Count It! Lock It! Drop It! Prescription Drug Awareness Meeting to be held in East TN August 24

Tennessee is faced with an urgent problem as the struggle with opioid drug abuse continues. More and more communities across the state are combating opioid drug abuse with a strategic community based approach. Grassroots efforts are making an impact and Rescue 180 is excited to keep the momentum going.

Coalitions, law enforcement, public officials, and health welfare organizations are coming together, on August 24, to discuss opioid misuse/abuse and the need for opioid abuse prevention strategies. Hosted by the Jefferson County Substance Abuse Coalition, Rescue 180, attendees will receive the training and assistance needed to put the Count It! Lock It! Drop It! ® (CLD) initiative into action.

Spreading the word on Drug prevention is the CLD mission. Count It! Lock It! Drop It!® will be presenting and training participants on a comprehensive community plan for prescription drug abuse prevention around illegal access to and the perception of harm surrounding prescription drugs misuse and abuse. CLD is a Tennessee based program, developed and produced by the Coffee County Anti-Drug Coalition.

In 2016, the BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Health Foundation funded the successful program to go statewide.

On August 24, individuals from different sectors of the community will engage in meaningful conversation speaking to the significance of drug abuse prevention. There will be several guest speakers as well as an interactive panel concerning the opioid crisis and how it is affecting East TN. Keynote speaker, the Honorable Judge Duane Slone of the 4th Circuit Court and Recovery Court will be speaking about the negative impact drug abuse has had on the community. Our panel will consist of State Representatives Andrew Farmer and Jeremy Faison, Kristina Clark CLD Project Manager, Rev. Debra Shultz BCPS, CEO/ Executive Director of Rescue 180 Jefferson County Substance Abuse Coalition, along with other local leaders from the community, Chief Chad Cotter of White Pine Police Department, Barry Fain Youth services officer with Juvenile Court, and Kevin Poe, Criminal Investigator with the Public Defender’s office.

Other meeting participants contributing to the conversation will include Rhonda Coffey Founder of The Addicts Mom, now called The Addicts Family, along with member Kim Strange-Pace. Mallie Jane Moore and Raven Mason, two former Recovery Court participants will also be sharing their journey of recovery.

The meeting will be hosted by Jefferson County’s Substance Abuse Coalition: Rescue 180 on August 24, 2017 in Dandridge, Tennessee, from 10am til 2pm, located at the Field of Dreams, in Dandridge, Tennessee.