Representatives from an area drug coalition met last week to lay out a plan that would provide western Clark County residents with the resources needed to fight drug addiction without having to travel far beyond their own neighborhoods. The coalition, spearheaded by Pat Banaszak, will partner with Springfield’s McKinley Hall and local community leaders in order to support families by giving referrals and resources to those currently living with a substance abuse problem.
Tracie Bishop and Eric Mata of McKinley Hall met with Banaszak last Tuesday to set an official plan in motion that would offer services to western Clark County residents with addictions to heroin, prescription pills, and other damaging substances. Local businessman and law enforcement officer Jeff Turner, who is also a member of the local drug coalition, said that it was extremely important to offer the services in Bethel Township, as many with such addictions do not have transportation to Springfield or to clinics in other counties.
Turner also noted that giving addicts a starting point will also help them examine the level of treatment needed.
“I think the biggest problem is that so many people know that they have an addiction, but they don’t do anything about it because they have no idea what to do,” Turner said.
Starting February 5, McKinley Hall therapists and staff will hold assessments the first Friday of each month at Family and Youth Initiatives, located just south of New Carlisle on 235. Appointments can be made for the assessments by calling Bishop at 328-5300, extension 104. Walk-ins will be taken if availability permits.
Mata said while it would take between four and six weeks to get new patients into a residential, or inpatient treatment center, he would work with patients while they wait for a space to open. He also said that McKinley Hall would consider providing transportation for a “dedicated” group of those receiving outpatient care if they could not find their own transportation there.
The coalition will focus on prevention and recovery, as well as attempting to spark involvement from local community groups and law enforcement agencies. Banaszak said that while her target group is teenagers and youth, Turner said he saw the need for parents and adults to be educated as well. He said that parents need to be aware of methods their children might be using to conceal their drug use, as well as indicators they should watch for to see if their child is under the influence.
Banaszak, who acts as the Executive Director of Family and Youth Initiatives, said that her organization offers drug counseling services to students through their high schools in Logan, Miami and Shelby Counties, but has not offered the services to Tecumseh Local Schools yet, as she said that deputies were supposed to implement a drug resistance program there. She said while she did not want to “duplicate services,” Banaszak noted she would reach out to Tecumseh administrators to see if that program had been put into place, and if not, she would try to offer counseling services there as well.
The coalition plans to offer assessments the first Friday of each month. No insurance is necessary, however, only residents of Clark County are eligible for the assessments. Those who schedule an assessment must bring with them a picture ID and proof of current residence if their ID has not been updated.
