Substance Use Prevention Coalition of Logan County Meets for May Initiatives

[May 20, 2024] 

The Substance Use Prevention Coalition (SUPC) met for its monthly meeting on May 9 at Lincoln Memorial Hospital. The mission of the SUPC is “to promote awareness of substance use disorder, prevent youth substance use, and improve access to resources.” Prevention Specialist Grace Irvin led the meeting.

Prevention Updates

Prevention specialists have dropped off alcohol campaign flyers and information cards at area schools. There will also be a survey about information delivery preferences. Vaping campaign lunch tables will have similar surveys. All area schools signed up to participate in the Illinois Youth Survey. Only two schools have yet to complete the survey. Prevention specialists have completed substance use education curriculum with sixth grades for the semester. National Substance Use Prevention week in May and September with chalk drawings, intercom messages, and some schools doing spirit weeks.

The Logan County Resources website is available at www.logancounty
resources.org.  To list or update an organization, contact Chestnut Health Systems.

Harm Reduction

Mt. Pulaski has 24/7 access to naloxone and testing strips at the public library. The Logan County Health Department refills its naloxone table twice a week. Information about recovery meetings and services is available at www.logan
countyresources.org.

Recovery Oriented Systems of Care (ROSC)

Summer programs include booths at Second Fridays in Mt. Pulaski and Third Fridays in Lincoln with resources to distribute and for hosting conversations. ROSC is looking at planning speaker jams and is planning another Recovery Walk in September. ROSC members will be attending a Mental Health Advisory committee meeting. ROSC just completed “Our Stories Have Power” training with Joseph Power.

ROSC representatives have been having meetings with the local jail to offer Medically-Assisted Recovery. They are working on the idea of providing resource bags to people released from jail. People are not there as long since recent changes to the law.

There is a need for volunteers to drive people to treatment as part of Safe Passages through Trillium. In Mason County, ROSC is building relationships and establishing sites for distribution of naloxone and testing strips.

The second Tuesday of the month is currently the time for ROSC meetings, but there is a survey available regarding a change of time. Hope on Fifth hosted the recent ROSC training. It is potentially home of future hybrid ROSC meetings.

Community Health

Molly McCain, LMH Community Health Coordinator, met with the Community Health Needs Assessment Advisory Board in April. Mental wellness, cancer, and unhealthy weights were identified as the top health priorities for the next three years. Mental wellness encompasses many conditions and situations. Logan County has high lung cancer rates. Unhealthy weights can include lifestyle, eating habits, exercise, etc. Logan county has a 70% obesity rate.

The environmental scan is ready to begin. There is a QR code to sign up for a site and a PDF of 50 questions to complete about each site. Community sites were randomly selected. The goal is to complete the environmental scan by August 1.

Miscellaneous Updates

Work has resumed for Hope on Fifth after a brief break. Grants are in development. Judge Tom Funk is offering legal aid and is also assisting with paperwork for funding. The goal is to offer a comprehensive, holistic approach to helping people. There are still conversations with the Salvation Army and Carle Health to offer services. There is also a goal to eventually offer a food pantry. Recovery meetings and veteran’s meetings are already established. Fundraising opportunities will be forthcoming.

Family Guidance Centers, Inc. has launched a new website. They have funding through the next fiscal year.

Discussion about how to bring others into the SUPC as there has been attrition at meetings. Discussion and brainstorming is set for the next meeting for how to recruit and invite more interested parties.

Gateway is opening a new site in Peoria. Gateway has been standardizing each office in its various locations.

The Logan County Health Department has many red boxes still available for collecting sharps. The grant for providing sharps disposal ends in June, but the Health Department will be reapplying.

Free Trauma-Informed Training at LMH will be held June 20.

The next SUPC meeting is scheduled for June 13 at 9:00 a.m. at LMH.

The next Community Health Collaborative quarterly meeting is June 6 from 8:30-10:00 a.m. at the Logan County Health Department.

[Stephanie Hall]