Marywood University Board of Trustees, Board Officers Announced Sister Mary Persico, IHM, Ed.D., Marywood University President, recently announced that three people have been elected to Marywood’s Board of Trustees, including two trustees who have previously served on the board and one who is serving in an ex-officio capacity. Board members include Col. (Ret.) Lorraine R. Breen, Alexandria, Va.; William R. Lynett, Clarks Summit, Pa.; and Sister Kathryn Clauss, IHM, Ph.D., Scranton, Pa. Trustees are elected for a three-year term, 2022-2025. Board officers include: Lisa A. Lori, Esq., Philadelphia, Pa., board chair; Pia Ferrario, New York, N.Y., vice chair; Susan Cognetti, Clarks Green, Pa., secretary, and James G. Gavin, M.S.W., Scranton, Pa., treasurer. Officers also are elected for a three-year term, 2022-2025. New Marywood University Board Members Col. (Ret.) Lorraine R. Breen, Alexandria, Va. Col. (Ret.) Breen, who presently serves as Special Assistant to the President, Business Operations, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Md., has demonstrated leadership success in the health care, food service, and military professions. She previously served as a Marywood trustee from 2007-2019 before her current election. Following her graduation from Marywood with a bachelor of science degree, magna cum laude, in nutrition and dietetics, she traversed the nation numerous times and traveled around the world, while performing in prestigious positions of senior health care leadership in both the civilian and military sectors, nationally and internationally. Along the way, she also earned a master of science degree in human resources management from Chapman University, Orange, Ca. A member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND), Col. (Ret.) Breen serves on the Academy’s Executive Committee for Food and Culinary Professionals, its Dietetic Practice Group, and as the policy & advocacy leader for Food and Culinary Professionals in AND’s Dietetic Practice Group. She is the corresponding secretary, Pentagon Chapter, of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution. She has earned multiple awards and achievements, including the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal with five Oak Leaf Clusters and scores of other prestigious military awards. Additionally, Col. (Ret.) Breen was the keynote speaker at Marywood’s Opening Convocation in 2013 and was awarded an honorary degree during the ceremony. The Marywood Alumni Association recognized her with the 2013 Award of Excellence in Health and Human Services. William R. Lynett, Clarks Summit, Pa. Mr. Lynett is the Publisher Emeritus of The Scranton Times-Tribune. Mr. Lynett was publisher of The Times-Tribune from 1966-2012, CEO of Shamrock Communications from 1972-2009, and president of The Daily Review (Towanda) from 1977-1984. He and his family have a long history of civic and community leadership in Northeastern Pennsylvania and at Marywood University. He previously served as a Marywood trustee from 2007-2019 before his current election. Mr. Lynett also has served a number of professional, cultural, and educational organizations with distinction and in leadership capacities. A graduate of St. Paul’s High School, he earned a bachelor of science in accounting from the University of Scranton and is a graduate Harvard Business School’s Owner/President Management Program. Additionally, he served in the 55th Brigade of the Pennsylvania National Guard as a Public Information Officer. Mr. Lynett has merited numerous honors and awards, both for his professional achievements and his philanthropic efforts, including a listing in Marques Who’s Who in America, the Pennsylvania News Media Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award, and induction into the Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame. Along with his family, he received Marywood’s Presidential Medal as well as its “Lead On” Award. Sister Kathryn Clauss, IHM, Ph.D., Scranton, Pa. Sister Kathryn Clauss, IHM, Ph.D. Scranton, PA, elected as president of the Members of the Marywood University Corporation (IHM Congregation) in 2022, is serving on Marywood’s Board of Trustees in an ex-officio capacity. Prior to her election, Sister Kathryn served at Marywood as a liaison to ASEC, Fricchione Early Childhood Center, Marywood Heights, NativityMiguel, and the Veterans Resource Center. She also was a program manager for the Religious Formation Conference (Chicago, IL) and facilitator for congregations of religious women and men. Educated by the IHM Sisters in Scranton at St. Clare’s School and Marywood Seminary, she entered the IHM Congregation and continued her education at Marywood, where she received a bachelor of arts degree in education and a master of arts in counseling. Sister Kathryn later received a Ph.D. in marriage and family therapy at Seton Hall University, South Orange, N.J. She has devoted much of her ministry and professional endeavors to the cause of education, serving as a teacher, vice principal, and principal in elementary schools in Sayre, Pa., La Plata, Md., and Upper Marlboro, Md. She taught in the psychology & counseling program at Marywood (1995-1998), then took on leadership roles as the vice president of mission integration and corporate compliance for Maxis Health Care System at the former Marian Community Hospital, Carbondale, Pa. (1998-2002) and as counselor for missioning and community life for the IHM Congregation (2002-2010). At the end of that leadership term, she returned to Marywood and taught in the education and doctoral programs until 2014. Sister Kathryn once again served as part of her congregation’s leadership team as vice president and councilor for missioning and community life from 2014-2018. Marywood University Board Officers Lisa A. Lori, Esq., Board Chair, Philadelphia, Pa. Atty. Lori, Philadelphia, is a partner, Litigation Group, with Klehr, Harrison, Harvey, Branzburg LLP. She represents national and international businesses, including Fortune 500 companies, and individuals in a full range of complex commercial litigation matters. Since beginning her service on Marywood’s Board of Trustees in 2014, she has served as secretary of Marywood’s Board, and, for the past 6 years, as chair of the board. She has been a member of the Audit Committee, Financial Affairs Committee, Shared Governance Committee, and the Executive Committee. Atty. Lori, who holds a bachelor of science degree in fashion design from Marywood University (Scranton, Pa.), initially began her career in the fashion industry before deciding to pursue a legal career. She earned her J.D., cum laude, from Temple University (Philadelphia, Pa.), and then worked for a small firm in Philadelphia that did anti-counterfeiting work. She has been with her current firm since 2002 and was promoted to partner in 2007. Atty. Lori also earned a master of laws (LL.M.) degree in trial advocacy from the Temple University School of Law (Philadelphia, Pa.). Pia Ferrario, Vice Chair, New York, N.Y. Ms. Ferrario, New York, N.Y., is the retired CEO of Victoria’s Secret Direct. She had previously served in a number of executive leadership roles at Victoria’s Secret, a subsidiary of LBrands. She also worked in leadership and management positions for Ups’N Downs, Enfield, Conn., JCPenney, Dallas, Tex., John Wanamaker, Philadelphia, Pa., and the Globe Store, Scranton, Pa. Since her election to Marywood’s Board in 2014, Ms. Ferrario has served on the University Advancement Committee and the Committee on Trustees. She established the Angela and Pio Ferrario Memorial Endowed Scholarship at Marywood University, and she is the recipient of the Sisters of IHM Spirit Award. Ms. Ferrario’s volunteer affiliations also include Catholic Relief Services, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York, Food Bank of NYC, and the Scranton IHM Congregation, among other faith-based and educational organizations. She is a graduate of the former Marywood Seminary (Scranton, Pa.) and studied art education at Kutztown University (Kutztown, Pa.). Susan Cognetti, Secretary, Clarks Green, Pa. Mrs. Cognetti, Clarks Green, serves as a paralegal and office manager at Cognetti & Cimini. Since beginning her service as a Marywood trustee in 2014, Mrs. Cognetti has served as chair of the Committee on Trustees and as a member of the Enrollment Services and Student Success Committee and the Executive Committee. She has been the secretary of the board since 2016. Mrs. Cognetti serves as Eucharistic Minister at St. Gregory’s Parish, where she was also Parish Coordinator for First Penance and First Communion for more than 25 years. Upon graduation from St. Mary’s High School (Manhasset, N.Y.), she was a National Merit Scholarship Semifinalist and a New York State Regent Scholarship Recipient. A graduate of Manhattanville College (Purchase, N.Y.), where she majored in psychology and was certified to teach Elementary Education, K-8, Mrs. Cognetti later earned her Paralegal Certification from the Pennsylvania State University (State College, Pa.). James G. Gavin, M.S.W., Treasurer, Scranton, Pa. Mr. Gavin, Scranton, recently retired after 21 years as President/CEO of Community Care Behavioral Health Organization, a UPMC insurance company, and is currently a senior advisor to executive leadership. Elected to the Marywood University Board of Trustees in 2013, Mr. Gavin is a member of various committees, serving as treasurer and chair of finance since 2016. A professional social worker, Mr. Gavin worked in the behavioral health field for 47 years in clinical as well as management positions. Mr. Gavin holds a bachelor of science degree in sociology from the University of Scranton (Scranton, Pa.) and two master’s degrees—a master of social work and a master of managerial science—from Marywood University (Scranton, Pa.). He and his wife, Cathy, were honored with the “Lead On” Award at Marywood’s Community Leadership Celebration in 2021.
Allied Services Receives Donations FNCB Bank Donates $5,000 to Support Allied Services FNCB Bank announced its support for Allied Services with a $5,000 donation to the Vocational Services Division. FNCB will serve as returning co-presenting sponsors of Allied Services Vocational Services Golf Classic. The charity tournament is scheduled for Monday, July 11, 2022, at Glenmaura National Golf Club in Moosic, Pa. Now in its 29th year, the tournament benefits individuals with disabilities participating in training and employment programs provided by the non-profit health system. Allied Services Vocational Services Division serves over 500 individuals with disabilities each year. Individuals with disabilities enrolled in the program receive specialized training, development of work-related skills, and supervision and guidance in the workplace as needed. The goal of the program is to support and empower individuals with disabilities as members of the workforce. The Vocational Services Golf Classic features a shotgun start, lunch, cocktail hour, and an awards program. To learn more about sponsoring or participating in the tournament visit alliedservices.org/vsdgolf or call 570.348.1407. Scanlon, Howley, & Doherty, P.C., Donate $5,000 to Support Allied Services Representations from Scanlon, Howley, & Doherty, P.C. recently visited the Vocational Training Center at Allied Services in Scranton. They joined a tour of the facility to learn more about training and employment programs for individuals with disabilities at Allied Services. The non-profit health system has provided vocational support for individuals with disabilities since the 1950s and continues to offer programs at 2 centers in Scranton and Stroudsburg, and at workplaces throughout the community. Following the tour Grace Doherty Hillebrand, Esq and Matt Butler, Esq presented a donation of $5,000 on behalf of Scanlon, Howley, & Doherty, P.C. The local law firm is a returning co-presenting sponsor of Allied Services 2022 Vocational Services Golf Classic. Scheduled for Monday, July 11, 2022, at Glenmaura National Golf Club in Moosic, Pa, the Vocational Services Golf Classic will feature a shotgun start, lunch, cocktail hour, and an awards program. To learn more about sponsoring or participating in the tournament visit alliedservices.org/vsdgolf or call 570.348.1407
Live Chat Technology Helps Resolve IT Issues at Tobyhanna Live chat technology is a fast, efficient and convenient way for computer users to get in touch with Tobyhanna Army Depot’s information technology (IT) customer service team. Personnel experiencing problems with government-issued computers or peripheral equipment can click on the orange “support button” icon located on their desktop to live chat with IT experts trained to resolve any situation. Customers can reach out in the exact moment they have questions or problems they cannot solve. Beyond improving the customer experience, the ability to increase team productivity – combined with data collection – can lead Team Tobyhanna to greater success with live chat as part of its customer support plan. “The new chat feature and corresponding support tool is a force multiplier for the customer service branch,” said IT Specialist Sean Malone, Resource Management Directorate, Information Management Division. “We are able to help more people, more efficiently, and with just a few clicks, it’s even easier for the customer to request and receive assistance.” The live chat provides an easy to use customer interface, while maintaining a robust set of administrative tools, features and options, which allows the help desk agent to quickly view, troubleshoot and resolve issues, according to IT Specialist Dave Kutch. “This enhanced tool results in most issues being resolved quickly and within first contact,” Kutch said. Army standards dictate the amount of time technicians have to respond to and close a request; it varies with each task. Implementing innovative ideas such as the live chat, walk in service desk, and knowledge base library help the organization meet those requirements. “Everyone on my staff has access to the live chat capability whether they are working on or off the installation,” said Matthew Raup, Customer Service Branch chief. “The data we are able to collect with this new technology can help us track information such as how long people are waiting in the queue, the number of completed chat sessions and types of concerns.” The system also provides a transcript of each session that can be used for accountability and training, he added. Personnel can use other methods to get help with their IT issues, but the new live chat feature will be a game changer for getting the support they need, according to Malone. Personnel can submit work requests using the IT Service Desk link on the depot’s intranet site. For the do-it-yourselfers out there, the IT Knowledge Base link [also on the intranet] provides information on a number of topics. Technicians working at the service desk are available to address simple customer issues on the spot, loan IT equipment and assist users in entering help tickets for situations that require complex solutions. Lastly, people can still request assistance by dialing 5-6677; however, using the legacy phone system offers fewer options to help the customer. According to Raup the best anyone can do is leave a voice mail message, which due to the volume of calls and work tickets, could go unnoticed. The technician response time using the live chat feature averages less than two minutes. Users can continue working while waiting for a technician to come on the line, plus watch as they progress through the queue. Customer service representatives can also see the people waiting in line. “As a tech, I feel like I can be very productive using the chat feature,” said Jessica Holliman-Wilson, IT specialist. “I’m able to grab multiple chats at a time and work them all at my own pace. I’m able to provide the same level of customer service as if they are talking to me face to face.” Printer problems prompted a program analyst in the C4ISR Directorate to test the support button icon one day. “I am so thrilled with the new app,” said Christine Shuleski. “The IT technician responded quickly and once I explained what was going on, he was able to resolve the issue in a matter of minutes.” Shuleski said the live chat was such a positive experience, she asked about two other issues. All three problems were settled within about 20 minutes. The number of users and systems connected to the network far outnumber the IT experts who strive to meet or exceed customer expectations every day. The customer service branch continues to improve products, services or processes with conscious, deliberate intent to continuously invest and focus on getting better. “We’re heading in the right direction with the steps we’re making to improve customer service,” Raup said. “My goal is to fix the computer issues through whatever means possible by providing the tools and information needed to streamline the customer experience.”
Noteology Announces New Location We have been looking for a long time for that diamond in the rough. A place that was conveniently located and large enough to allow us to have an extensive retail space, a separate and dedicated area for our custom studio, & a space for our manufacturing and distribution. Finding this was no easy feat, but….after lots and lots of searching, we found it! 537 Wyoming Ave in Scranton will be the new location of Noteology. This space is everything we have been looking for and more!
PennDOT Enhances Customer Information with New Database The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced today that it has enhanced transparency for customers by launching a new database showing which vehicle inspection stations, inspectors, dealers, and issuing agents are under suspension for infractions of state inspection regulations and laws as well as contract violations. “Vehicle inspections, license plate issuance, registration and titling are an integral part of ensuring the safety and proper registration of all who travel our roadways, and consumers can use this new tool to help in making an informed decision about those services,” said PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian. Visit the Suspended Inspection Stations and Inspectors page to see what stations or inspectors are under suspension. Visit the Suspended Issuing Agents page for a list of dealers or issuing agents under suspension. These webpages consist of a daily up-to-date listing of suspended inspection stations, inspectors, dealers, and issuing agents within the commonwealth. Suspensions are levied upon an inspection station and/or inspector for a violation of the Pennsylvania Vehicle Equipment and Inspection regulations and/or Emissions Inspections regulations. Suspensions imposed on a station or inspector are the result of violation(s) uncovered during audits or from investigation(s) into complaints regarding a station or inspector. Suspensions only affect a business’s ability to perform vehicle safety and emission inspections, not their ability to offer other services. Dealers and issuing agents can be suspended for a variety of reasons when they infringe on the provisions of their contract with PennDOT. Approximately 17,000 safety inspection stations and approximately 7,700 emission inspection stations are registered in Pennsylvania, monitored by PennDOT Quality Assurance Officers (QAOs). Through regularly scheduled and unannounced visits to inspection stations, these QAOs ensure compliance with the regulations governing the inspectors, vehicle safety inspection and emissions inspection programs as well as the administrative requirements of these programs. They also investigate customer complaints against inspection stations or inspectors reported to PennDOT. There are approximately 8,000 dealers or issuing agents in the commonwealth contracted to provide services to customers on behalf of PennDOT. They are monitored by PennDOT’s Driver and Vehicle Services’ Regulated Client Services Section through unannounced audits, scheduled site inspections, analysis of internal reports of title transactions and public reports of suspected wrongdoing via the website. In cases involving criminal activity by inspection stations or agents, PennDOT turns to the Pennsylvania State Police for investigations. For concerns regarding inspection stations within the 42 non-emission inspection counties, call 717-787-2895. For concerns regarding inspection stations within the 25 emission inspection counties, call 800-265-0921. You may also call or email the PennDOT tip line at 717-705-9913 or email RA-pdPennDOTTip@pa.gov. Customers with concerns with agents should call 717- 412-5300 or lodge them through a driver/vehicle contact. Follow PennDOT on Twitter and like the department on Facebook and Instagram.
The Wright Center Offers Access to Oral COVID-19 Medications In the ongoing effort to reduce COVID-19-related hospitalizations and deaths across the region, The Wright Center for Community Health is following federal and state “test-to-treat” guidelines by providing certain patients with therapeutic treatments for COVID-19 such as Pfizer’s Paxlovid. Paxlovid – which is available only by prescription – has been found to substantially decrease the chances of severe symptoms in high-risk patients such as older adults if it is started early in the course of infection, typically within five days of symptoms appearing. Individuals 12 and older who test positive for coronavirus are eligible for the treatment if they meet certain criteria, such as having an underlying medical condition that puts them at increased risk for complications. Individuals who are prescribed the treatment during a visit at The Wright Center for Community Health Mid Valley Practice in Jermyn can obtain the medication on site. At The Wright Center’s other clinics in Northeast Pennsylvania, a patient in need can have the prescription immediately sent a pharmacy supplier of Paxlovid. “Early treatment can make the difference between a relatively quick recovery and a much more difficult, potentially life-threatening, situation,” said Dr. Jignesh Sheth, chief medical officer of The Wright Center for Community Health. He noted that the health center has supplies of both Paxlovid and another antiviral medication, molnupiravir, allowing for a rapid and seamless response between a patient’s positive test result and the start of treatment. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized Paxlovid’s use in December 2021, but distribution efforts were initially spotty. Since then, Pfizer ramped up production, and the White House last month announced plans to expand access to the treatment. Paxlovid is now widely available in community pharmacies. Possible side effects of the oral antiviral include an impaired sense of taste, high blood pressure, diarrhea and muscle aches. If you are taking other medications, talk with a health care provider about potentially significant drug interactions. Paxlovid is not recommended in patients with severe kidney or liver impairment. For eligible patients, The Wright Center also continues to offer monoclonal antibody infusions – an FDA-authorized therapy that has been shown to lessen the severity of COVID-19 symptoms for certain individuals deemed at increased risk of hospitalization. Although several monoclonal antibody medicines have received the FDA’s authorization during the pandemic, only one, bebtelovimab, is currently continuing to be used because of its proven effectiveness against the omicron variant. Delivered via an intravenous “push,” the medication is administered to the patient in about two to six minutes, followed by one hour of observation in the clinic. The therapy is a one-time treatment. In total, The Wright Center has administered more than 1,400 COVID-19 monoclontal treatments in the past 18 months, helping to lower the burden on the region’s hospitals by limiting severe illness and saving lives. For more information about The Wright Center’s health services, including its COVID-19 testing and treatment options, call 570-230-0019 or visit www.thewrightcenter.org.
Greater Scranton YMCA Receives Grant from SACF On May 20th, 2022 the Greater Scranton YMCA was awarded a $14,000 Community Needs Grant from the Scranton Area Community Foundation. The grant will support aquatics staffing at the YMCA. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Greater Scranton YMCA was able to fully staff both pools in its facility and offer 283 swim lessons per session. Currently, the YMCA is only able to offer 183 swim lessons per session, a reduction of more than 600 swim lessons annually. The biggest loss, though, has been to our community, as learning to swim is one of the most important life lessons a child can learn. This grant award from the Scranton Area Community Foundation will allow the YMCA to increase lifeguard pay rates with the goal of attracting more staff, as well as retaining existing staff who need a pay increase. Adding more team members to the aquatics department will directly impact the YMCA’s capacity to provide needed services to our community, including offering an increased number of life-saving swim lessons annually, making more pool time available to members and guests, and ensuring the resources are available to implement more youth, adult and family programming. “It’s because of the generosity and support of community partners like the Scranton Area Community Foundation that the Greater Scranton YMCA is able to serve so many members of our community,” said Trish Fisher, President & CEO, Greater Scranton YMCA. “We are confident this grant award will allow our YMCA to better serve our community through aquatics programming!” For more information about aquatics programming at the Greater Scranton YMCA contact Ken Brewster, Aquatics Director, at kbrewster@greaterscrantonymca.org or call (570) 828-3112.
Wolf Administration News Wolf Administration Urges Pennsylvanians to Review Transit Options and Apply for Transportation Assistance Programs, Highlights Importance of Access to Health Care and Jobs Officials from the Pennsylvania departments of Transportation (PennDOT) and Human Services (DHS) today urged Pennsylvanians to use Find My Ride (FMR) to learn about public transit options and apply for transportation assistance programs. The participants underscored transit’s critical role in getting people to work and medical appointments while connecting them to their communities. Public transportation services are available in every county in Pennsylvania, including: Shared ride service in all 67 counties;Fixed route bus service in 49 counties; andFixed route rail service in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. “Transit provides a vital connection to jobs, to medical appointments, and to our communities,” said PennDOT Deputy Secretary for Multimodal Transportation Jennie Louwerse. “We urge Pennsylvanians to try transit, and we’re excited that it’s now easier to access these services.” Citizens are encouraged to use FMR Apply, an online tool which was developed collaboratively with transit agencies and streamlines the application process for the five largest transportation assistance programs in the state, including the Senior Shared Ride program, the Medical Assistance Transportation Program (MATP), ADA complementary paratransit, the Persons with Disabilities program and the Free Transit Program. Additionally, FMR Apply allows third-parties, such as a family member or healthcare provider, to apply for services on behalf of a rider. Collectively, 24.4 million trips supported by these programs were provided to Pennsylvanians in the 2020-21 fiscal year. An additional 141 million trips – including 17.7 million free senior trips – were provided through fixed route service in the 2020-21 fiscal year. Since the rollout of FMR Apply in May 2021 via transit agencies, assistance-program applications have been processed for nearly 8,000 Pennsylvanians and benefits to transit agencies, PennDOT, DHS, and customers have been considerable. Customers do not need to determine what programs they are eligible for, and this, coupled with the user-friendly application has resulted in an increase in applications submitted. Automatic data validation within the application has resulted in improved data accuracy, saving transit agencies time and money in processing applications. Transit agencies can process applications more efficiently, which allows transit users to access benefits more quickly. “The Wolf Administration is always working to make the services we provide easier to access for the people we serve, and the Find My Ride tool is an excellent example of collaboration between state agencies in making this happen,” said Andrew Barnes, Deputy Executive Secretary for DHS. “Nobody should let a lack of transportation keep you from getting to a doctor’s appointment or filling your prescription. I encourage anyone who needs transportation to their physician, pharmacy, dentist, or other necessary medical services to apply today.” DHS’ MATP program provides non-emergency medical transportation for Medicaid-eligible consumers who do not have access to transportation. MATP funds more than 9 million trips annually, and each county provides the type of transportation that is the least expensive while still meeting an individual’s needs. Contact information specific to each county MATP provider can be found at matp.pa.gov. Accessibility was a key focus when developing FMR Apply, with emphasis on validating color contrast, use of captions, use of assistive reader devices, sentence length, and reading level to evaluate the forms accessibility. User feedback has been extremely positive and has been demonstrated by the continuous increase in online applications. FMR Apply leverages Keystone Login, a single, secure user credential that can be used to log into multiple Commonwealth online services. The team that developed FMR Apply was recently recognized with a Governor’s Award for Excellence. Find My Ride’s education and application modules were developed over two years, made possible by $1 million from the Federal Transit Administration and $1 million in state transit funding. More information on public transit and alternative transportation options like ridesharing, biking, and walking, is available on PennDOT’s website. Wolf Administration Highlights Substance Use Disorder Prevention, Education Tool for Construction Industry Today, the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) and Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) joined the Associated Pennsylvania Constructors (APC) to discuss substance use disorder (SUD) in the construction industry, highlight the importance of education and prevention for employees in this field, and to remind them of available safety resources. “While not often discussed, studies have shown that, when compared to other occupations, employees in the construction field have high rates of overdose deaths,” said DDAP Secretary Jen Smith. “The risk of on-the-job injury remedied with an opioid prescription increases the chances for those in this field to develop opioid use disorder. We must ensure that employers and employees know about every resource available to them to support individuals suffering from substance use disorder.” A recent study showed that construction workers prescribed opioids for pain had a higher risk for long‐term opioid use and for developing opioid use disorder (OUD); annually, 15% of workers who were prescribed opioids became long‐term users; and, long-term users were nearly 10 times as likely to develop OUD. “The importance of employee safety and well-being cannot be overstated,” said PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian. “We need to ensure that we are prioritizing both our employees’ physical and mental health and creating a safe work environment in an effort to prevent injuries from occurring in the first place.” The Wolf Administration’s Just Five initiative is a self-paced program designed to increase awareness, reduce stigma, and provide education about SUD prevention and treatment. It is displayed as six short learning modules that each take “just five” minutes to complete. The interactive lessons include: The Science of AddictionAre You at Risk?The Dangers of OpioidsSigns, Symptoms and TreatmentHow You Can HelpThe Gift of Recovery DDAP rolled out a version of Just Five to Pennsylvania commonwealth employees in May 2021 and an additional version of Just Five is now available to all of Pennsylvania’s workforce. Since roll out, the state-wide Just Five tool has had more than 11,000 new users and users have remained engaged with the lessons for an average of 13 minutes per session. Use of the Just Five website is completely confidential and voluntary, and no personal information regarding utilization of the program is shared. It can be accessed virtually from anywhere at any time with no registration required. The program is also available in English and Spanish and accessible for individuals with visual and/or hearing impairments. “Our members are committed to having safe workplaces and healthy and productive employees,” said Robert Latham, executive vice president of Associated Pennsylvania Constructors. “We utilize a wide variety of programs and activities aimed at employee wellness, including substance use prevention. We welcome Just Five as a new tool in the health and safety toolbox.” APC is a membership organization of more than 400 contractors, consulting engineers, material suppliers, manufacturers, and others with an interest in Pennsylvania’s road and bridge construction industry. DDAP operates the Get Help Now hotline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357). The hotline is a trusted resource for individuals and/or their loved ones if substance use disorder treatment or resources are needed. The hotline is confidential, available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and staffed by trained professionals who will connect callers to resources in their community. Callers can also be connected with funding if they need help paying for treatment. To learn more about the Wolf Administration’s efforts in combating the addiction crisis, visit ddap.pa.gov.
Indraloka Animal Sanctuary to Host Sanctuary Spirits & Brew Please join us at Indraloka Animal Sanctuary for our Sanctuary Spirits & Brew event on Monday, July 18th from 3:30 p.m. – 6 p.m. This is an opportunity to meet our rescued animals and mingle with other local business professionals. You’ll have the chance to take a guided tour of the sanctuary, followed by an hour of networking. Free cheese, wine, and coffee will be provided. If you’re looking for a chance to network and hear about opportunities for your business to contribute to the community through our programs, we’d love to see you on July 18th! Register here.
