Press Release: Suffolk County Announces Interagency SOAR Initiative

SUFFOLK COUNTY ANNOUNCES INTERAGENCY SOAR INITIATIVE

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Sharing Opioid Analysis Research

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Sheriff Toulon speaks about SOAR.

(Yaphank, NY) On Thursday, October 31st, County Executive Steve Bellone, along with Suffolk County Sheriff Dr. Errol D. Toulon, Jr., Suffolk County Police Commissioner Geraldine Hart, and Suffolk County District Attorney Timothy D. Sini, announced the formation of SOAR: Sharing Opioid Analysis Research.

SOAR is an initiative to bring together governmental agencies around the opioid crisis here in Suffolk County. Each agency involved brings a unique and varied perspective on the issue. Meeting together on a quarterly basis will facilitate a shared, comprehensive understanding of local patterns, characteristics, and trends associated with opioid fatalities. At these quarterly meetings, agencies will share specific data regarding both fatal and non-fatal overdoses and identify gaps and areas where improvements can be made.

The SOAR initiative is based on the model of RX Stat from NYPD. RX Stat is grounded in a public health framework, emphasizing the use of data as a measure of patterns and trends in the population and considering drug use as a health issue requiring a shared public health and safety response.

The Suffolk County Department of Probation and the Office of the Suffolk County Medical Examiner will round out the agencies involved in the SOAR initiative.

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