Focus On Prevention: The Fight Against Substance Abuse
August 9, 2016
Hosted by Jessica Pirro
[Download MP3] [itunes] [Bookmark Episode]
Guest Information
Episode Description
MADD -Mothers Against Drunk Driving- lead a campaign that changed the culture and made drunk driving unacceptable, which in turn diminished the number of deaths caused by drunk driving accidents. The commercial “This is your brain…this is your brain on drugs” and “Just Say No”, vivid in the minds of “The More You Know” generation, were encouragements to not do drugs. These campaigns and strategies were used by older generations to help prevent substance abuse. Are the strategies of the past still effective for the issues we face today? What type of prevention approaches do we need to implement to slow down the heroin and opiate crisis? My guest Matt Smith will discuss what prevention experts are doing to help move the substance abuse prevention field forward and to reduce the stigma that can keep people from seeking help.
The Journey- Stories of Crisis and Hope
Archives Available on VoiceAmerica Health and Wellness Channel
When crisis occurs there is an emotional and physical impact to ones wellbeing. As a crisis first responder I have seen firsthand the impact of not dealing with crisis and trauma can have on a person’s sense of self, purpose and belief in happiness and hope. The Journey- Stories of Crisis and Hope will provide education and real life experiences dealing with various issues including mental health, rape, domestic violence, suicide. We will talk about the signs and symptoms of these types of crisis, how you can help yourself, a friend or loved one in order to save a life and restore a sense of hope. My goal is to have an open and honest dialogue to help you know that you are not alone, empower you to seek help and begin your road to a life you want and not be defined by crises that have occurred to you. We will share information on effective interventions, cutting edge programming and awareness of services that you can reach out to in order begin their process of healing.
Jessica Pirro
Jessica C. Pirro received her undergraduate degree in Child and Family Studies and her Masters of Social Work from Syracuse University. She is a NYS Licensed Master Social Worker. Ms. Pirro moved to Buffalo in 1997 and worked for Erie County to set up the Domestic Violence Unit, under the direction of the Wellstone/Murray Amendment Family Violence Option. She began working at Crisis Services in 1999 as the Supervising Counselor of the Advocate Program, the NYS Dept. of Health Rape Crisis Center, and a NYS licensed non-residential domestic violence provider. She was promoted to Coordinator in 2001. In 2006, Ms. Pirro was promoted to Associate Director, charged with overseeing all agency clinical operations 24 hours a day.
In September 2014, she was appointed as Chief Executive Officer and leads the agency’s crisis first responders helping those impacted by crisis with specialty areas around suicide prevention, mental health, domestic violence, rape, elder abuse and homelessness. She was recognized as one of Buffalo’s Business First’s 40 under Forty in 2010 and honored as an Advocate for Change by the It Happened to Alexa Foundation in 2008. She is Co-Chair of the Suicide Prevention Coalition of Erie County, serves as the Project Champion for the Millennium Collaborative Care DSRIP Crisis Stabilization project and is a member of the Health Foundation of Central and Western New York’s Fellows Program. She resides in Buffalo, NY with her husband, step-son and 2 fur kids.
Episode Directory
August 2016
- 8/23/2016: The Power of Releasing a Secret: A Discussion with PostSecret Creator Frank Warren Listen Now
- 8/16/2016: Hidden in Plain Sight: Understanding Human Trafficking and What a Community Needs to Do to End This Form of Modern-Day Slavery Listen Now
- 8/9/2016: Focus On Prevention: The Fight Against Substance Abuse Listen Now
- 8/2/2016: Finding the Strength to Break the Silence: Mens Mental Health and Suicide Listen Now
