Not My Child

Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice and the Nassau County Police Department are working together to fight heroin using a "three-pronged approach" developed by Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano. The first prong is a program called Operation Heroin Abuse Location and Targeting, or HALT, which directs county money to police and the district attorney's office to combat heroin use. The second is an advertising campaign promoting awareness, and the third consists of educational outreach in schools and communities.

That means teens stand a better shot of avoiding a lifelong struggle with the drug if they are educated before they are offered it for the first time. Since heroin is cheaper than a pack of cigarettes or a six-pack of beer, it can easily gain a stranglehold on a teenager.

Rice stresses that parents cannot simply hope their children will not become heroin addicts. "I don't think a lot of parents want to keep their heads in the sand when it's a matter of life or death," she said.

To inform teens and parents about heroin's dangers, Rice and members of her staff have gone to schools around the county presenting a program called Not My Child, which aims to educate families about the rise of heroin abuse since 2008. Rice stresses that public awareness is what will truly put an end to the heroin problem.

In March, Mangano advanced the county's educational efforts, announcing that a program called the Too Good for Drugs Program would be implemented in several schools around the county.

Unlike Not My Child, which is a one-time presentation, Too Good For Drugs is a school-based prevention initiative for students in kindergarten through 12th grade with separate, age-appropriate curricula for each grade.

"Just as you cannot spend your way out of deficit, we have learned you cannot arrest your way out of a heroin epidemic," Mangano said. "Education is one of the best ways to prevent our children from heading down a very dangerous path."

The Nassau County District Attorney has recognized that the County is suffering from a heroin problem of epidemic proportions. In "Not My Child," a 45-minute slideshow presentation, her staff presents stories of heroin addiction and discusses signs of addiction and ways to try and combat the problem. The presentation includes a statistical comparison of heroin deaths to other crime related fatalities to illustrate how significant a problem this is in our communities. There is also a discussion of recent heroin investigations and their impact on our neighborhoods. This piece is designed to inform parents and educators that no child is immune from this growing problem, that it is difficult to spot in its early stages, that EVERY community can suffer from its effects and that we must all partner to tackle this deadly issue. This presentation compliments the presentations of both the police department and treatment facilities.
According to Assistant District Attorney Theresa Corrigan, who travels to high schools presenting Not My Child, it could already be too late for some students by the time the program reaches their communities. "Fourteen- to 18-year-olds are almost overtaking our rehab centers," Corrigan said. Even if parents become aware of their teens' addictions, she added, simply getting them into rehab is likely not enough. Many heroin addicts enrolled in rehab will relapse upon leaving the facility.

"The addicted has to be in the frame of mind to want to beat this," Corrigan said. Even when they commit to beating their addictions, they will potentially rely on methadone for the rest of their lives. Taking on a heroin addiction is a lifelong battle, and that is something Rice, Corrigan and Mangano hope to teach teens and parents before it's too late.

For information on how to schedule a presentation, please email Teresa.Corrigan@nassauda.org or call 516-571-3707.