Transcription
0:00:00
All right, L-E-T-S-G-O. All right, it’s always fun to have a newbie in the studio. And usually this would be a thing that Dale would do, doing this lovely interview, our 8:20 interview. Once a month we get a visit from our friends over at McCall, the behavioral health group, and Kyle joins us this morning. Hi, Kyle!
0:00:40
Howdy.
0:00:40
So Kyle has not done this radio thing before, so he was a little bit nervous, and I did mention that we might sing and dance on the radio. You’re for it. But really, nothing to worry about. All right, I’m kidding.
0:00:51
Kyle Fitzmaurice is here and he is with McCall. He’s the Community Engagement Specialist over at McCall, which is a big long name. It is quite a long name. And what is it exactly does the Community Engagement Specialist do, Kyle?
0:01:10
So we work under CLEAR, which is Community Law Enforcement Addiction Recovery. So basically I work in collaboration with our police partners. My team and I respond to overdoses or other medical events similar to that. And we work with folks who are at risk for similar events to that. So a lot of it is outreach, connecting with folks.
0:01:27
So do you get called by the police to come or are you with them or how does that work?
0:01:33
So 12 to 24 hours after some sort of medical event or after the police meet somebody who’s at risk, they’ll kind of bring me in.
0:01:39
Got it.
0:01:40
Yeah. So fascinating. And such an important part of law enforcement and addiction services, right? To get folks that are struggling with addiction, not only, I mean, obviously, they have their troubles with the law, but really to get with somebody that can help them with their addiction.
0:01:59
Absolutely. I think for so long, we’ve kind of only looked and treated addiction with penalizing it. Right. I think for right now we’re trying to take this new step in another direction about support and connection. And it’s been really, really wonderful.
0:02:11
We’ve seen some awesome results from it.
0:02:13
And Kyle’s a local guy. You grew up in Torrington. I did. And how nice that you’re still here in our community making a difference. You know, it’s hard for us parents to keep our kids here. So thank you for that.
0:02:29
All right, so you have a big event coming up with McCall. So let’s talk about that. It’s Overdose Awareness Day. Is that like a national thing?
0:02:38
It is. It’s a national holiday. The actual holiday is on the 31st, but the Litchfield County Opiate Task Force, so it’s not just McCall, is hosting this big event on the 28th this year at Coe Park, 530 to 8. In its overdose awareness, it’s a vigil and it’s a resource fair. So we’re gonna start around 530 with the resource fair and then around seven when it gets dark out, we do a candlelight vigil.
0:03:04
So I think, you know, starting in this work, I don’t have lived experience. I’m not in recovery myself. And I remember thinking when I first started, like, is this an event that I should be going to? You know?
0:03:14
And this event, like, after going to it, it is all about connection and support, and it’s honoring people that we’ve lost from overdose. And also offering a space where people can connect who are still here.
0:03:29
You know, addiction, substance use, overdose, it’s all stuff that’s so taboo and it’s talked about only behind closed doors. And we need to normalize the conversation if we’re going to have any positive change. And that starts with family members, it starts with friends, and that goes a long way.
0:03:43
I think, too, you know, give me a, raise your hand if you have not been in contact or connected with somebody. We all know somebody. Right? We all know somebody. Absolutely.
0:03:57
And whether or not they have had the unfortunate problem of an overdose or just have an addiction issue. Everybody has had some sort of a connection with that. So important. Absolutely. So the other thing about this, so we have a vigil, so we can honor those that we’ve lost, but also the resource fair, I think is such a great idea as well.
0:04:21
You know, I for one, I don’t know how to use Narcan.
0:04:23
I’d love to teach you before we go.
0:04:25
There you go, right? I mean, again, I know that so many places now, it’s available. Yeah, totally.
0:04:31
And it’s available, it’s legal. If you go through McCall or Litchfield County Opiate Task Force, it’s free, or you can buy it over the counter at most pharmacies. And, you know, I think there’s this common misconception that it’s either not legal or it’s unsafe, and it’s super, super safe to use. Everybody should carry it in their first aid kit, in their cars or wherever else. I think the more access we have to it, the less people we’re going to see, we lose from it.
0:04:55
Right. Can you be hurt by it? Like in other words? No, not at all. If I don’t know that you’ve OD’d, but I maybe think that maybe you have, but I don’t know.
0:05:03
I could Narcan myself right now. Yes. It’s not going to do anything.
0:05:07
Okay. Yep.
0:05:09
But that is the lifesaver.
0:05:10
It is. Right? Absolutely. Narcan is like the company name. It’s actually Naloxone. That’s like the pharmaceutical name so sometimes people get confused you know to hear the different names so those are the two.
0:05:18
And it’s not just a it’s a I think back in the day used to be just a shot but not anymore right?
0:05:22
It’s a nasal spray now yeah yeah we’re super easy it’s just like a Afrin or anything else you put it up their nose and you hit the button. So you do suggest that we keep it hand yeah absolutely never know. Right and I think we you know we all have this image of what a person who might be using substances looks like and it’s never correct. It’s so often that we have this person, you know, because I respond to these overdoses and I’m meeting people who, some of them are businessmen, some of them are in these beautiful homes and some of them are not. And addiction touches everybody. So we have to be prepared for that when it happens.
0:05:54
So it’s such a good point too, right? Because we can be fooled. Actually we’re fooled all the time.
0:06:00
It’s a human thing, a human condition to have biases and I think we have to talk about them if we’re going to handle them appropriately.
0:06:08
Such a great point. Now, why are people overdosing? I mean, if you open the newspaper, listen to the radio, I mean, Matthew Perry was another good example. It’s horrible and it’s so heartbreaking. It really is. So what is happening? Is it the strength of the substances that they’re using? Is it just despair and all of the above?
0:06:32
It’s such a nuanced question. I think a lot of it can be person-dependent.
0:06:35
Look at me with a nuanced question for Kyle.
0:06:38
But I think there are very common threads. And those common threads are, one, our drug supply right now on the street is unregulated and it’s unsafe. And two, people are using alone because of the stigma around substance use. People don’t want to talk about the fact that they use drugs. They don’t feel comfortable to admit to the fact that they use drugs and because of that they use behind closed doors and they’re more likely to pass away because of it.
0:06:58
But there’s so much that we can do to combat that. You know, as people who maybe don’t use drugs but care, one is carrying a naloxone, but two is like be open-minded and non-judgmental. When we lead with empathy, like so much can happen. You know, it’s hard to know what to do or what to say. Not everybody’s a therapist, right? But when we can lead and show that we care, I think that’s a step in the right direction for sure.
0:07:23
Absolutely. Anytime you can be supportive and be there for somebody, life is a lot easier when you’re going through it with somebody next to you.
0:07:31
That’s right.
0:07:32
On whatever level.
0:07:33
Absolutely. Right? And we don’t have to understand to be empathetic. I’ve never been in those shoes, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t care.
0:07:41
Exactly. Good point. All right, so the time goes so quickly, friend. So, okay, this event, the vigil, everyone is welcome to join. You don’t have to necessarily have the direct connection, but if you do for sure, I think you’ll find that this is a supportive thing. Yes.
0:07:57
Just give us the quick details on the event again.
0:07:59
It’s going to be August 29th, 5:30 to 8:00. We’re going to have the resource fair and then the candlelight vigil. We should have about 17 or 18 folks who are going to be there as providers. And it’s not just for people who use substances, you know, it’s family members, it’s loved ones, like we’re not, you’re not alone in this. And I think it’s important to get care for yourself too.
0:08:16
We are so lucky to have the McCall Behavioral Health Group in our midst. Folks like Kyle and Maria and everybody that comes in through these doors. You make a huge difference in our community. We thank you and we encourage you to join in the vigil or the resource fair on the 29th.
0:08:38
Oh, one more plug. If people are looking for Naloxone, you can call McCall at 860-496-2100. Ask for clear. I can train you in two minutes and it’s free.
0:08:47
Boom, good job. All right, you guys, Kyle’s first on-air experience. I think he did okay, don’t you? I think so. I hope so. Thanks, Kyle.
0:08:57
Come back again. It’s already 8.30 and time to go back to the newsroom.