Red Ribbon Week- Lock and Count Your Meds!

This year for Red Ribbon Week our coalition decided to kick off our campaign to address prescription drug abuse in Ohio County. We aim our public service announcements on WTOV and billboards around town on bringing attention to a problem which many parents and adult community members do not believe is happening to the extent that it does in our county. We are continually finding new statistics that emphasize that prescription drug misuse is on the rise with our young people.

Prescription drug misuse is reaching an epidemic proportion in West Virginia and Ohio County. In fact, WV had the highest state rate of drug overdoses leading to death for adults under the age of 45 years of age. Of 295 fatal overdoses, prescription pain medication contributed to 93.2%.

At the local level, Ohio County has a higher rate of youth non medical use of pain relievers than several southern counties and the state rate of use (National Survey on Drug Use, 2003). Youth often gain access to prescription drugs from family, friends and directly from the medicine cabinet. Research indicates that teenagers abuse prescription drugs more than heroin, cocaine, methamphetamines, crack or ecstasy; partly because they see prescription drug misuse as “safer” than other drugs (WV Drug Abuse Quit Line, 2008).

We are asking the community to "Lock and Count Your Meds."

Parents Promote Prevention

As a result of our Parent Town Hall meeting, some local parents decided to continue meeting to promote prevention with Ohio County youth. The next meeting is Oct. 28 from 6-8pm at Christ United Methodist Church. All parents or grand parents welcome!

Topics:

• Support & Ideas
• Education of Parents
• Prevention Strategies
• Real Life Solutions
• Partner with schools and churches

Parents Unite in Prevention

Our recent Parent Town Hall style meeting brought together parents with concern for underage drinking. It has prompted them to start meeting on a monthly basis. The next meeting will be Oct. 28 from 6-8pm at Christ United Methodist Church. Share information and explore ideas on substance abuse prevention and early intervention. Parents have said they want to support each other as they deal with substance abuse issues with their teenagers.

Parent Point Of View! It's Crucial!

Ohio County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition has spent a good deal of energy addressing youth retail access to alcohol. According to our surveys, social access through parents, relatives, and friends is the main way youth gain access to alcohol. We would like to focus on this area, however we need to know how the community thinks and views this issue. This Town Hall Meeting is an opportunity to allow the community a chance to hear information about underage drinking effects on health and well-being of youth. More importantly it is our chance to hear what to community believes in light o this information. All opinions welcome!

Community Tunes Into Prevention

OCSAPC Hosts Learning Opportunity for Community

County Coalition Project Directors from Region One WV decided they want to host a Substance Abuse Prevention Luncheon. The WV Statewide Prevention System includes all county coalitions, WV Prevention Resource Center and the WV Partnership to Promote Community Well-Being. The Partnership to Promote Comunity Well-Being is composed of members of state government and community agencies with a stake in prevention. Some of our coalition members have a counterpart at the state level representing them as they help with our community work . In order to sustain this prevention system, already in place, county coalitions across WV support codification of the partnership.

OCSAPC has the opportunity to host several WV legislators, Wheeling city officials, coalition directors and the community for a luncheon Sept. 10. We and the other county project directors aim to show off our activities and accomplishments in hopes to show the importance of prevention in WV. Wayne Coombs, Executive Director WV Prevention Resource Center, will address the group on the cost of substance abuse and the importance of state level support to continuing the statewide comprehensive prevention plan. It's very exciting and we will keep you posted on our progress.

$625,000 from Drug Free Communities Grant

Ohio County OCSAPC is among the 161 newly funded county coalitions across the country out of 417 applicants. $625,000 will be awarded over the next five years for prevention and reduction of alcohol, prescription drug and marijuana abuse and misuse. According to Gil Kerlikowske, Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, "Evidence shows the communities receiving DFC funding have lower instances of youth using tobacco, alcohol and marijuana.

Our work begins anew! We couldn't be happier for Ohio County. Our accomplishments over the last five years havebeen gratifying and we plan to continue that same enthusiasm in the next five years.

Our state is spending so much money on many issues caused by substance abuse from legal to medical; we have the opportunity to get to the root of the problem. Prevent drug abuse and you save loads of money, emotional pain, and loss of young life. We can't afford it any more! We have an opportunity here to bring attention to the problem and offer solutions. Social Change takes time and without community commitment we would be no where. You help and support is the most valuable resource we have! Receiving money to help youth in our community is tremendous and when combined with the commitment and passion our community has for something better for our youth; real change is possible.

Actions speak louder than words

Parent Town Hall Meeting Challenge!

The Parent Town Hall Meeting takes place Sept. 22 at 12:30pm at Christ United Methodist Church 1232 National Rd. The topic will be parents who play host to underage drinking parties. We have speakers lined up to address health and well-being issues surrounding youth consuming alcohol. Many parents who do host parties honestly believe it's safer for their teens. We want parents to explore what safer really means. We hope for honest, open discussion with opposing view points.

The challenge: If you see this posting and you feel strongly about this issue either way, please come to the meeting and BRING A FRIEND. Parents are a very dificult group to get together with work and children, but we could use your input on this issue. Let your community know you care about our youth.

"Life is not a game show, we don't need a host!"

OCSAPC will begin to address parents playing host to parties for underage drinkers. According to interviews with community members last year, most believe that youth gain access to alcohol through family, friends and parents. This September our coalition will hold a Parent Town Hall Meeting in which we will explore why parents supply youth with alcohol. We will consult experts from medicine, law enforcement, treatment, and recovery. A primary focus will be on youth health and well being.

"We Are The Future" youth have supplied us our game show theme which will be utilized for this campaign. We hope this will begin an open, honest dialogue within our community.