It’s back to school time already. In preparation for the new school year, Don McDonald made PAADA’s presence known at NHS registration. He and Aaron Belloni, Assistant Principal, discussed the ways in which Lincoln County School District and PAADA can partner to achieve mutual goals for students.
PAADA Board Member, Ann Way, helped Don McDonald explain PAADA’s mission and programs to parents and students at NHS registration. It was a great opportunity to familiarize everyone with PAADA, and invite participation in Lead & Seed, Prescription Take Back, and Book Review & Discussion projects.
This is an archived video from Inside Lincoln County. It was filmed when PAADA first received funding from the Drug Free Communities grant. It is now in the 3rd year of the project. PAADA has achieved many successes and continues to welcome community support and volunteers.
PAADA – Partnership Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse from Lincoln County on Vimeo.
Newport OR- September 29 – Saturday was the National Prescription Drug
Take Back program, which proved to be a success in Lincoln County. The event
offered the opportunity for local area residents to turn in un-used prescription
and pet medications. For this event there was a temporary drop site set up in
South County at the Sheriff’s Substation, behind City Hall in Waldport.
Kay Myers of Facets Gem and Mineral Gallery dropped off some pet
medications and said she would defiantly use the site again. She stated “I
wanted to make sure that prescription medications were properly disposed of to
protect the environment. It is much better than having them end of in the water
supply or the landfill”.
Over recent years, prescription drug abuse has been a large concern for
communities across the nation including here in Lincoln County. The DEA
reports that one in seven teens admits to abusing prescription drugs to get high
in the past year. Fifty-six percent of teens believe that prescription drugs are
easier to obtain then illicit drugs. In 2008, the National Survey on Drug Use
and Health reported that 6.2 million American people age 12 and older abused
prescription drugs for non-medical purposes within the past month. According
to a 2008 National Survey 70 percent of teens obtained their prescription drugs
from a friend or relative.
Debra Spoelstra, PAADA Coordinator, reminds parents that it is important
to talk to your kids about the dangers of prescription drug abuse and to
properly dispose of unused medications. More first time drug users start out
with painkillers than with marijuana. Prescription drug abuse among adults
60 and older has been called a “silent epidemic.” According to the Center for
Disease Control, prescription drugs, including opioids and antidepressants,
are responsible for more overdose deaths than “street drugs” such as cocaine,
heroin, and methamphetamine.
PAADA, the Partnership Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse along with local
area law enforcement partners are working to keep prescription medications
out of the hands of teens by offering permanent drug take back sites. The
program also helps to protect the environment, according to the DEQ unused
pharmaceuticals are often directly flushed to sewage systems. Wastewater
treatment plants and septic systems usually do not treat or only partially treat
pharmaceuticals, so chemical compounds from pharmaceuticals pass through
treatment plants or septic systems to our rivers or groundwater.
Rx Take Back sites are located at Newport City Hall from 9-5 and at Toledo
and Lincoln City Police stations 24/7. The program is sponsored by PAADA,
Newport, Lincoln City and Toledo Police Departments, APARC, Addiction
Prevention and Recovery Committee and the Siletz Tribal Charitable
Contribution Fund. For more information call PAADA at 541.574.7890.
Pictured
Kay Myers and Mike Larsen volunteer Newport Police Department
Newport Oregon – September 8- This was a great opportunity to take a
team to Anaheim for the National EUDL (Enforcement of Underage Drinking
Laws) conference said Barbara Dougherty Director of the Lincoln Commission
on Children and Families. The Lincoln County Team of five joined 1,800
attendees from across the Nation on August 18-20, including members of
Law Enforcement, The Judicial Department, Community Coalitions and youth
sharing success stories in prevention and enforcement. The purpose of the
conference was to gain additional information and resources to help educate
youth regarding the consequences of underage drinking.
Sheila Stiley a parent volunteer who has worked on the local EUDL program
since it started said she was proud that Lincoln County
is ahead of the game
on over other areas of the nation in many ways. We have good partners
in place that are supportive of our programs including the backing of our
State Legislators, District Attorney, the Judicial system and Newport Police
department’s zero tolerance policies. The EUDL program is supported by
PAADA.
Ed Simon, Newport Police volunteer, who also attended the conference,
said “It’s important to involve the community on this issue. Volunteers and
community support is what is going to keep these programs running after
Federal funding goes away”. (Ed Simon sound bite)
The Newport Police Department has been one of the only Police Departments
in the country that has successfully engaged volunteers in controlled party
dispersal for underage drinking activities. Through the EUDL program
community members are trained to assist the department in safe dispersal of
underage drinking parties. Dougherty said “the community takes this activity
seriously It’s Illegal, unsafe and unacceptable”.
PAADA, the Partnership Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse, has been awarded
a continuation Drug Free Communities grant for its third year. This will help in
the grass roots efforts of building a strong drug free environment for our youth.
For more information about EUDL or PAADA call the Debra Spoelstra PAADA
Coordinator at 541-574-7890.
(pictured)
Warren Crayton- Juvenile Counselor, Lincoln County Juvenile Department
Barbara Dougherty- Director, Commission on Children and Families
Sheila Stiley- Volunteer, Partnership Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse
Jeannie Hale- Prevention Coordinator, Commission on Children and Families
Ed Simon- Volunteer, Newport Police Department
