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The Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services Board is organizing anti-drug coalitions in both Tuscarawas and Carroll Counties. The groups are being formed in an attempt to coordinate the efforts of numerous government and community organizations in reducing the consequences of drug abuse on individuals, families and the community. Drug abuse impacts the criminal justice system, law enforcement, treatment system and numerous other private and public organizations, especially individuals and families. These Coalitions will give us an opportunity to focus our efforts where we see the greatest need and impact. They will also enable us to get important information on drugs of abuse out to parents and the community through a comprehensive public relations and electronic media campaign.

Through a strategic prevention framework grant from the Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services, the ADAMHS Board commissioned completion of an extensive drug abuse needs assessment that included recommending creation of the coalitions in each county. An important part of the assessment phase was interviewing sixteen different organizations to gain their perspective on drug abuse patterns within the County including the Drug Task Force, Southern District Court, Union Hospital Emergency Department Management, the Chambers of Commerce, Court personnel and local treatment agencies receiving financial support of the ADAMHS Board.

The primary goal of this strategic prevention framework grant is to create a coalition of public, private and citizen stakeholders charged with influencing policies and developing programs and services which will reduce substance abuse by the residents of Tuscarawas and Carroll Counties. “We’ve received great buy-in from many of our office holders, key stakeholders, the faith-based community and numerous others”.

“In Tuscarawas County we’ll be focusing on the abuse prescription drugs as well as the abuse of synthetic drugs like bath salts and any other emerging trends”, states Walt Wilson, Tuscarawas County Sheriff. "The Sheriffs Department is looking forward to working closely with the Coalition to combat this problem, it certainly takes a collaborative approach and I think the coalition will make difference.”

The third priority of the Tuscarawas County Coalition is improving public awareness within the community about substance abuse. According to Fran Gerbig, a prevention specialist with Personal and Family Counseling Services, “the biggest deterrent to your kids’ using drugs and alcohol is you. This is the reality: Kids who learn from their parents or caregivers about the risks of drugs are 36% less likely to smoke marijuana than kids who don’t. 50% less likely to use inhalants. 56% less likely to use cocaine. 65% less likely to use LSD. Parents are the most powerful anti-drug influence in their child’s daily life. But anti-drug parenting strategies are not instinctive, even for the best of parents. Knowledge is power. The Tuscarawas County Anti-drug Coalition has made community awareness and education a priority. The coalition will serve as a resource to provide current and correct information as well as prevention tips for families and the community at large to help protect our children and youth from the drugs that seem almost inevitable. Working together, we can protect our children”.

Schaffer reports that the groups will likely pursue a community-anti drug coalition grant from the federal government sometime during early 2012 in order to sustain many of the strategies which they will be undertaking for the remainder of 2011 and throughout the spring of 2012.

Anyone interested in getting involved with the coalitions is encouraged to contact Dave Schaffer. In Tuscarawas County call 330.364.6488. In Carroll County call 330.627.7912.

You may also visit the coalition websites at:

Carroll County Anti-Drug Coalition: http://adc-carroll.com

Tuscarawas County Anti-Drug Coalition: http://adc-tusc.com

Anti-Drug Coalitions Formed in Tuscarawas and Carroll Counties