Confide credits cops

The Anderson Recreation Center was filled to the brim with blue uniforms on Sept. 20, when Confide Counseling and Consultation Center held its 12th Annual Criminal Justice Awards Luncheon.

The event, hosted by Confide and its Executive Director, Art Rosenthal, celebrates the center’s collaborative relationship with local judiciary and law enforcement agencies, and honors the work of individuals within the Nassau County criminal justice system to fight drug-related criminal activity and help those afflicted with drug addiction to overcome their dependency.

After a Nassau County Police honor guard presented the colors, the president of Confide’s board of directors, Jim Prinzevalli, introduced Sen. Dean Skelos, a longtime friend of the center who presented Rosenthal with a $25,000 check.

“Confide is about never giving up on anyone,” said Skelos. “And certainly as human beings and the good people that we are here—and we sometimes have differences of opinion—the bottom line is we want to make sure that the treatment that’s necessary is there for people, and that we never give up on anyone.”

After Nassau County’s director of community services, Dr. James Dolan, and Mayor Francis X. Murray praised Confide for its work, Rosenthal presented a special award to Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice, citing her dedication to the eradication of drug abuse in the County.

“Our relationship with law enforcement is not what it would appear to be from the outside,” said Rosenthal, who praised Rice in particular for the work of her Heroin Prevention Task Force. “Without law enforcement and the judiciary and related fields, most people would not get a start on substance abuse treatment.”

Rice emphasized the importance of Confide’s dedication to providing treatment for those struggling with addiction as an alternative to incarceration.

“I don’t think there is a human being—certainly not in this room, that I know—that doesn’t know someone in their life that is afflicted with addiction,” said Rice. “And we’re finally getting to the point where we’re acknowledging it.”