Substance Use Prevention Coalition Reviews Resources and Strategy

[October 12, 2023] 

The Substance Use Prevention Coalition (SUPC) met at Lincoln Memorial Hospital on October 12 to track the progress of various substance use prevention initiatives and to review an updated Strategy Map Portfolio (SMP). August’s SUPC meeting assessed the new SMP for any needed corrections or clarifications, and this month’s meeting reviewed those revisions.

Meeting members reported on area programs currently active and those planned for the near future. This year is a Youth Survey year, and Mt. Pulaski High School, Lincoln Community High School, and Hartsburg-Emden High School are all scheduled to participate when the survey is administered in the spring. Red Ribbon Week is coming up October 23-31, which is the oldest drug use prevention campaign in the U.S. Schools will be provided with red table cloths, red bracelets, red ribbons to tie around trees, red ribbons for car antennas, chalk for sidewalk messages, and Public Service Announcements for each day.

A central website for resources available in Logan County is operational: www.logancounty
resources.org.  This website provides access to information about all activities, events, and support available in Logan County from education and government to food, health, housing, and transit.

Harm reduction initiatives have provided hundreds of Narcan kits, fentanyl test strips, and xylazine test strips at Lincoln laundromats. The Logan County Health Department also carries Narcan kits and recently ordered 300 more to make available to the public.

ROSC reported that their Recovery Walk on September 30 has received continuing positive feedback. Community collaboration included refreshments provided by Lincoln Memorial Hospital and a DJ provided by Oxford House. Oxford House’s open house is October 13 from 4:00-7:00 p.m.

Crime Stoppers hopes to hold a family bowling event in February pending confirmation of scheduling. This event will offer free bowling for kids, free food, and door prizes.

Members of the meeting reviewed the SMP, which lists all of the available substance use prevention and support resources operating in Logan County for individuals, families, schools and the wider community. They added to the list the expired drug collection dropboxes at CVS, Walgreens, and the Logan County Health Department.

The meeting concluded with brief discussion of Logan County’s funds from the opioid settlement. The Logan County Board is in charge of these funds. Upon receiving the money, the decision was made to wait one year before disbursement. An application process has not yet been determined for distributing the money.

The next SUPC meeting is scheduled for November 9 at Lincoln Memorial Hospital.

[Stephanie Hall]