In the News

title: Free vending machines to dispense Narcan at 7 Allegheny County locations

Trib Live

02/08/2024

Summary of the Article: Allegheny County has installed free vending machines dispensing naloxone, an opioid overdose reversal drug, at seven locations, including the Tree of Life Open Bible Church in Pittsburgh's Brookline neighborhood. These machines aim to provide 24/7 access to naloxone without requiring interaction, removing barriers for those hesitant to ask for help. The initiative, led by Rev. Lance Rhoades and the South Pittsburgh Opioid Action Coalition, also includes resources for further support. Funded by a CDC grant, the machines cost around $1,100 each. Carnegie Mellon University has similar machines, though unrelated to the county's program.

title: 7 Narcan vending machines in Allegheny County will dispense overdose reversal drug for free

90.5 WESA

01/08/2024

Summary of the Article: Allegheny County has introduced seven vending machines to dispense naloxone (Narcan) for free to combat opioid overdoses. Two machines are already operational at Jade Wellness Center and Tree of Life Open Bible Church, with more installations planned. These machines, funded by a CDC grant and local settlements, aim to provide 24/7 access to the life-saving drug without stigma. The initiative, praised for its convenience and anonymity, supports ongoing harm reduction efforts. The vending machines also feature information on additional treatment and support services. Naloxone access and other harm reduction measures have contributed to a slight decrease in overdose deaths in the county.

title: Seven Narcan vending machines to be installed around Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh Post Gazette

01/08/2024

Summary of the Article: The Allegheny County Health Department has installed three out of seven planned vending machines stocked with naloxone (Narcan), an overdose-reversing medication, around Pittsburgh. These machines, located at JADE Wellness Center, Tree of Life Bible Church, and Mon Yough Community Services, offer the medication for free and aim to reduce overdose deaths by providing anonymous access to the drug. Funded by a CDC grant and local opioid settlement funds, the initiative addresses barriers such as cost and stigma associated with acquiring naloxone. The Health Department is monitoring the machines for restocking and considering adding other harm reduction supplies in the future. The vending machines also display recovery resources and aim to engage individuals at risk of overdose by offering low-barrier access to lifesaving medication.

title: A look at the mission to stop drug overdoses in Western Pennsylvania

WTAE

10/03/2023

Summary of the Article: Pastor Lance Rhoades, of Tree of Life Open Bible Church in Brookline, has been distributing free Narcan nasal sprays to prevent overdose deaths in his community, and joined a study led by the Program Evaluation Research Unit, which showed that communities that work together to prevent overdoses have seen a 30% reduction in overdose deaths.

title: How Local Organizations Are Adapting To Meet Opioid Crisis Challenges During The Pandemic

WESA

26/04/2021

Summary of the Article: The COVID-19 pandemic has complicated the lives of people struggling with substance use disorder, which has been accelerated by factors like increasing rates of anxiety, depression, social isolation, work from home orders, high rates of unemployment and housing instability, as the CDC reports a record number of over 87,000 overdose deaths between September 2019 and September 2020, while organizations are adapting to provide mobile medicine sites, food, masks, rental assistance, and virtual support groups.

CBS

17/03/2021

Summary of the Article: Local leaders in Pittsburgh are using a new opioid overdose dashboard, compiled by the city's Office of Community Health and Safety, to identify who is struggling with opioid addiction and help them, with Pastor Lance Rhoades of Tree of Life Open Bible Church, having turned his church into a safe space for people in recovery.

Public Source

31/08/2020

Summary of the Article: The Tree of Life Open Bible Church in Brookline has reported a surge in overdoses during the pandemic, with hundreds of people attending 12-step programs, spiritual recovery groups, and family recovery groups before COVID-19 and now drawing only 40 people in person, with the rest online, while virtual meetings have seen attendance drop over 65%, leading to concerns that people struggling with addiction are missing out on opportunities to get help.

title: Isolation, overdoses, fewer recovery options: The opioid epidemic through the eyes of Pittsburgh-area recovery workers

Public Source

31/08/2020

Summary of the Article: A woman in Homewood, who lost her daughter to an overdose, has been handing out bags filled with fried chicken, recovery pamphlets, and Narcan, but the pandemic has made it harder for those suffering from addiction to get help due to social distancing, canceled support groups, and fewer people attending virtual recovery meetings.

title: Event to rally South Pittsburgh against opioid epidemic

Post Gazette

14/12/2017

Summary of the Article: The South Pittsburgh Opioid Action Coalition is holding a community resource fair called "Coming Together to End the Epidemic" tonight at Tree of Life Open Bible Church. The event will feature 20 organizations that help those affected by the opioid epidemic and is open to anyone living with addiction, affected by a relative's addiction, recovering from drug use, or concerned with the epidemic. Dinner and childcare will be provided. The South Pittsburgh neighborhoods have been hit hard by the opioid epidemic since 2015, with numerous overdoses occurring in the area.

title: How Pittsburgh neighborhood became region’s overdose capital

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

11/11/2017

Summary of the Article: Carrick, Pittsburgh's fifth-most-populous neighborhood, has been hard hit by the opioid crisis, with high levels of poverty, dislocation, and dysfunction fueling addiction, and experts suggest repurposing institutions like schools and churches and offering help to families with newborns to address the crisis.