Local NPR Station Spotlights Substance Use on Cape Cod
On the December 29, 2016 radio show The Point, Mindy Todd hosted a discussion of alcohol misuse and addiction on Cape Cod. The Point is an award-winning public affairs program that is broadcast from Cape Cod’s local NPR station WCAI. Discussion points included the difference between alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence, the health risks associated with alcohol use, and treatment options in our region. Barnstable County Department of Humans Services Senior Project Manager Vaira Harik began the discussion by presenting statistics on the prevalence of alcoholism on Cape Cod and the human and financial costs associated with the problem. (The Human and Financial Costs of Substance Use in Barnstable County, March 2015).
Guests included: Dianne Wells, nurse practitioner with an interest in women in recovery at Mashpee Family Medicine; Suzanne Robbins, director of clinical operations at the Community Health Center of Cape Cod; Tim Lineaweaver, senior clinician at Recovering Champions; Bill Dougherty, executive director of Recovery Without Walls; and Ray Tomasi, president of Gosnold on Cape Cod.
Barnstable County Regional Substance Abuse Council (RSAC) establishes a communication infrastructure across towns, providers, organizations, and individuals on Cape Cod to identify and address regional gaps and disparities in the substance use service provider system, maximize inter-agency collaboration and maximize funding and resource opportunities. RSAC strives for a coordinated and comprehensive regional approach to substance use across the continuum of prevention, treatment, intervention, and recovery.
