Substance Use Prevention Coalition Reviews Prevention Initiatives in Logan County

[November 14, 2023] 

The Substance Use Prevention Coalition (SUPC) met for its monthly meeting in the boardroom of Lincoln Memorial Hospital on November 9. Nadia Klekamp of Chestnut Health Systems led the meeting via video link. The time was spent hearing updates of various preventive and supportive initiatives in Logan County and the surrounding region related to substance use prevention.

A number of prevention activities have recently taken place or are in progress. Banners are being delivered to middle and high schools targeting parents for alcohol prevention. Banners and informational cards for an anti-vaping campaign for high school students are being created. This is an Illinois Youth Survey Year and so far LCHS, MPHS, and several elementary schools are signed up to take the survey. Conversations with LJHS and other elementary schools are ongoing to encourage them to sign up. Red Ribbon week was the last week of October and schools received PSAs, chalk, and red ribbons.

Other updates included the Resource Directory at www.logancounty
resources.org,  which is being revamped. Family Custom Cleaners still has a Narcan vending machine and Narcan is also available at the courthouse and the Logan County Health Department. Narcan is now available for purchase over-the-counter and is still subsidized by the state of Illinois. Planning began for scheduling an expired drug take-back day in April in conjunction with the DEA’s biannual drug take-back day.

Plans are moving forward for a Family Drug Prevention event at the bowling alley sponsored by Crimestoppers, SUPC, and ROSC. The proposed date is in February and organizers are waiting on a cost estimate for food for the event.

The Strategy Map Portfolio is completed. Now organizers are revisiting assessment starting with environmental scans to see what is happening in the local community. Environmental scans will include fact finding about alcohol advertising, and the density of alcohol, gambling, and vaping establishments. More accessible establishments equals increased use. The environmental scans will dovetail with the Community Health Needs Assessment.

Progress is being made on the Fifth Street building (the former St. Clara’s Manor) project. The parking lot is being fixed with patching. Bathrooms and the kitchen are being renovated. Much of the building is set up for dorm-style housing, so putting in additional showers would not cause much problem. One goal for the property is to create housing for those experiencing homelessness because this type of housing is currently not available in the area. The Salvation Army was awarded funds for combating homelessness and are in discussions of how to support the Fifth Street project. The building will also contain legal aid services, and SIU will offer medical and dental services. There will be room for other “wrap-around” services, as well.

The Community Health Needs Assessment is under way. A top ten list of community needs has been compiled from the community meeting this fall. There are plans to meet with leaders of all the area hospitals, and the next step is a survey in February. There will be focus groups in July and meetings with area leaders, then a report will be published next October. One need already identified is that there is no smoking cessation program in Logan County, although there is texting support and a website.

The next SUPC meeting is scheduled for January 11. The next Community Health Collaborative meeting will be at 8:30 a.m. on December 14 in the Steinfort room at Lincoln Memorial Hospital.

[Stephanie Hall]