The opioid epidemic that has been devastating many communities in Connecticut for the last several years was only exacerbated by the stress and isolation of the pandemic. And that’s on top of the influx of fentanyl that has truly led to an epidemic of overdose deaths.

But the pandemic has also shown us all the importance of prioritizing recovery and mental health. Are we turning the corner on the stigma of drug use?

In Their Own Words

Connecticut residents and experts share their perspectives with Untold.

  • “I run into individuals who are in active withdrawal. They want a detox bed. I call the access line – there’s no bed available. If you’re telling this person who’s in active withdrawal to come back the next day, a lot of times we lose them.” — Rushnee Vereen, overdose response technician for the City of Waterbury Credit: CTMirror
  • “Being a person in recovery gives me the ability to utilize my story to give them a little kick in the butt to get them going.” — Frankie DeJesus, recovery support specialist for Treatment Pathways Program Credit: Harriet Jones
  • “We are finally speaking about addiction in the appropriate ways. That whole narrative is shifting, and I think COVID kind of helped that, to be honest.” — Macie Regan, lead clinician for Treatment Pathways Program Credit: Harriet Jones
  • “There’s so much PTSD, trauma. I don’t think we’ve touched the iceberg of this yet. I don’t feel like we’re even at the tip of dealing with it.” — Trisha Rios, recovery navigator at Alliance for Living
  • “When you receive individuals who have substance use disorder you just have to just accept people where they are and love them where they are.” — Margaret Lancaster, program coordinator for Ledge Light Health District Credit: CTMirror
  • “COVID definitely had a severe impact because you lost a lot of the personality, the one-on-one connections – the hugging.” — Pastor Jack Madry of Madry Temple Church in New London Credit: CTMirror

This episode we go inside the District Court in Torrington to learn how people are being given access to treatment rather than jail. And Harriet Jones will take us to New London to find out how churches there are helping in the effort to keep drug users safe.

Mercy and John speak with Rushnee Vereen about her work as an overdose response technician for the City of Waterbury.

Organizations featured in this episode:

Challenge assumptions, seek understanding, leave nothing untold. In each episode of Untold we will pass the microphone from the policymakers to the people, connecting with Connecticut’s communities to reframe familiar stories and explore those left untold.