Ohio Co. Participates in the American Medicine Chest Challenge

Check out WTRF-7 media coverage of the 11/13 American Medicine Chest Challenge event! An estimated 30 to 50 community members took advantage of this free medication disposal day. Thanks to all of the community volunteers from the Ohio Co. Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition, Valley Hospice, RSVP (Retired Seniors Volunteer Program), Cardinal Health and the Wheeling Police Department (our AMCC Law Enforcement Partner), who all worked so hard made this event possible! The Coalition and its community partners were excited to take part in this national event to raise awareness and get unused & expired medications "off the street" to prevent prescription drug abuse.

"People Dispose of Old Medicine": http://www.statejournal.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=89487

Coalition Updates- October 2010

Hello Coalition Members & Community Partners!

Hope that you are enjoying this warm fall day- just wanted to share the latest coalition news & upcoming events. Read on for the latest coalition news & upcoming events!

Heather Markonich has resigned from her staff role as Coalition Coordinator and accepted a position with the Rawle & Henderson legal firm here in Wheeling. We are sorry to see her go, but wish her the best of luck in her new endeavors. Please let me know if you would like Heather's contact information to send her a card, etc. We will be hiring a new Coalition Coordinator soon- stay tuned for details about the job posting & interview process...

National Youth Leadership Initiative (NYLI): We received several applications from Ohio Co. students and will be taking about 3 to 5 WPHS youth to the first training in Canaan Valley from Nov. 4- Nov. 7. This is an exciting opportunity for youth to get involved as real community change agents with our coalition. **Julia Charvat is currently serving as the NYLI Adult Mentor working and traveling with the group but she NEEDS your help! Please contact Julia if you are interested in serving as an NYLI Adult Mentor! This is a great opportunity to work with youth on ground-breaking social change efforts!**

The American Medicine Chest Challenge (AMCC) is coming up on Saturday, November 13th from 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM at the City-County Bldg (1500 Chapline St. Wheeling, WV) . Please spread the word to your friends, families & neighbors that there will be another one-day Rx take-back event where community members can safely dispose of their prescription medications- no questions asked! We are glad to be partnering once again with the Wheeling Police Dept. on this timely event! Check out www.americanmedicinechest.com to see an interactive map of Rx disposal sites across the country (Wheeling, WV is one of 6 authorized AMCC sites in WV).

Upcoming Meetings: community participation is essential in planning & implementing evidence-based prevention strategies! We invite community members to have a seat at the table. Currently, most of our meetings are scheduled during the "lunch break" of a week-day (12:30 PM at YSS Hazel-Atlas Bldg), but feel free to set up another time to meet with me in person or by phone if you cannot make these meetings. We are always looking for new leadership and members to make their voices heard. Mark your calender:

• Monday, November 1: Social Marketing Taskforce (SMarT) Meeting
• Tuesday, November 9: Steering Committee Meeting
• Wednesday, November 17: Underage Drinking Prevention Subgroup (UPS) Meeting
• Mon., December 6 & Tues., December 7: Communities Mobilizing for Change on Alcohol (CMCA) Training at Grand Vue Park in Marshall Co.- FREE 2-DAY TRAINING (10 Am to 3 PM both days) WITH LUNCH PROVIDED! If you're interested in community organizing & underage drinking prevention, this is a fantastic opportunity you will NOT want to miss!!

As always- feel free to contact me for further information or to get involved with coalition events and activities! I am excited to collaborate with you on another year of our Drug Free Communities action plan to increase community collaboration and reduce substance abuse in Ohio County. If we combine our efforts and resources, we will truly be able to make a difference in the lives of our youth and families!

In solidarity,
Julia

DEA Heads National Rx Drug Take-Back Day to be Held Saturday, Sept. 25th

AUG 19 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Drug Enforcement Administration and government, community, public health and law enforcement partners today announced a nationwide prescription drug “Take-Back” initiative that seeks to prevent increased pill abuse and theft. DEA will be collecting potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs for destruction at sites nationwide on Saturday, September 25 th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. local time. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Many Americans are not aware that medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are increasing at alarming rates, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, many Americans do not know how to properly dispose of their unused medicine, often flushing them down the toilet or throwing them away – both potential safety and health hazards.

Learn more about preventing prescription drug abuse at Take Care WV: http://www.takecarewv.org/.

Find a DEA-sponsored "Take Back" collection site near you: http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/takeback/

Look for more details coming soon about how the Ohio County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition will collaborate with local law enforcement and community members in our community!

March: Rx & OTC Awareness Month

Did you know that March is Prescription (Rx) and Over-the-Counter (OTC) Drug Awareness Month?

This week, OCSAPC is kicking off its Rx Drug Abuse Media Campaign off with two 15-second TV commercials which will air March 16-March 28, 2010 on various channels throughout the day in Ohio County. Look for them starting tonight!! We are also airing a 1-minute radio PSA on various local radio stations during this time. This media campaign aims to raise awareness of the dangers of prescription drug abuse and ways we can take action as community members to Prevent Rx Drug Abuse!

Additionally, this media campaign is designed to tie in with our upcoming 2010 Rx Drug Summit, which will be held next Friday, March 26th from 8am-4pm at West Virginia Northern Community College. There are still a few spots available- registration fee is just $5.00; a number of continuing education units (CEUs) and lunch will be provided on-site. Don't miss this great opportunity to learn more and collaborate with others in the community to prevent and reduce prescription drug abuse.

Also see these TV ads on our Coalition Facebook Page.