HEROIN/OPIATE WORKGROUP NOTES
MARCH 17, 2017

ATTENDING: Robert Kappelman, KaarenReiche,Jennifer Stephens, Cynthia Edwards,Bryan Baird, Greg Dalton, Deidrie Lindsey, Char Luther, Curt Bennett, Sonia McCarty, Tracy Herning

Jennifer Stephens reported on the three Focus Groups conducted by the Children Services Group. ** Her results will be included with these notes. People are understanding link between prescription abuse and moving into heroin use. Discussion of age of usage – ADAPT and Coastal Center think there is minimum use among youth. Bryan says the school data is skewed because many of the youth who use are not in school. If caught with a bag of marijuana, they are expelled for a year. In addition, truancy is widespread. Opiate issue is a community-wide problem. Neglect and abuse by parents is factor starting with very young children.

  • 3 sessions held
  • Questions asked orally and with permission from everyone, answers were recorded as well as scribed. **
  • 6, 6, and 5 participants
  • Service providers attended
  • Two facilitators at each session – be sure you are redirecting, not participating – recognize and engage every one especially the quiet people

TAKEAWAY Possibilities

  • Educate parents that a prescription for opiates needs to be relevant and necessary – not over-prescribed quantity or strength
  • Train school bus drivers as well as counsellors, teachers and school officials
  1. Detect usage of drugs
  2. Smells
  3. Recognize changes in child’s behavior or demeanor
  4. Recognize neighborhood neglect
  5. Via drug-free training grant – chain of protocol – bus driver would contact principal and together they would contact Children’s Services – document, work with counsellor to provide basic services

Teens looking for help with family who are addicts. ADAPT put out letter to all schools in Coos County to offer help with youth to develop coping skills. Five schools signed up. Skate Park is another location to offer services.

Drug Identification for Educational Professionals –day and half training -- Chief thinks we can make this happen here free.

CAHOOTS project has lost connection. Char will reach out to Randy at Bay Cities Ambulance.

Montana Meth Project --- make it very visible

Housing is critical – people go through treatment, turned out onto streets to be homeless

Supportive after care essential

Community members don’t see prescription opiates because their doctor gave them. Encourage people to question the prescriber

SBIRT – quick screen; some medical providers do this – char will ask Rachel Stoppler – where does info go when determined

Is there a network among pharmacies? WOAH has in place, working with clinics etc to identify duplicate users.

You can take prescription at levels doctor prescribe and still be arrested for DUI. Medical marijuana is not a prescription.

WOAH invested in educating prescribers.

When programs are available, get that info to Chief Kappelman, he will get it to SRO, Jason Griggs who has relationship with Lucero and staff. DARE is in first, fifth and seventh grades

We need to be able to report accurate statistics without losing funding.

KaarenReiche expressed concerns for Senior Focus Groups

  • how to get a legitimate sample of population
  • how to connect with shut-ins
  • Can connect with Mental health who has dedicated staff to visit shut-ins.
  • timeline of March 28 (relax this and do what we can)
  • expanded survey to 16 questions
  • answers are Yes/No
  • Cynthia offered to put survey on line
  • Needs identification
  • Ask for support from Workgroup after reaching out to Senior Centers

Chief –

  • Professional group will initially present to Rotary groups
  • May ask for support from Workgroup participants
  • Suggested that large group could be broken into small workgroups with facilitator at each table
  • World Café format is possibility
  • March 24 at noon is Bandon Rotary – meet at NBPD at 11 if you can go with chief
  • April 25 at noon is Coos Bay/North Bend Rotary at Mill. Chief and Captain are out of town that day. Who will facilitate this group? Stephanie Kilmer is contact.
  • What kind of timeframe is allotted for Rotary meeting?

YOUTH FOCUS GROUP – They will be at NBHS next week. They will table at the school. Suggested a survey on line.

FUTURE OF OPIATE WORKGROUP – Let people know we are doing focus groups. When data is collected, and we have a plan of action, recruit more participants.

NEXT MEETING: April 7, 2017 at 12:30 at NB Public LIbrary