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\u201cWe work at a frenetic pace, and like most coalitions, the Housatonic Valley Coalition Against Substance Abuse (HVCASA) wears many hats,\u201d says HVCASA\u2019s Executive Director Allison Fulton. \u201cIn addition to being a regional action council, serving 22 communities (a diverse population of 250,000) and ensuring distribution and management of funds to 12 local prevention councils, we are a Drug-Free Communities support program grantee.\u201d<\/p>\n
HVCASA\u2019s geographic coverage includes the city of Danbury, Connecticut (80,000 people) and small, rural communities.<\/p>\n
\u201cLike much of the country, we\u2019re dealing with an opioid crisis that has created a call-to-action,\u201d asserts Fulton. Opioid issues first arose in 2004 when the coalition learned that returning college students were initiating pill parties. The problem soon spread to the high schools. In response, the HVCASA created the Opioid Workgroup to reduce the region\u2019s opioid addiction disorders, overdoses and related deaths. Between 2013-2015, the region saw 112 overdose deaths. In 2014, the Opioid Workgroup was convened with 45 participating partners.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019d been conducting presentations on prescription drug abuse to small audiences prior to that time, but it wasn\u2019t until we launched the workgroup that our efforts really took off,\u201d says Fulton. \u201cWe did exactly what coalitions are supposed to do \u2013 we identified information gaps and shared data and collectively developed comprehensive strategies which address our communities\u2019 unique concerns.\u201d<\/p>\n
Reiterates Fulton, \u201cWe now have a core group of 15 to 18 key players who regularly participate in our planning process, and it\u2019s taken us 15 months to wrap our arms around this issue.\u201d<\/p>\n
Activities cast a broad net, focusing on prevention, treatment and recovery. HVCASA has:<\/p>\n
\n\u201cOur numbers are still not where they should be,\u201d says Fulton. \u201cThe first light at the end of the tunnel however, are these process outcomes \u2013 we are raising the level of education and awareness about opioid addiction, and that\u2019s the first step towards making a positive impact at the grassroots level.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fulton concluded, \u201cOpioid misuse and addiction is emotional and challenging. First, start with small successes. And acknowledge that while your partners play a critical role in achieving your goals, along the way they may tend to silo off. Help them understand that we save lives if we work together.\u201d<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u00a0 \u201cWe work at a frenetic pace, and like most coalitions, the Housatonic Valley Coalition Against Substance Abuse (HVCASA) wears<\/p>","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":13811,"template":"","resource_type":[281],"drug_specific_issues":[],"action_to_do":[],"class_list":["post-17398","resource","type-resource","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","resource_type-coalitions-online"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n