Broome County Executive Jason Garnar has officially declared the region’s heroin and opioid problem a public health emergency. In response, the new county executive wants to bring all levels of government together with local organizations to help fight the epidemic, similar to what Tioga County has done with the Allies in Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition. Broome County had 76 reported overdoses in 2016, more than triple the state average. The county’s new coalition is named the Broome Opioid Abuse Council, or BOAC, and will be headed by the Broome County Health Department. For more information, visit their website at www.gobroomecounty.com/boac.
