I served for the Rural Health Service Corps, a local branch of AmeriCorps, from November 2020 through May of 2021. I was fortunate to be placed at Cortland Area Communities that Care, a local nonprofit that works to address public health issues across Cortland County and the CNY region, including issues of substance use prevention, overdose prevention, and literacy promotion.

I spent much of my term working on a project and initiative that involved education and prevention work related to the opioid overdose crisis in Cortland County. I became a certified Narcan trainer, and was fortunate to co-facilitate monthly Narcan Training Pop-Up Events at many locations across the county. Narcan is a life-saving opioid overdose reversal medication that anyone can be trained to administer, though many are still unaware that it exists or its importance.

Throughout my experience, I became more precisely aware of the many barriers to accessing adequate care for opioid addictions, as well as the stigma toward people who use drugs. I passionately believe that all people deserve to be treated with human dignity and kindness. Many times, people who use opioids are not treated this way. Part of our everyday efforts was to take steps to break this stigma.

Some other highlights from my experience were my involvement with weekly blog posts, collaboration with family and community members who have lost a loved one to overdose, assisting our data coordinator, and participating in various community meetings, including various CACTC workgroups, the county’s Community Services Board and its Chemical Dependency Subcommittee. I worked with phenomenal people and even had the opportunity to work as an employee the summer following my term as a Data Assistant with the agency.

Altogether, my experiences taught me a tremendous amount of knowledge that I will carry with me for life. I was encouraged to lean into my passions and be an advocate for community change. I continued on to graduate school, where I am currently obtaining my Master of Social Work from Syracuse University. I often think back to my AmeriCorps time with significant gratitude, as I feel that it shaped me to excitedly step into my social work career.