Greene County Anti-Drug Coalition Holds Overdose Awareness Day Event – Greeneville Sun

Dr. Robert Locklear, director of the Greene County Anti-Drug Coalition, speaks about its mission at the Overdose Awareness Day event held Wednesday at county courthouse.
Greene County Sheriff Wesley Holt speaks Wednesday at an Overdose Awareness Day event organized by the Greene County Anti-Drug Coalition.
Cindy Wilhoit, Recovery Court case manager, recalled speaking with a participant Wednesday whose time in the program was ending but whose recovery journey was “just getting ready to begin.”
Judge Kenneth Bailey Jr. speaks about Recovery Court.
The Greene County Anti-Drug Coalition, government and law enforcement officials and community members gathered Wednesday at the Greene County Courthouse for Overdose Awareness Day.
Greeneville Police Chief Tim Ward speaks at the Overdose Awareness Day event.
State Rep. David Hawk speaks at the Wednesday Overdose Awareness Day event.

Dr. Robert Locklear, director of the Greene County Anti-Drug Coalition, speaks about its mission at the Overdose Awareness Day event held Wednesday at county courthouse.
Greene County Sheriff Wesley Holt speaks Wednesday at an Overdose Awareness Day event organized by the Greene County Anti-Drug Coalition.
Cindy Wilhoit, Recovery Court case manager, recalled speaking with a participant Wednesday whose time in the program was ending but whose recovery journey was “just getting ready to begin.”
Judge Kenneth Bailey Jr. speaks about Recovery Court.
The Greene County Anti-Drug Coalition, government and law enforcement officials and community members gathered Wednesday at the Greene County Courthouse for Overdose Awareness Day.
Greeneville Police Chief Tim Ward speaks at the Overdose Awareness Day event.
State Rep. David Hawk speaks at the Wednesday Overdose Awareness Day event.
The Greene County Anti-Drug Coalition gathered Wednesday at the Greene County Courthouse steps for Overdose Awareness Day.
County officials and members of the community attended the midday event to spotlight what is being done to fight the rising number of drug overdoses.
Every four minutes, someone dies from an overdose in the U.S. Overdose Awareness Day, according to members of the coalition, was created for prevention and remembrance. Many in the coalition said that as much of an issue drug overdoses are in this country, conversation about it remains taboo.
Creating dialogues and lines of support for those who struggle with substance abuse are components in addressing this issue. This is what the Anti-Drug Coalition and officials from the county sought to tackle with Overdose Awareness Day.
The United Way of Greene County supported the Anti-Drug Coalition this past January with a grant to hire temporary staff to aid the coalition, with most members having full-time positions of their own within the county.
Cindy Wilhoit, Recovery Court case manager, laid out the relationship between the Anti-Drug Coalition and the Recovery Court. The original purpose of the special court was in aiding repeat DUI offenders but was expanded in 2006 to include individuals with drug addiction based on the rising umber of overdoses.
She spoke about how the fight against overdoses continues to be a collaborative effort. Wilhoit said the collaboration includes the Judicial Court, District Attorney’s Office, Public Defender’s Office, Recovery Court Staff, law enforcement agencies and treatment providers.
The Recovery Court is ultimately an intervention program. It is a 60-week, four-phase program with aftercare.
Most individuals who make up the program are those who have difficulty staying sober and have pleaded guilty to non-violent misdemeanor offenses.
Each participant of Recovery Court meets every other Thursday to discuss the status of their recovery with the court’s team and Judge Kenneth Bailey Jr. Those who participate in the program can shorten jail time, according to Wilhoit. They must maintain sobriety, pass random drug testing and attend frequent court appearances and counseling.
Bailey, General Sessions and Juvenile Courts judge and co-chair of the Anti-Drug Coalition, has presided over the recovery court since 2006. He spoke about how valuable the coalition’s assistance is in court.
“I see people on their darkest day but I also see folks on their brightest … when they are in recovery,” Bailey said, “Every day in court, I have a group who help people get into treatment. It’s important that we have so many people helping in our community.”
County Mayor Kevin Morrison highlighted the gravity of raising awareness about overdoses. He urged that the community stick with a firm, determined attitude toward this issue. He emphasized the deadly nuance of opioid drugs today.
“This is not just a substance abuse disorder,” Morrison said, “Right here in Greene County, we averted tragedy when several of our first responders were nearly overcome by fentanyl exposure. Thanks to quick recognition by our sheriff’s deputies and some of our EMS, they were able to save the patient and save themselves by using Narcan.”
Morrison said events like Thursday’s gathering can educate others about the dangers of drugs and signs to recognize in an overdose. The more awareness grows about overdoses, the more people will know how to respond if they are near one. Morrison urged against enabling those with addiction, but instead helping them seek treatment.
Morrison emphasized the valuable efforts to combat these issues by the community.
“There has been tremendous focus and initiative from what there was,” he said.
He applauded the impulse from the community to step up against the issue of drug addiction and to gear toward the prevention of overdoses.
“We are realizing through great sorrow,” Morrison said, “we can no longer sit idly by in silence and do nothing.”
He looked to future efforts of aiding the community with in- and out-patient programs, and touched on the ongoing discussion about the potential of a Carter County rehabilitation facility.
Greeneville Mayor Cal Doty spoke about the stigma prevalent with drug addiction and overdoses. Doty credited the coalition’s swift action in helping individuals who need treatment.
The coalition is providing assistance to those with drug addiction with prompt care and guidance to get sober. In years past, it used to take months for someone to receive the proper rehabilitation. Doty pushed for continued momentum in helping those addicted to drugs seek treatment.
“Let’s figure out how we can get rid of this scourge,” Doty said.
Law enforcement officials were in attendance. They talked about the problems drug addiction and overdoses pose to the community. Officials from the police and sheriff’s departments emphasized the serious weight of this issue.
Greeneville Chief of Police Tim Ward spoke about the increase in overdose deaths over his 32 years in law enforcement.
“It’s a community problem. It’s not just a law enforcement problem, or a mental health problem, or a church problem. It’s a community problem. And the only way we will solve this is as a community,” he said.
Greene County Sheriff Wesley Holt relayed the number of overdoses in the county. Holt reminded those attending that overdoses can consist of both illegal drugs and those obtained by prescription. He also noted that not every overdose is reported.
“Thirty-three is the number of reported overdoses in the county since January of this year,” Holt said, “Keep in mind these are just the reported overdoses that our office is called to cover. Most times, many do not report out of fear for arrest, out of fear for humiliation, and out of fear for family and friends finding out.”
The gravity of a single loss of life may be lost in the many statistical breakdowns of the high number of overdose deaths nationwide, but Holt emphasized that “one death is too many.”
“Working together through the support of recovery programs and access to community-wide overdose prevention programs needs to be the main priority to stop overdose deaths. And where we do that today is with the Greene County Anti-Drug Coalition,” he said.
Law enforcement leaders applauded the collaboration of various government entities.
State Rep. David Hawk called for continued action. He commended the Recovery Court and Bailey’s efforts in aiding those who are addicted. Yet, Hawk spoke about the seemingly unending nature to this issue.
“As a government, we are a dog chasing its tail. We’ve tried to limit access to these drugs. We’ve tried to limit access to drugs that go into the illegal making of meth. We’ve tried lots of different things,” Hawk said, “But the solutions are based with you. Government is not going to solve this issue. This is something that we as individuals, that we as a community need to step up.”
Hawk urged individuals afflicted by addiction to share their stories so the issue can be discussed freely.
“Shed light on this issue, don’t sweep it under the rug,” he said.
Dr. Robert Locklear, director of the Greene County Anti-Drug Coalition, shed more light on the daily outreach that the coalition has in the community. Locklear said the group works with the school system to educate on the risks of drug use. The group also helps individuals find treatment opportunities. He said that he is personally pursuing specific training and degree opportunities related to recovery.
When asked what originally drew Locklear to the coalition, he explained his personal connection to the issue of drug addiction.
“I am in recovery myself, and that has drawn me toward the recovery community and to help those who have been through struggles like I have,” he said.
Because of efforts such as Recovery Court and the The Greene County Anti-Drug Coalition, it’s a struggle no one locally has to face alone.
Wilhoit, who manages cases for individuals in the court rehabilitation program, said she spoke Wednesday with a participant in the Recovery Court program.
“I said, ‘You are getting ready to come to the end of this program.’ And they said to me, ‘No. I am just getting ready to begin.’”

 
 
Sorry, an error occurred.

Sign up with

Thank you .
Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in.
Check your email for details.
Invalid password or account does not exist
Sign in with
Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password.
An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account.

Secure & Encrypted
Secure transaction. Cancel anytime.

Thank you.
Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in.
A receipt was sent to your email.

source