About Us
Susan and Steve Salomone and Carol Christiansen are the Executive Board of Drug Crisis in Our Backyard, a community-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization offering education and action-oriented opportunities for families and individuals struggling with addiction. The organization was originally started in 2012 by Susan and Steve Salomone, and Carol and Lou Christiansen after the loss of their sons to a battle against heroin. After news of their loss reached the community, they realized that they were not alone, that millions of others struggle in silence without any idea of the treatment options or support that is available. Seeking to reduce the stigma associated with addiction, and to help families that are still struggling, they created Drug Crisis in Our Backyard in order to promote awareness about drug use, assist addicted and at risk individuals and their families, and implement measures, including legislation, that holds accountable organizations and medical institutions that perpetuate drug use through over-prescription of opiates and other drugs.
Separately, Susan and Steve have years of business experience from their professional careers. Susan holds a Masters Degree in Counseling, CASAC and is also a certified teacher. Steve has held several high-level leadership positions, including Vice President of Marketing at R.R. Donnelly and Sons, and has worked on a range of new business development and corporate strategy initiatives.
Our Story
We are just ordinary middle class people, living in an ordinary middle class neighborhood in Putnam County, NY. Our children went to the very good public schools in our town.
Our organization was started June 2012 because of an obvious need for information on opiate addiction. We lost our son Justin on May 29, 2012 (Saving Justin) due to a heroin overdose. On June 14, 2012, Susan's article "Saving Justin" appeared in the Mahopac News. Lou and Carol Christiansen read the article and reached out to us because they had buried their son Erik that morning (Remembering Erik). We decided to meet. We were very sad but very angry. Our sons were dead and there was never a word published about the opiate epidemic that had taken over our community. We decided to go public and have a forum in Mahopac. We put together an expert panel of speakers and advertised. Over 200 people showed up. That is when we knew we weren't alone. Since our founding in 2012, we have had numerous forums featuring multiple speakers with expertise in various fields related to addiction and mental health. We also continue to show up and tell our story everywhere we can. Not one more person should die of a opiate overdose.
Separately, Susan and Steve have years of business experience from their professional careers. Susan holds a Masters Degree in Counseling, CASAC and is also a certified teacher. Steve has held several high-level leadership positions, including Vice President of Marketing at R.R. Donnelly and Sons, and has worked on a range of new business development and corporate strategy initiatives.
Our Story
We are just ordinary middle class people, living in an ordinary middle class neighborhood in Putnam County, NY. Our children went to the very good public schools in our town.
Our organization was started June 2012 because of an obvious need for information on opiate addiction. We lost our son Justin on May 29, 2012 (Saving Justin) due to a heroin overdose. On June 14, 2012, Susan's article "Saving Justin" appeared in the Mahopac News. Lou and Carol Christiansen read the article and reached out to us because they had buried their son Erik that morning (Remembering Erik). We decided to meet. We were very sad but very angry. Our sons were dead and there was never a word published about the opiate epidemic that had taken over our community. We decided to go public and have a forum in Mahopac. We put together an expert panel of speakers and advertised. Over 200 people showed up. That is when we knew we weren't alone. Since our founding in 2012, we have had numerous forums featuring multiple speakers with expertise in various fields related to addiction and mental health. We also continue to show up and tell our story everywhere we can. Not one more person should die of a opiate overdose.
For too long, drugs of all kinds have been flowing into our streets, and into our homes. We have created this group to raise awareness about an issue that many families are suffering with and one that must be brought out into the light. Most specifically, parents and community leaders need to be made aware of the prevalence of prescription drug use and how it is being over-prescribed by doctors. In doing so, we hope that we can foster a productive and inspiring dialogue around the issues of drug addiction and what you can do to prevent it in your family.
Our Mission
- To promote awareness of the rampant use and dangers of prescription and illegal opiates in our community.
- To reduce the stigma associated with addiction by educating and informing the public at large that Addiction is a Disease.
- To assist individuals who are addicted or at risk, and their families by providing resources and support.
- To advocate on relevant issues that promote and enhance the recovery community.