Keyword: 'drugs' | Herald Community Newspapers

The Bellmore-Merrick Community Parent Center, headed by Executive Director Wendy Tepfer, hosted a forum on Wednesday, “The Dangers In Your Medicine Cabinet,” which looked at the prescription-drug abuse epidemic now plaguing New York, including Nassau County.

Bellmore-Merrick Parent Center confronts Nassau’s pill epidemic

They’re called “pharm parties,” short for pharmacy parties. A group of teenagers –– perhaps as young as 12 and 13 years old –– methodically swipe opiate-based pain killers like Oxycontin and Oxycodone from their parents’ and grandparents’ medicine cabinets, dump the pills into a big bowl when no adult is looking and take turns rolling a die. Whatever number comes up, that’s the number of pills a teen must ingest. more

By Scott Brinton, sbrinton@liherald.com | 1/12/12

Saul Lerner, the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District’s director of health, athletics and driver’s education, served as a keynote speaker at a Long Island Youth Safety Coalition conference, “Drunk, Drugged, Drowsy and Distracted: Using School and Community to Create Comprehensive Solutions to Dangerous Driving.” He was joined here recently by Wendy Tepfer, executive director of the Bellmore-Merrick Community Parent Center.

Hofstra conference takes on dangerous driving

For decades, public health officials have hammered home a message –– smoking kills. They have done so in splashy advertising campaigns and in the halls of government. Any number of laws and ordinances prohibiting smoking in public venues have been passed as a result. These efforts, officials say, have paid dividends. more

By Scott Brinton, sbrinton@liherald.com | 12/6/11

Art Rosenthal, Confide’s executive director, thanked luncheon attendees for working to help people and ensure the safety and well-being of area residents.

Confide Counseling says thanks to Rockville Centre officers

The Confide Drug and Alcohol Counseling Center honored officers from the Rockville Centre and Nassau County police departments, an investigator from the state attorney general’s office, a District Court judge and one of its own staff members at its 10th annual Criminal Justice Partnership Awards, a luncheon ceremony on Oct. 7 at the Maple Avenue firehouse. more

Judy Rattner | 10/12/11

Madison Vignola, 10, read a pledge to make healthy choices during the Substance Use Awareness Walk last Sunday, assisted by Lisa Panebianco, a social worker at Riverside and Hewitt elementary scools. Penny Frondelli/Herald /Herald

Rockville Centre community takes steps against destructive decisions

Nearly 200 students, parents and educators joined local officials and members of the law enforcement community last Sunday morning for the annual Substance Use Awareness Walk at the Skelos Sports Complex. South Side High School social worker Naomi Bisk, the event coordinator, offered an introduction that made its message clear: Make healthy choices — stay alcohol-, drug- and cigarette-free. more

Judy Rattner | 10/5/11

Art Rosenthal, director of the Confide Drug and Alcohol Counseling Center in Rockville Centre, spoke of the perils of addiction during South Side Middle School’s second annual “Challenge to Choose Wisely” assembly.

Rockville Centre middle school students get a primer on good decisions

All South Side Middle School students attended the “Challenge to Choose Wisely” assembly on Sept. 7. The purpose of the presentation, in its second year, is to stress the importance of good decision making as well as the dangers of risky behavior. more

9/21/11

This unit in Old Mill Court was one of several raided by Rockville Centre police and federal agents in a narcotics sweep on Wednesday morning.

Raid breaks up village drug ring

Seven residents of Old Mill Court were among 14 suspected suppliers and dealers of heroin, crack cocaine, cocaine and prescription pills arrested by Rockville Centre police and federal agents in a … more

By Judy Rattner and Tom Steinert | 6/1/11

Rockville Centre parents invited to drug awareness presentation

The Rockville Centre School District’s Drug and Alcohol Task Force will sponsor “In Plain Sight,” a presentation for parents of students from kindergarten through twelfth grade, in an effort to raise awareness about the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse for their children more

3/16/11

Art Rosenthal, Confide Counseling’s executive director.

Addiction agencies await funding

It’s happening again, and the timing couldn’t be worse. State funds earmarked for Nassau County substance abuse programs are being held up and the agencies awaiting them are fending off crises at an unprecedented rate. Battling stoically against an ongoing heroine epidemic as well as a shameful spate of drunk driving fiascoes, neighborhood drug counseling agencies in Baldwin, Rockville Centre, Franklin Square and other areas are still awaiting a “January advance” they say the county has received but has yet to distribute. more

By Judy Rattner and Chris Connolly | 2/23/11

Cash-strapped local addiction agencies, including Confide in Rockville Centre, struggle to stay afloat

It has happened again, and the timing couldn’t be worse. Despite battling on the front lines of a continuing heroin epidemic and an unprecedented spate of drunken driving arrests on Long Island, … more

Judy Rattner | 2/16/11

Art Rosenthal and his colleagues at Confide hosted the annual Criminal Justice Awards luncheon in September.

Rockville Centre Herald Person of the Year: Art Rosenthal

At a time when the use of opiate prescription drugs and strong, cheap, readily available heroin has created an epidemic of addiction on Long Island, people in need can turn to Confide Inc. for help. On any day of the week they will find Art Rosenthal, 66, the executive director and driving force behind the outpatient drug and alcohol counseling center, in its basement offices in the medical building at 30 Hempstead Ave. more

Judy Rattner | 12/29/10