‘Battling Opioids’ to Address Effects of Opiate Crisis on Pennsylvania’s Children April 11



 

PA Public Media to broadcast Part 2 of award-winning statewide program 

 

March 14, 2019 — In the second program in an award-winning series, Pennsylvania’s Public Media networks will focus on children and families in “Battling Opioids: Part 2,” airing statewide at 8 p.m. on Thursday, April 11. The television program will feature a 30-minute newsmagazine of stories from across the Commonwealth followed by a panel discussion that addresses the profound impact of the ongoing crisis on children. 

View a 30-second preview here.  

“This epidemic affects all generations of Pennsylvanians, from new babies to grandparents caring for grandchildren,” says Kathleen Pavelko, CEO of WITF in Harrisburg. “We want people to understand the effects, but also to know there is help for families caring for children.” 

Battling Opioids is an initiative of Pennsylvania’s seven public media stations — WLVT/PBS39, WHYY, WITF, WPSU, WQED, WQLN and WVIA. The stations create and share programming, convene community conversations about the opioid crisis, and direct people to state and local resources, including the state’s website, pa.gov/opioids, and 1-800-662-HELP hotline.  

Battling Opioids will host a Twitter chat with family support organizations on Thursday, March 21 at 1 p.m. ET. Follow the conversation using the hashtag #PABattlingOpioids.  

The April 11 newsmagazine will be followed by a 30-minute panel discussion featuring: 

·         PA State Senator Gene Yaw (R-23), Chairman of the Center for Rural Pennsylvania, which has held 14 public hearings on opioids since 2014.

·         Allyson Hopkins, a medical home care coordinator for Pediatric Practices of Northeastern Pennsylvania who runs the Grand Love support group for grandparents raising grandchildren.

·         Cammie Anderson, a certified prevention specialist and student assistant program trainer.

·         Jayme Ferry, prevention supervisor at Crawford County Drug & Alcohol Executive Commission and coordinator for Crawford’s Overdose Prevention Coalition. 

The program is hosted by Paola Giangiacomo, award-winning host of WVIA’s television series Call the Doctor.  

“The opioid epidemic calls for an unprecedented statewide response from public media,” says Tom Currá, President and CEO of WVIA Public Media northeastern Pennsylvania. “We want to complement the efforts of legislators and organizations to help families in our communities get the help they need.” 

Battling Opioids has received major support from Geisinger and additional support from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. To learn more, visit BattlingOpioids.org and follow @BattlingOpioids on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. 

About PBS39

PBS39 is a community-owned public media station licensed in Allentown to the Lehigh Valley Public Telecommunications Corporation, serving eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey. PBS39 acts as the catalyst to promote civic engagement, and to fulfill the regional needs of the Greater Lehigh Valley through its dynamic communication platforms and resources. PBS39 Reporter Corps journalists are embedded in the ten counties that make up the Greater Lehigh Valley. The Reporter Corps creates community-focused content for PBS39 News Tonight and for the PBS39 digital platform. For more information, visit PBS39.org

 

 

 

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