Thursday, October 22, 2015

How NOT to cover addiction treatment in Berks County

by Steve Reinbrecht

The Reading Eagle tries so hard to look like a real newspaper when it writes about important topics. But the newsroom leadership has so little journalistic know-how that most of its investigative efforts are gibberish.


 An example is the “gotcha” story on the front page Thursday, with a typically meaningless headline, “The silent treatment,” about a drug-treatment lobbying group.

The web headline tries harder: “On drug abuse policy, one group wields enormous clout but is shrouded in mystery.”

But the 1,600-word story about the Drug And Alcohol Service Providers Organization Of Pennsylvania never explains what the damn problem is.

What sneaky behind-the-scenes shenanigans does the Eagle think it has discovered in its self-described “scrutiny of DASPOP”?

What’s an example of the “enormous clout” the group has had? Why not ask Judy Schwank or Tom Caltagirone. And how has that harmed addicts seeking treatment?

The paper quotes lots of people saying opiate-addiction treatment is ineffective. So how is that the DASPOP’s fault? How has the lobbying group detrimentally affected how addicts get treatment? The story never says.

The big claim is that the Eagle can’t get a list of its members.

The story tries hard to justify its existence:

“The identity of DASPOP's membership has taken on greater relevance as Berks County and Pennsylvania struggle to cope with an epidemic of heroin deaths. Many parents, having spent tens of thousands of dollars on drug treatment on children who subsequently return to drug use, view the system that DASPOP appears to represent with skepticism.

" ‘The rehabs are counting on you relapsing," said Cindy Wanamaker, a Chester County resident who has a 28-year-old son with a history of heroin abuse. "I am sorry; they just are.’ "

But the Eagle never says how identifying DASPOP’s members might relate to the epidemic of deaths, or how the system “that DASPOP appears to represent” is letting them down. What’s the “relevance”?

STORY IDEA: If rehabs want victims to relapse, why not investigate the rehabs?

Not one is contacted or even named in this goofy story.

The Eagle lists the sob stories:

“Wanamaker took out a home equity loan to pay the $30,000 bill for her son's stay at a Berks inpatient facility. It was one of at least six rehab stays.

“Rich Gunter of South Heidelberg Township wiped out a retirement account as he and his wife tried to help their son fight heroin addiction. Between multiple rehab stays followed by relapses, wrecked cars and stolen family items, the struggle has cost the family more than $100,000.

“Julie Umstead of Lower Pottsgrove Township estimated she has spent $34,500 on treatment alone for her 20-year-old daughter, including $19,000 out-of-pocket for a stay in a Berks program.

“Coleen Watchorn of Limerick Township said she and her son's father spent more than $50,000 before their son, Stephen Watchorn, died of a heroin overdose in 2012."

But the reporter never identifies any of these ineffective institutions, much less calls them to ask about the accusations. Is the policy not to embarrass any advertisers or prospective advertisers?

Or maybe he asked, but the families forgot.

“She [Watchorn] said, ‘I can't even remember all of the treatment facilities he went to.’ "

Why not investigate treatment in Berks County?

Here are some basic questions. I’m sure COCA has these answers at its figurative fingertips.
  • How many people need treatment for opiate addiction in Berks?
  • What exactly happens to addicts when they call a hotline? What steps would they follow to get treated and how does that work in reality?
  • What do police do when they make an arrest for opiate related crime? Is treatment offered?
  • What happens to an addict suffering withdrawal who appears at one of the hospital emergency rooms? Are they offered treatment?

The Eagle ran a story about a family apparently turned away from “the hospital,” again not identified. Why not look into this?


Thursday's front-page story is a waste of ink and pixels. How about educating us on the mayoral election, or where Reading’s community development money goes, or what happens to the houses on the city’s blighted-house list?

Thursday, October 1, 2015

Maybe Berks County schools aren't doing so well on PSSAs

by Steve Reinbrecht

Contrary to the Reading Eagle’s headline, maybe Berks County students aren’t doing so well on the PSSAs.


I looked at eighth-grade math scores, which seem important. We can’t compare scores from year to year, but we can see how Berks students do relative to state averages.

The scores show Berks students declining compared to the state.

Eighth graders in three more Berks County districts scored below the state average in math than did five years ago, according to standardized PSSA test scores the state released this week.

In the 2009-2010 school year, three Berks districts' eighth graders scored below the state average in math: Hamburg, Antietam and Reading. Those districts had about 1,270 eighth-graders.

In 2014-2015, Hamburg eighth-graders scored above the state average, but those in Tulpehocken, Brandywine Heights, Kutztown, Muhlenberg, Antietam and Reading did not. Those districts had about 1,720 eighth-graders.



Did the Reading Eagle give the pope enough coverage?

Eight top-of-A1 Japan-bombs-Pearl-Harbor headlines in eight days.