The Bladen County Substance Abuse Task Force meeting was held on Tuesday, March 10 in the Health Department Conference room with over 30 stakeholders around the tables. The group is working on raising awareness and making a difference in the county. The members also paused to remember the three Bladen County residents who have recently died from drug overdoses.
The task force has a strategic plan in the war on substance abuse. The sub-groups gave updates regarding their strategic plan.
The sub-groups are as follows:
A. Schools, Chairperson, Bladen County Commissioner Charles Peterson
B. Law Enforcement/Judicial, Chairperson Mrs. Sondra Guyton
C. Self Help/Support Groups, Chairperson Dr. Cathy Gantz
D. ABC Board/Education, Chairperson Meredith DuBose
E. Faith Based, Chairperson Rev. David Foster
F. Consolidated Health, Chairperson Dr. Terri Duncan
Mrs. Guyton explained the task force has made great progress in the fight against substance abuse since the group first met at Bladen Community College four years ago.
“We are making a difference,” she said.
Anyone interested in serving on one of the sub-groups may contact the chairperson associated with the sub-group of their interest.
Peterson asked the group about holding another community outreach day at BCC. Those in attendance agreed with Peterson’s suggestion and started planning an event. More information will be published as soon as it is made available.
Celebrate Recovery will be offered every Friday starting on March 20, 2020 at 6 p.m. at DreamWorks located at 1001 West Broad Street, Elizabethtown, NC.
The Consolidated Health sub-group is working on trainings and education at the Department of Social Services and the Health Department. The sub-group will meet again on March 16th at 4 p.m. at the Health Department conference room.
The Faith Based sub-group will meet again at the Health Department conference room on March 24th at 10 a.m. The Baptist Association is promoting Substance Abuse Awareness Day on March 29 at area churches. On the 29th church-goers are encouraged to wear red to promote conversations about substance abuse. Rev. David Foster and Pastor Jason Williams were in attendance and explained different ways they are encouraging the faith based communities to be more involved in the fight against substance abuse.
The education sub-group is planning to present a presentation to the Bladen County Board of Education in April. No one from the schools was in attendance at the task force meeting. The next education sub-group meeting will be on April 3rd at 10 a.m. at the Bladen County Health Department conference room.
On March 25th at 2:30 p.m. the Law Enforcement/Judicial sub-group will meet at the Law Enforcement Center: 299 Smith Circle.
The Self-Help/Support Groups committee will meetin on March 24th at 1:00 p.m. at the Bladen County Health Department.
Anyone interested in joining the ABC Board/Education/Advertising sub-committee may contact Contact-Meredith DuBose. The next committee meeting will is to be determined. The task force would also like to include sub-committees for EastPointe and Oxford House.
The public is invited and encouraged to attend the subgroup meetings and the task force meetings. The next task force meeting will be held on April 14, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. at the Bladen County Health Department conference room located at 300 Mercer Mill Road in Elizabethtown.
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