Hen Hud and Community Coalition Host a Forum on Addiction

The Cortlandt Community Coalition and the Hendrick Hudson School District collaborated on an important event that was held May 14 at the Hendrick Hudson High School auditorium. The topic was addiction – more specifically, the life and death of a young Yorktown man who died of an overdose and left behind a legacy of music as well as sadness.

Justin Veatch passed away at home in 2008 at the age of 17 from an accidental heroin overdose. His father, Jeffrey Veatch, is a prolific speaker locally and regionally, who shares Justin’s story in order to raise awareness of how complicated the problem of addiction can be. One of his recurring themes is how fellow teenagers can help their friends by speaking out to adults about concerns. At this event, Jeffrey Veatch shared a documentary about Justin’s life and work, Whispering Spirits.

Always musically inclined, Justin had a home-based recording studio, and his goal was to sign a record deal. After Justin’s death, his father went on to contact some of the musicians Justin admired most and shared his music with them. The message that Mr. Veatch shares is not an easy one for parents to hear. Sometimes, when your child is challenged by addiction, there is only so much you can do. The rest is up to the individual. But recognizing that your loved one has a problem is an important first step.

Colleen Anderson, Coordinator of the Cortlandt Community Coalition organized the event. Hen Hud Drama Club advisor Clare Carey provided setup, lights and sound. The District’s Director of Pupil Personnel Services Lynn Rafalik and Cortlandt Town Supervisor Linda Puglisi introduced the panel and thanked the audience for attending. Student Assistance counselor Angela Alvarado also gave an opening statement to let the community know how prevention and early intervention have worked within Hendrick Hudson through the Student Assistance Program. She spoke about current trends and explained how people can reach her. Andrea Fallick, also of Student Assistance Services moderated a panel discussion along with Mr. Veatch, Ms. Alvarado, and Dr. Rachel Schoolcraft, an addiction specialist in the Phelps Hospital system.

Alvarado, who works at the high school, responded to a number of parent questions, including the issues of confidentiality, especially when a student is older than 18 and subject to HIPAA privacy regulations. Also discussed was a gap in support for 18-to-24 year-olds in the community, especially those out of high school who are not yet working full-time or in college. In a conversation after the event, Alvarado said that meeting the challenge of drug addiction in our community cannot be successful if it is an individual effort: it has to involve families, schools, government, community groups, and especially those who are already aware that someone is dealing with addiction.

For more information on the Cortlandt Community Coalition, visit http://www.townofcortlandt.com/Cit-e-Access/webpage.cfm?TID=20&TPID=4546. For more information on Student Assistance Services, visit http://www.sascorp.org/.