LCHD's Drug Overdose Prevention program works to implement comprehensive community-based efforts to address drug abuse and overdose through: coalition development, community needs assessment and evaluation, formation of an overdose fatality review and development of policy, systems and environmental change strategies to address the issue.
Project DAWN - Deaths Avoided with Naloxone
Project DAWN is a community-wide naloxone (also known as narcan) distribution program. Naloxone is a medication that can be used to quickly reverse an overdose caused by an opioid drug.
The project educates opioid users, their family members or their friends on how to recognize the signs and symptoms of a drug overdose. Call emergency medical services, perform rescue breathing and administer naloxone/narcan nasally. Naloxone Project Dawn Training Video. For more information call (740) 349-6685 or email us.
Licking County Linkages Program and Stigma Reduction
The Community Clinical Linkages program collaborates with community partners such as Shepherd Hill and Licking County Alcoholism Prevention Program (LAPP) to connect individuals, recently released from inpatient care, who are recovering from substance use disorders with the resources and services they need to maintain their health.
A substance use disorder (SUD) is a medical illness which ranges from mild to severe and from temporary to chronic. Addiction is the most severe form of a SUD. A SUD develops when continued misuse of a drug changes the brain and causes health problems and failure to meet responsibilities at work, school, or home. The Linkages program is also working to reduce the stigma that often surrounds substance use disorders.
Stigma= Stereotypes + Bias + Discrimination
Stigma occurs when a characteristic, often considered negative, sets a person apart from others. In terms of substance use disorders, people are typically labelled by their drug misuse and are no longer seen as an individual but as part of a stereotyped group. Negative attitudes and beliefs toward this group create bias which leads to negative actions and discrimination.
Stigma tends to be based on what we see in the media, our environment and experiences.
Types of stigma:
Self-stigma — when people stigmatize themselves based on how they think others perceive them. They may even adopt the behaviors they believe other people think they have.
Social stigma—when society endorses stereotypes about and acting against a group of people. Common stereotypes against individuals with SUDs include that they are: criminals, violent, homeless, poor, at fault for their illness, and in control of their illness.
Structural stigma — rules, policies and procedures of institutions that restrict the rights and opportunities for members of stigmatized groups. This can also include any negative attitudes held or actions done by employees at these institutions towards people with SUDs.
Stigma is harmful, it:
Isolates people — because of stigma, individuals with SUDs are less likely to come forward and seek help as they fear losing family, friends, their job, or even going to jail. Instead of seeking support, someone with a SUD is more likely to withdraw to hide the addiction.
Discourages people from seeking treatment — talking about treatment options, like Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT), as "replacing one drug with another" fuels the stigma that keeps people with a SUD from getting the help they need.
Interested in a stigma reduction training for your group or organization? Contact: 740-755-4714.
Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator
https://findtreatment.samhsa.gov/
Local Drug and Alcohol Inpatient treatment services
- The Landing: 855-692-7247, 5559 Raiders Rd. Frazeysburg, OH (Male and Female)
- Columbus Springs: 614 300-9100, 2085 Citygate Dr. Columbus, OH (male and female) Link
- Lumiere Healing: 513-909-2225, 7593 Tyler's pl Blvd Chester Township, OH (male and female) Link
- Comm Quest: 330-453-8252, 1341 Market Ave. N Canton, Oh (Juvenile boys and girls) Link
- Recovery Works: 614-505-0377, 7400 Huntington Park Columbus, OH (can provide transportation to and from) Link
- Woodhaven: 937-813-1737, 1 Elizabeth Place Dayton, OH (male and female) Link
- Stepping Stones: 740-354 -6550, 1409 2nd St Portsmouth, OH Link
- Outpatient and Mental Health Services Integrated Services for Behavioral Health: 740-785 -5474, 1806 W Fair Ave, Lancaster, OH 43130 Link
- Sun Behavioral: 614-706 2786, 900 E. Dublin Granville Rd. Columbus, OH (patients need to have a dual diagnosis of a substance use disorder and a mental health condition) Link
- CompDrug: 614-224-4506, 547 E. 11th Ave Columbus, OH Link
- Life Springs: 614-751-1871, 5815 Westbourne Ave, Columbus, OH 43213 Link
- Thrive Healthcare: 330-390-4665, 204 2nd St NE New Philadelphia, OH
- Cedar Ridge Behavioral: 855-692-7247, 841 Stubenville Ave. Cambridge, OH Link
Prescription Drugs and Sharps Disposal
Medicines play an important role in treating certain conditions and diseases, but they must be taken with care. Secure storage of pain medications, antidepressants, and other expired or un-needed medications reduces the risk of misuse by children or others. Occasionally we get calls asking how to dispose of used syringes or old medications. We can accept sharps for disposal from households, and we charge $5 for a normal sized container disposal. We cannot accept any medications for disposal. Under Ohio law, only law enforcement agencies and pharmacies can be prescription drug drop off locations. Drug Take Back Days are offered once a year in April, but it is better to dispose of unused drugs throughout the year by visiting a drop off location.
In Licking County the following locations accept pills, however, they do not accept liquid medications.
- Licking County Sheriff’s Office, 155 E Main Street, Newark, Ohio 43055
- Newark Police Department, 39 S. 4th Street, Newark, Ohio 43055
- Pataskala Police Department, 623 W. Broad Street, Pataskala, Ohio 43062
- Johnstown Police Department, 599 D. Main St., Johnstown, Ohio 43031
- Hebron Police Department, 934 W. Main St., Hebron, Ohio 43025
- Heath Police Department, 1287 Hebron Rd., Heath, Ohio 43056
Small amounts of most medications can also either be disposed of by mixing with solid waste, or by flushing down the drain. Disposal options for specific meds can be found at EnsuringSafeUseofMedicine.
Small quantities of syringes from personal use can also be disposed of with your solid waste. Guidelines suggest placing used needles in a household container such as a laundry detergent or bleach bottle, or a sturdy, opaque plastic container with a screw-top lid. When the container is 3/4 of the way full, seal the lid with duct tape, label "DO NOT RECYCLE" and place container in your regular trash. Instructions on how to do that are available at http://www.epa.ohio.gov/
Take Charge Ohio
Manage Pain. Prevent Medication Abuse.
Take Charge Ohio is an initiative to help use pain medication safely and responsibly to minimize the risk of drug misuse, dependency and addiction.
Take Charge Ohio is more than a campaign – it’s an initiative to empower all Ohioans to work together to use pain medication safely. Ohio is in the middle of an overdose epidemic and safe use of pain medication is a crucial part of the solution. All of Ohio is affected by this epidemic and it will take all of us to turn the tide. We are patients, family members, doctors, nurses, dentists, teachers, parents, children, people struggling with addiction, people in recovery, people in pain, and people who want to make a difference. While many of us come from different backgrounds, the one thing we have in common is that we are all Ohioans. It’s time to Take Charge, Ohio.
Other Resources
- Pathways of Central Ohio 2-1-1 Crisis Hotline and Information Center/Resource Directory
- Mental Health and Recovery for Licking and Knox Counties
- Mental Health America of Licking County
- Licking County Overdose Fatality Data
- Narcotics Anonymous Meetings
- Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services
- https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugs-brains-behavior-science-addiction/drugs-brain
- https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/prescription-opioids
- https://www.drugrehab.com/addiction/stigma/
- https://drugabuse.com/library/drug-addiction-facts-myths/