 "Apple Domingo" (1445539840) 00:25:39.810 --> 00:25:41.203 No problem. 94 "Ables, Lee" (2014983168) 00:25:41.203 --> 00:25:48.330 Thanks. Bye. Bye bye. Bye. 95 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:25:48.330 --> 00:25:57.083 Alright, well that was a really great presentation by Apple with the Veterans one stop center. Can everyone hear me ok, 1st of all? 96 "Ables, Lee" (2014983168) 00:25:57.083 --> 00:26:00.182 Yeah, you sound great Jason. Sounds good. 97 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:26:00.182 --> 00:26:13.888 Great. And let me just do a quick test advancing the slide yeah the slides change for everybody? Yeah. 98 "Ables, Lee" (2014983168) 00:26:13.888 --> 00:26:18.027 Yes, we are right there with you. 99 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:26:18.027 --> 00:26:33.269 Okay, great. So welcome to Bridge for for the overdose data updates for November 2025. A brief overview of what we're going to be covering. We'll look at the total overdose deaths in theory county. We're gonna compare that to statewide trends. 100 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:26:33.269 --> 00:26:48.479 We're gonna look at the overdose death demographics, then the toxicology, then some demographic trends within the toxicology of overdose death. We'll look at locations of overdeath by zip code, and we'll move into non fatal report frequency and location. 101 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:26:48.479 --> 00:27:08.479 And then we'll compare the zip codes of non fatal and fatal overdoses. Both as of the most recent data available from 7 November 2025, we have a total of 216 overdose deaths in IRE county. 154 of which are suspected opioid related. 102 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:27:08.479 --> 00:27:25.469 A hundred and 23 are confirmed and 31 are waiting for toxicology. Another 62 have been confirmed non opioid related. So still exhibiting a downtrend, and we are likely to to come in at probably under 250 overdose deaths for the year. 103 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:27:25.469 --> 00:27:46.259 When we look at statewide trends, the most recent data available is through April 2025 with the last last update being posted in September. So this is the same as you were looking at at the last yeary. At that point in the year after April hearing County had exhibited a 29 % decrease year over year. 104 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:27:46.259 --> 00:28:06.259 From 36 desks per month to 25 deaths per month on average, and at that same point, New York State had exhibited a 37 % decrease. But, as of October 2025 since we have some more recent data here, we can see that we have caught up to the statewide trend. Ery County is now at a 30. 105 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:28:06.259 --> 00:28:31.079 8 % decrease in monthly deaths year over year, an average of 21 deaths per month over the past 21 month and we have been a continuous decline since mid 2024. Although we do show some signs of that slowing down a little bit. So we'll continue to monitor that. And once the state data gets up updated, well, it'll be interesting to compare our briefing data to the to the statewide data once that's updated. 106 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:28:31.079 --> 00:28:52.369 Yeah, for overdose death demographics, we can see that the black population in Newary County is disproportionately affected by overdose deaths. The orange bar here is the percentage of overdose deaths by race for the period of August 2023 through July 2024, and that was the where the. 107 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:28:52.369 --> 00:29:12.369 The peak of the disparity was during that time period, where our overdose deaths were approximately 35 % black compared to the representation in the population being roughly 13 %. The red bars are overdose death in our most recent available data from November 2024 through October 2025, the past twelve months, and we can see that among. 108 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:29:12.369 --> 00:29:36.859 Those overdoses over 2722 .7 % black. So we can see that the dissarity is beginning to close among the black population which is a good sign and we hope to see that continue. Other demographics aside from black and white do not contribute very much to the overall overdose deaf picture, there are very few of them, but from the data we have, the Asian population is under. 109 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:29:36.859 --> 00:29:49.439 Represented among overdose deaths relative to population, and the Native American American Indian population is overrepresented relative to population. 110 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:29:49.439 --> 00:30:09.439 Now we're gonna look at those demographics in a little more detail with a population adjusted graph. Population adjustment allows us to more clearly see disparities and allows us to see them develop over time. And this basically shows which groups are more most disproportionately affected, so it controls for the population size of each group. And here we are looking. 111 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:30:09.439 --> 00:30:19.169 At black white hispanic ethnicity and other risk categories are excluded due to the limited amount of data. 112 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:30:19.169 --> 00:30:39.169 So the bigger the gap is to clean these lines, the bigger the disparity is, and we can see that the disparity was the largest in mid 2024, and it has been closing rapidly. In recent months, we are seeing a roughly equal death rates in the black and Hispanic population and both are significantly higher than among why the white population. 113 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:30:39.169 --> 00:30:50.069 So it is already still exists and is significant, but it has decreased significantly and between black and Astanic populations it has been eliminated almost entirely. 114 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:30:50.069 --> 00:31:10.069 Looking at year over year, we see twelve months ago 24 October on this graph. The black overdose population address to death decreased by 54 % in the Hispanic population, we saw a 31 % decrease, and in the white population we saw a 20 % decrease. And again, other categories are excluded due to limited data. 115 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:31:10.069 --> 00:31:17.729 So we're seeing continuing to see gains across the board, when it comes to overdose depths. 116 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:31:17.729 --> 00:31:32.939 Now this is something new we're doing here. We're looking specifically at the opioid related overdose deaths as opposed to all the overdose deaths. So among the opioid related deaths relative to overall overdose deaths, the thirties are actually closing even faster for the black population. 117 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:31:32.939 --> 00:31:49.469 So the hispanic population is now the most affected by opioid overdoses compared to other groups. So we'll continue to monitor that and see how that develops. In July 2024, when we started to see this sharp decline in black population adjusted deaths. 118 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:31:49.469 --> 00:32:10.679 And in January 2025 is when we saw those lines crossover and the black opioid related deaths dropped below in the stanic opioid related deaths. This is showing the tail end of those two graphs side by side so you can see more clearly the demographics trends in all overdose deaths versus opioid related deaths. 119 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:32:10.679 --> 00:32:30.679 And we can see that the disproportionate impacts on the black population is decreasing far more rapidly for opioid related deaths as opposed to all overdoses. But we do see significant gains across the board in all groups, so for all demographics, opioidly related deaths are decreasing faster than overdose deaths. 120 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:32:30.679 --> 00:32:35.039 As a whole. 121 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:32:35.039 --> 00:32:55.039 So now we're gonna look at non opioid death. So unlike opioid related death, the racial disparities among non opioid depths remain quite large. Unfortunately histatic data had to be excluded for them from this analysis due to limited data. Non opioid depths are only constitute about 20 to 25 % of our overdoses and. 122 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:32:55.039 --> 00:33:26.669 With the limited hispanic population, we just did not have enough data to include that here. So we can see that in July 2022, mid 2022, non opioid death among the black population began to increase peaking in mid 2024 and then pulling back somewhat but remaining elevated, and we did not see that decrease in disparity like we see with opioid related death. So this is a very notable and stark trend between the opioid and non opioid death. Now we'll look at age. 123 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:33:26.669 --> 00:33:46.669 So the 40 to 49 age groups is still the most disproportionately affected by overall overdose death, and the decreases in death rates that we've seen across the board do appear to be flowing among the 50 to 59 and 30 to 39 age groups, we stopped seeing that continuous decline, but for their. 124 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:33:46.669 --> 00:34:09.679 In age 40 to 49 that's maining are relatively stagnant, same with age 60 and older, and age 29 and younger is decreasing further. Despite it already being at a very low rate decreased even more. Now looking at opioid related death, we can see more dramatic declines among the 30 to 39 and 50 to 59 age groups. 125 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:34:09.679 --> 00:34:38.419 Decreasing even faster than for overall overdose deaths and ages 40 to 49 are still most effected despite significant decline. So for the 40 to 49 age 49 age groups, we we're seeing more decline among opioid related overdose deaths as opposed to overall overdose deaths. Here's those lines side by side again, so we can see that for opioid related deaths, dissarities by age group across the board are closed. 126 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:34:38.419 --> 00:35:02.699 Getting more rapidly for opioid related deaths compared to all overdose deaths. So we can see that the gaps between the lines for opioid related deaths are much smaller, and we also see more precipitous declines in all in all of these age groups compared to all overdose deaths for non opioid death by age groups. 127 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:35:02.699 --> 00:35:18.599 Age of 20 to the nine and younger had to be excluded due to limited data. But we actually see a different demographic that's most affected and that is people in their 50 pages 50 to 59. This increa that this demographic increased throughout 2024 and has flattened out in recent months. 128 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:35:18.599 --> 00:35:38.599 But yes, they are the most effective demographic by not of a non opioid death. Ages 60 and older saw a significant decrease beginning around November 2024. And that's really the only group where we've seen a significant decrease in non opioid related deaths. Among 30 to 39 year old, it's decreased somewhat, 40 to 49. 129 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:35:38.599 --> 00:35:57.179 It's been fairly constant for over the past couple of years and we've seen that increase in the 50 to 59 demographics. Now looking at toxicology, here we're comparing the most recent twelve months on the right to overdose depths in 2023. 130 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:35:57.179 --> 00:36:15.569 2023 was where we saw our peak of overall overdose death and also the peak of our depths related to both opioids and cocaine. So compared to 2023 in the past twelve months deaths related to opioids and cocaine fell to 37 % from higher 58 %. 131 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:36:15.569 --> 00:36:35.569 Conversely, we see cocaine without the presence of opioid rise to 22 % up from 13 % to 2023. Interesting to note, the overall number of cocaine owned deaths without opioid is roughly the same 55 versus 52, but it is now a much bigger portion of the of the. 132 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:36:35.569 --> 00:36:43.379 The pie considering other categories have decreased really pretty substantially. 133 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:36:43.379 --> 00:36:58.799 Now we're gonna look at the this pie chart over time. So if the pie chart is like a snapshot, this line chart shows how each slice changes over time. And so that most recent twelve month is indicated by this window here of the past twelve months. 134 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:36:58.799 --> 00:37:18.799 It allows us to see a recent trends more clearly and each point is an average percentage over the past six months. So it's how many overdoses in the past six months, that percentage we experience we are seeing. So the most recent data point we have, we saw a simultaneous slight decrease. 135 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:37:18.799 --> 00:37:50.879 In depths related to both opioid and cocaine and the slight increase in depths related to opioid without cocaine. That increase, that decrease in opioid and cocaine was a bit of a reversal after several months of increase. That was something we were monitoring to see if we were gonna be returning to to trends we saw in 2023 of higher opioids and cocaine deaths but it seems like after arriving somewhat it get canne back down. So currently we're seeing about one one 3rd of our deaths related to both opioids and cocaine. 136 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:37:50.879 --> 00:38:10.879 One 3rd related to opioid without presence of cocaine, 20 % related to cocaine without opioid and 12 % related to other substances. So it was August 2024 that we really started to see that decline in depth related to opioids and cocaine. 137 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:38:10.879 --> 00:38:29.850 And an increase in depth related to cocaine without opioid. So those transferred around the same time in August 2024. Now we'll look at some demographic trends within toxicology. So this chart is looking at among cocaine death in the absence of sentinels byrate. 138 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:38:29.850 --> 00:38:45.210 What percentage of deaths in that demographic were related to cocaine? So we can see that in mid 2024 we saw a sharp increase among the black population in the percentage of of black overdose deaths that were related to cocaine without opioid. 139 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:38:45.210 --> 00:39:05.210 We saw a stark and sustained increase to now we're about 40 % 35 40 % of the black populations overdose deaths are related to cocaine in the absence of pencil. Prior to that, we saw closer to 1520 5 % of the black populations overdose deaths being cocained. 140 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:39:05.210 --> 00:39:22.560 In the absence of sensinel. Conversely, we did not see that same stark and sustained increase among the white population. We see it somewhat, but it's not as consistent or as as stark. So definitely a notable shift that occurred there. 141 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:39:22.560 --> 00:39:42.560 So now looking at cocainede deaths and the absence of ventinal by age, we see another thing to note is that cocainede death in the absence of bensinal are mostly aged 50 and older. And in all about two quarters from 2022 through quarter two of 2025, at least 50 % of those overdoses were aged 50 and older. 142 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:39:42.560 --> 00:40:05.300 And sometimes it's high as 80 or 90 %. So definitely a very significant difference in aged demographic there. Now we'll look at overdose depths by zip code over the past six months, so May 2025 through October 2025, and this is showing all overdose, all zip codes that have at least five overdose depths in this. 143 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:40:05.300 --> 00:40:25.800 Time period. The highest number of deaths was 14215, which is on the east side border in chiectuaga. We saw eight deaths there. 14201 is lower west side near Allentown in the city of Buffalo. That saw seven deaths. We also saw seven deaths in West Beneca 14224 which is unusually high. 144 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:40:25.800 --> 00:40:41.340 Six deaths in 14212, which is the east side near Broadways. 14220 and the alpha saw 6th deaths and then we saw five deaths each in 142-11-4216 and 14206. 145 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:40:41.340 --> 00:41:01.340 14216 in North Buffalo is a relatively new addition to the list. We are seeing a disproportionate amount of death in in North Buffalo compared to what we had seen in the past. So that's a new addition to the list. Now looking at where things have changed versus in the most current six months versus the previous six months. 146 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:41:01.340 --> 00:41:21.530 The areas where we see increasing overdose deaths are 1421 514212 14216, which is that code. 14220, West Seneca and Hamburg, and areas that we see decreasing overdose deaths are 14211, which is near Genesis street on the east side. 142. 147 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:41:21.530 --> 00:41:44.030 Zero one again the lower west side, Tanawanda and also 14206, which is the area now moving on to non fatal overdose reports. So here's the 30 day average of non fatal overdose reports per day. 148 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:41:44.030 --> 00:42:16.020 From 2022 to the present. The whole our office receives overdose reports daily from HEIDA. These are aggregated from the law enforcement reports and emergency service calls, and these are used for follow up after overdose and also outreach planning. It's important to note that not all overdoses are reported. There's a significant degree of under reporting that a lot of overdoses are handled by individuals without being being reported to law enforcement or emergency services. But we use the reported overdoses as kind of a proxy for overall overdose activity. 149 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:42:16.020 --> 00:42:38.060 So we typically see between two and three non fatal reports per day. And so despite the fact that OD deaths are down, we do see non fatal reports remain relatively steady. Through September and October we saw the non fatal reports per day creeped towards the top of our typical range of about three reports per day, and they started to come down. 150 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:42:38.060 --> 00:42:53.460 Went up a little bit and now we're sitting around 2.2 reports per day. So it's been fairly constant for quite some time despite the the consistent despite the consistent decline in overdose deaths. 151 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:42:53.460 --> 00:43:08.580 In terms of location, the areas that we see increased reports in are BlackRock, Grant Berry, and the lower west side predominantly. Those are three of our consistently highest areas for non fatal overdose reports. Love joy 14206. 152 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:43:08.580 --> 00:43:25.350 Which is interesting because one of the areas where we saw decreasing overdose deaths, we saw increasing not fatal reporting. 14211 and 14215, which are both on the east side. 14220, which is in South Buffalo, 14216 in North Buffalo. 153 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:43:25.350 --> 00:43:45.350 West Seneca, Springville, and also Edgardsville 14226 within Amherse. Areas where we saw a decreased non fatal reporting included broadway, 14212, Hamburg, 14075, Williams Ville 14209, which is kind of in the center of the city of Buffalo mostly along The. 154 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:43:45.350 --> 00:44:03.870 And 14072 which is Grand islands. So now we're gonna compare overdose deaths against our non fatal reporting. We typically see more non fatal overdose reports than overdose deaths than each of this code. 155 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:44:03.870 --> 00:44:23.870 If we see overdose deaths exceed non fatal reports, that is caused for concern because it's a potential indicator of under reporting of non fatal overdoses. So that's something we monitor. So where are we seeing more deaths than we would expect relative to the non fatal reporting? The east side, 14215 and 14212. 156 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:44:23.870 --> 00:44:48.140 West center covered significantly and also hamburged quite significantly. So those areas are are high concern where we were there might be a lot more underreporting of non fatal overdoses than we see else there. So those are high areas of concerns. Modern areas of moderate concern include 14216, which is North Buffalo. Again, we saw an increase in overdose deaths more than we would otherwise expect. 157 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:44:48.140 --> 00:45:04.770 And we didn't really see too much of a corresponding increase in non fatal overdose reports. We also saw a decrease, we also saw more depths than expected in on the east side near Genesis street, which is 14211 and also in South Buffalo. 158 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:45:04.770 --> 00:45:30.770 So in summary, overdose deaths continue to decline, but overdose refer but not fatal reports remain relatively steady. The race and ethnicity are still significant but decreasing. They do remain large for non opioid related death and opioid related overdose deaths now have the most disproportionate impact on the histanic population as opposed to the body. 159 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:45:30.770 --> 00:45:51.740 Population. The age profile of death appears to differ by substance. Non opioid deaths are predominantly age 50 to 59 and opioid related deaths are predominantly 40 to 49. So we'll see if those trends continue. We see high concentrations of death in 14215, which is the east side of Buffalo 14201. 160 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:45:51.740 --> 00:46:11.400 One, which is the lower website and 14224 which is West Seneca. We see decreasing overdue death in 14150, which is Tanawanda, the lower west side, 14206, which is love joy and 14211, which is the youth side again. Anyone you might be a little confused. Why is why? 161 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:46:11.400 --> 00:46:26.880 Overdose deaths are decreasing in 142 oh one, but they're on they listed as high concentration. And that just goes to show how persistently we see we see overdose deaths in that area that even though they've gone down, they're still one of our the highest concentrations of overdose deaths in 14201. 162 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:46:26.880 --> 00:46:43.800 In terms of having more depths than we would otherwise expect, West Seneca and Hamburg, we've really seen light up recently with more depths and not a whole lot of non fatal reportings going on and also on the east side of buffalo, 14215 and 14210. 163 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:46:43.800 --> 00:47:03.800 Once again, 14216, which is North Buffalo is emerging as an area of concern. So we'll be keeping an eye on that in terms of overdose tests and not available reporting. So thank you very much everybody. We're wrapping up here. If you're interested in looking more specifically at where overdose depth or overdose. 164 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:47:03.800 --> 00:47:27.710 Are occurring. We host a quarterly webinar for a community organization where we show heat maps of our overdose reports. We can people can ask questions, request specific maths, discuss what they see in the field. And you can also sign up after attending at least one for monthly heat map updates. We have an MOU that you can sign and return that just indicates that you won't disseminate this information outside of your organization. 165 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:47:27.710 --> 00:47:49.590 And then you will be added to a list to receive our monthly overdose updates, heat map updates. The next webinar is on 23 February, and that QR code will take you to this form. I will post the the link in the chat afterwards if that is easier. So if we encourage people to attend that, we'd love to get some more people on that distribution list. 166 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:47:49.590 --> 00:47:55.584 And that's it. Do we have any questions or comments? 167 "Dieter, Angela" (2655713024) 00:47:55.584 --> 00:47:58.791 Thanks Jason. 168 "Ables, Lee" (2014983168) 00:47:58.791 --> 00:48:08.229 Yeah, thanks. I don't see any in the chat, but we can give folks a couple minutes if there's anything, any lingering questions that may pop up. 169 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:48:08.229 --> 00:48:28.490 Great, then I'll drop the link. 170 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:48:28.490 --> 00:48:46.584 Oh, someone has a hand raised. 171 "Ables, Lee" (2014983168) 00:48:46.584 --> 00:48:58.210 Question. Yeah I was trying to get you unmuted. Oh. 172 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:48:58.210 --> 00:49:15.787 Put it in the chat. Oh yes, you're, you're good, you're good. We have your form, we, we got you the 1st update to you yeah you're you're, you're good. You'll keep receiving those monthly updates. 173 "Ables, Lee" (2014983168) 00:49:15.787 --> 00:49:21.867 Thank you, Kenneth. Well, I think we are all set, guys. Thank you everyone. 174 "Dieter, Angela" (2655713024) 00:49:21.867 --> 00:49:26.628 Thanks everyone. 175 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:49:26.628 --> 00:49:35.322 Oh hold on. All right, we gotta request for some collect. 176 "Ables, Lee" (2014983168) 00:49:35.322 --> 00:49:51.425 Yeah, Reshan, we will definitely reach out to you. I know that we are looking forward to having you present with us in the coming months and, and we'll definitely be in touch. Thank you for all that you do. 177 "Meurlin, Jason" (2150229248) 00:49:51.425 --> 00:49:59.628 Thank you for coming, everybody.