Tennessee Alliance For Drug Endangered Children comes to Dandridge
Our local Substance Abuse Coalition, Rescue 180, is hosting a timely regional meeting.
The coalition has asked Sevier County Cares, Sevier County’s Substance Abuse Coalition, to sponsor the event along with them.
(Photo: Left, Judge Duane Slone / Right, Tommy Farmer, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation)
“This event is going to be power-packed. We have invited several highly trained, effective communicators to speak to issues surrounding children and the opioid crisis in Tennessee,“ shares Rev. Debra Shultz , Rescue 180’s Director. “Our goal is to educate our community about new solutions, and to implement tools that will aid in navigating much needed help for this epidemic in our region.”
Shultz says they are inviting the community, along with community leaders, law enforcement, educators, counselors, case workers, social workers, court/ judicial professionals, medical professionals and all prevention practitioners as well as treatment providers to the event.
Tabetha Curtis, the Director of the Tennessee Alliance for Drug Endangered Children (TADEC), will be sharing the valuable effect this project has been having on drug exposed children in Tennessee.
The approach of the agency is “Moving from Awareness to Action.” This training by the Tennessee Alliance for Drug Endangered Children focuses on how to implement the DEC Approach which is a comprehensive strategy based on a common vision, collaboration that is on-going between various disciplines and agencies, and on-going changes in practice. This DEC Approach has proven to be effective in improving the likelihood of better outcomes for drug endangered children.
Two of the Keynote speakers share their thoughts on the event, “We are so thankful to be a part of this important community event in hopes that our combined efforts will save, help or change lives of our most vulnerable population, our children,” Tommy Farmer, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said.
Fourth Judicial Circuit Court/ Recovery Judge Duane Slone, and keynote speaker adds,
“Most people suffering from drug addiction and that commit suicide, suffered from childhood trauma. To effectively address our addiction, and suicide crisis, our community members must unite with one another. We must go as far upstream as possible, meeting people where they are, with hope and healing together, by the grace of God- one child, one family and one community at a time. I believe we can overcome the addiction and suicide crisis.
Please come out and join us!”
Additionally, Shultz says there will be a lecture from Dr. Stephen Loyd about the addicted brain. Dr. Loyd is the Medical Director with Journey Pure at the River. He was formerly the Medical Director and Assistant Commissioner with the Tennessee Department of Mental Health – Division of Substance Abuse Services.
He is the leading expert in this state and one of the leading experts in the nation in the area of addiction and the brain, according to one of his cohorts, University of Tennessee Assistant Professor of Nursing, Sharon Davis.
This free event will be held at the Field of Dreams April 16th, from 6:30 pm until 9:00 pm. It is POST certified for law enforcement, and also provides CEU’s for Prevention Specialists.
