When he ran for Northampton County Executive, Lamont McClure identified a need for community development within the Slate Belt. After his election, he helped fund Slate Belt Rising to revitalize four northern tier boroughs - Bangor, Wind Gap, Pen Argyl, and Portland. He also mentioned his concern for the Slate Belt in his recent State of the County address, arguing for sewer along a portion of Route 611 in Upper Mount Bethel Township. Yet at the same time, perhaps unknown to him, Northampton County's Human Services Department has strangely decided to cut funding to a 15-year old drug treatment program within the heart of Bangor. Clients who could walk there will now be forced to take a us for a 90-minute ride to Easton, or arrange for transportation to another treatment center in Bartonsville.
Recovery Revolution, located in Bangor, describes itself as the "premier" outpatient addiction treatment center in the Slate Belt. Last year, 90% of its clients were located within a five-mile radius. In addition, this nonprofit also visits area schools to provide treatment to students.
Jana Morris, Recovery's Executive Director, was at last week's Northampton County Council to try to find out what is happening. She claimed that the decision was made without informing the Drug and Alcohol Advisory Board. According to Morris, her nonprofit has been dumped in favor of an our-of-county for profit provider called Pyramid. County officials told Morris that Bartonsville is in the Bangor area, even though it is farther from Bangor than Easton. There is no public transportation to the facility, either.
She also claimed that the county appears to be directing clients to the for-profit.
"A day, an hour, a minute after they ask for help is too long," Morris said of addicts. She predicted they would return to drugs rather than jump through these county hoops.
She called what is happening a local access to treatment issue.
Human Services Director Sue Wandalowski said that everyone who needs treatment will get it, but failed to explain how.
Northampton County Council was ready to fund the program itself, but decided to do some investigation first.
Executive Lamont McClure had left the meeting before Morris spoke because of a prior commitment.
16 comments:
Thank God Tara Zirinski cared enough to ask them to come to the meeting.
Enough business in a 5 mile area to keep doors open ? How many “recovery centers are in NorCo. currently?
Didn’t Lori Virgo Hefner recuse herself from this discussion, isn’t she in The pocket of pyramid?
I don’t know whether Heffner has a conflict or whether she is part of Pyramid but will check. Also, I don’t think Zrinski had anything to do with this.
4:44, according to info provided to me during the meeting, there are three.
It stinks and he knows about it. He is part of some vindictive plan to get rid of this group. There is a real nasty agenda at work here.
There is something going on that smacks of funny business. Hefner is treating this like the time she got all angry over the Courts job action. She is attacking this group for the Admisntration or someone and no one knows why.
Like the national drug peddelers that hide behind government and also peddelers the cure. This has become common knowledge that they are one in the same colluding to plunder the human soul, as well as all things real and tangible. The agenda driven blight to bright with rainbow unikorns shooting out all there asses!
Big money in addiction. Why di this happen? Why did the county screw the slate belt? Follow the money.
Poverty level in SB region is around 15%.People do not have cars. They barely have any public transportation as LANTA could give a crap about the locals here. Just throwing more dirt on the area that McClure promised to help. So much for those wasted votes of confidence.
They use nice words but they don't care. Bernie believes the heartfelt speeches. Look at Gracedale and now this. Why is the executive and his minions going all negative on this group? They are pulling out the stops to malign their creditability. Supposedly Hefner is helping. No re-election for this crowd.
The Recovery Revolution scam has run out it's course. Look who is getting rich off this Recovery sham. Glad to see they are getting responsible professionals like Pyràmid instead of this crew of local goofs in Bangor trying to make a buck. Recovery is a bunch of local losers.Now we will have professionals
This is why we can't have nice things here in the shitbelt. Heavy truck traffic, dirty dirt, sludge, garbage and all our pollution. Now our druggie kids who easily drive to NYC, Philly or Easton/PBurg are expected to drive to rehab? What a shame. Now just have everyone get a can of narcan lik e bug spray
This seems unfair to the area. The people at the county want to point these folks as scam artists, yet they gave more money to another firm. A for profit company somehow came in and got the juicy contract. The new company is on the Poconos. Wow, wonder if there are any campaign funds at play.
This entire episode needs to be fully investigated before there is a major cover up.
@12:45am Did you read the post? Recovery Revolution is NON-PROFIT. My guess is that a treatment center in Bangor would be sorely needed. What does McClure have to say about this?
Great group of people.
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