A Message From Legislator Delia DeRiggi-Whitton
Fall 2023
Dear Neighbor:
I hope that you and your family are enjoying a wonderful start to the 2023-24 school year! As our children return to classrooms and the leaves begin their autumnal change, our nation is highlighting another vital milestone as we observe September as National Recovery Month.
Since being established in 1989 by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, National Recovery Month has become a powerful vehicle for promoting and supporting new treatment and prevention practices, honoring the hard work and courage of Americans in recovery, and recognizing the countless service providers, communities, and organizations that make recovery available and possible for all who seek it.
In Nassau County and across our country, the perils posed by the disease of addiction are more severe than I can ever remember. As if the fentanyl crisis wasn’t frightening enough, drugs like “tranq” are adding a new type of danger to the crisis. Formally known as Xylazine, “tranq” is an animal tranquilizer that is increasingly being used as an additive to heroin, cocaine, and fentanyl. It is beginning to appear in drug tests at Nassau County treatment centers, and the effects upon users are truly horrific. Worse yet, we are learning of an emerging group of synthetic opioids that may be even more powerful than fentanyl.
These disturbing new developments illustrate how high the stakes are in the ever-evolving battle against addiction. Now more than ever, if there is a potentially life-saving resource that we can add to our toolkit, we must avail ourselves of it. That is why my office was one of the first in Nassau County to begin hosting Narcan training sessions years ago, and I have continued to work closely with stakeholders since that time to expand upon these tools.
During this Legislative term, my Minority Caucus colleagues and I have co-sponsored legislation that would require the County to add fentanyl-detecting test strips to any Narcan kit that we distribute. A second proposed law would facilitate the distribution of kits that safely destroy and dissolve unwanted prescription drugs at home. While I am disappointed that the Legislative Majority has not yet even held a public hearing on these proposals, I will not give up in the fight to enact common-sense, low-cost, and most importantly – potentially life-saving – policies.
I furthermore remain concerned by the manner in which the County is distributing tens of millions of dollars that we have received from various settlements with opioid manufacturers, distributors, and sellers. While significant sums have been earmarked to an array of worthwhile entities who are serving on the front lines of the addiction crisis, we have received little – if any – information from the administration as to whether the County has distributed the funds. With so many threats on the horizon, it is essential for these resources to be delivered in as expeditious and transparent a manner as possible.
As new proceeds arrive from future settlements, I believe that Nassau County would be well served by investing those funds into expanding Nassau University Medical Center’s detox and in-patient rehab facilities to ensure that nobody is ever prevented from getting treatment for addiction because there isn’t a bed available for them. Our unique relationship with NUMC offers Nassau County a golden opportunity to establish ourselves as a regional leader in the delivery of recovery opportunities, and it is one we should take full advantage of.
Never forget that people who are in recovery very seldom do it alone – and if you are struggling as you read this, I want you to know that there are people out there who care about you and are eager to extend a helping hand. If you need assistance with substance abuse or a mental health crisis, I encourage you to call the Nassau County Crisis Helpline at 516-227-TALK (8255) and take that first step toward reclaiming your life.
Delia DeRiggi-Whitton,
Nassau County Legislator
If I can ever be of any help, please contact my office at 516-571-6211 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Using funding secured by Legislator DeRiggi-Whitton, repairs to Baxter’s Pond are now nearly complete. Pavers have been replaced and reset, new benches and garbage receptacles were recently installed, lighting was improved, and some trees were pruned. Legislator DeRiggi-Whitton is gratified that she had an opportunity to partner with the Baxter’s Pond Foundation to beautify this wonderful community park.
Before students returned to class for the 2023-24 school year, Legislator DeRiggi-Whitton partnered with the Nassau County PBA to distribute more than 600 free backpacks loaded with supplies. Hundreds of children received filled backpacks during the drive-through/walk-up event that took place outside of Glen Cove High School. Thank you to the Glen Cove PD PBA and all our volunteers for your assistance with an event that has become a much-anticipated annual tradition!
A $65,000 Nassau County Community Development Block Grant was applied toward renovating basketball courts at the Glen Cove City Stadium. Renovations included stripping and resurfacing the asphalt, purchasing six backboards, and replacing rims and nets. The Glen Cove Community Development Agency helped to oversee the project. 
To make it easier for residents to contact the Nassau County Police Department in the event of an emergency, the Legislature’s Rules Committee, of which Legislator DeRiggi-Whitton is a member, approved a contract with a vendor that will install a system making it possible for residents to text 911 in addition to calling. These services will be especially valuable for people who are deaf or hard of hearing; have limited English proficiency; or need to reach authorities discreetly, such as in an active shooter, hostage, or domestic violence crisis.
On November 20, 2022, Corinne Kaufman’s beautiful granddaughter Paige Gibbons passed away from an accidental fentanyl overdose just four days after her 19th birthday. Kaufman channeled her grief by launching “Families Against Fentanyl,” which advocates for getting Narcan kits in every middle and high school nurse’s office and making fentanyl test strips readily available.
The Nassau County Legislature has allocated $1.55 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding toward efforts by water suppliers to remove emerging contaminants and toxins from our drinking water. This funding will be drawn from $6 million in federal funding already dedicated to support an array of water quality initiatives, and each eligible public and private water supplier will receive a $50,000 grant in support of their efforts.