The United States is currently experiencing an epidemic of opiate addiction, which is destroying communities, families, and individual lives in the PA-WV-OH area. The Opiate Reform Initiative (ORI) is a group of individuals with the shared goal of fighting this epidemic and restoring health and wellness to our local communities.
We accomplish our goals through the efforts of our members and by focusing on 3 main avenues of change; Education, Legislation, and Subsidization.
Details of our current projects can be found below. A list of all upcoming educational events can be found under the RESOURCES tab.
The ORI was formed by Dr. C. Thomas Brophy, a multi-boarded physician who is trained in Emergency Medicine, Disability Medicine, and Addiction Medicine.... and Warden Joe Demore, who serves as current Warden of the Butler County Jail. (please read the 'About Us' section for details)
We have recently expanded to include approximately a dozen physicians from various medical specialties, as well as several political and non-political pillars of our communities in the Ohio & Allegheny Valley Region. We are a well rounded diverse group, all of whom are dedicated improving our communities, and have agreed to pull together resources in support of opiate education and reform.
Please click on the Advisory Board link located at the top of this page to see the names of those involved in our organization.
The first rule of warfare is to understand and know your enemy. At The ORI, we understand that educating people on opiate addiction is a vital aspect of this battle.
We strive to educate Community Leaders, Teachers, Law Enforcement, Civilians, and Healthcare Providers. We hope this education allows others to 1. Avoid Addiction, 2. Recognize Addiction, and 3. Streamline those suffering with addiction into proven quality treatment programs.
Legislation is a critical part of this fight to regain control in our communities. We help support legislation that will change the landscape of this battlefield, and give our citizens an advantage over the epidemic that is devastating our communities.
Our members frequently reach out to local and national Politicians and other Community Leaders, with the goal of forming relationships and opening discussions that will help lead to opiate reform legislation.
As a group comprised of several different types of physicians, our members have seen the many ways in which this opiate epidemic has changed the landscape of healthcare delivery. Physicians must walk a fine line, and avoid opening the door of opiate addiction, but also control pain effectively for patients. This is a very complex issue.
We are always consulting and discussing the various ways in which we can improve healthcare delivery, and better navigate the challenges of controlling the pain of patients while avoiding the pitfalls of opiate addiction.
We are currently working on an Education Platform which can be installed in local healthcare networks with the purpose of initiating protocols and modifying current treatment guidelines, with an ultimate goal of combatting opiate abuse in the community that begins in local healthcare systems.
As a non-profit organization, we at ORI also have a goal of obtaining Federal Funding and grants, and using these funds to help bring treatment options available to people who otherwise can not afford quality treatment themselves.
We focus on Veterans of the Armed Forces, the uninsured, as well as Women who are pregnant, women who are victims of domestic abuse, and teenagers with no parental support systems. We realize there are many other demographics that also need assistance, but we focus on these groups because we feel they are highly vulnerable in todays society.
As we expand, we hope to help many other demographic groups that are in need of assistance.
For a list of UPCOMING EVENTS, please click on the RESOURCES tab at the top of the page.
We are always accepting the help of volunteers. If you would like to contribute, in any way whatsoever, please contact us and a member of our team will get back to you as soon as possible!