scratch newsletter summer 2015
DESCRIPTION
ÂTRANSCRIPT
I N S I D E T H I S
I S S U E :
Facing Addiction Task Force
1
In the Community 2
NJ PMP Training 3
Sticker Shock 3
S U M M E R 2 0 1 5 V O L U M E 4
U PCOMING
SC RATCH
MEETINGS :
July 8
(no August
meeting)
Sept. 9
All meetings are
from 9-10:30am at
Inspira Hospital,
501 W. Front St.,
Elmer NJ 08318 in
the Community
Room on the
2nd Floor
The SCRATCH Post
S C R A T C H I N G O U T S U B S T A N C E A B U S E S I N C E 2 0 1 2
An initiative of The Southwest Council, Inc.
SCRATCH Coalition Coordinator Cory Gilden
1405 N. Delsea Dr. 856-794-1011, x316
SCRATCH Presents to State Task Force The Salem-Cumberland Regional
Action Toward Community Health
(SCRATCH) Coalition was invited to
Trenton on June 17 to present its recent
efforts to the Governor Christie’s Facing
Addiction Task Force. The task force con-
sists of 12 leaders and experts from inside
and outside of government to fight drug
addiction through treatment and prevention.
SCRATCH was one of four regional
coalitions from across the state asked to
present at the meeting. Other coalitions that
gave presentations were from Essex,
Hunterdon/Somerset, and Ocean Counties.
Cory Gilden, SCRATCH Coalition
Coordinator, presented on behalf of the coa-
lition. Cory was accompanied by the coali-
tion’s chairperson, Connie Cossaboom, and
vice-chair, Beth Thomas.
Cory shared the coalition’s recent efforts
to target funeral homes, hospice and
homecare facilities to enact policy change
geared toward educating the public about
proper prescription drug disposal.
Organizations were asked to agree to pass
along information about drug drop boxes at
local police stations, as well as write in their
policies that employ-
ees would continue to
do so in the future.
Members of the
task force were
excited to hear about
the initiatives of
SCRATCH and the
other coalitions and
asked how they could
bring our local efforts
up to the state level.
The Facing Ad-
diction Task Force is
chaired by Pastor Joe A. Carter and also
includes the following public members:
former Governor Jim McGreevey; former
New York Jets quarterback and Addiction
Peer Counselor Ray Lucas; West Long
Branch Police Chief Larry Mihlon;
Physician at Hunterdon Medical Center
Soumen Samddar; and Daytop Director
Evelyn Sullivan. In addition to its public
members, the following state officials also
sit on the task force: Department of Human
Services Commissioner Jennifer Velez;
Department of Health Commissioner Mary
O'Dowd; Department of Children and Fami-
lies Commissioner Allison Blake; Attorney
General John Hoffman; Department of Cor-
rections Commissioner Gary Lanigan; and
State Parole Board Chairman James Plousis.
The SCRATCH Coalition’s goals align
directly with the Facing Addiction Task-
force’s aim to “develop additional preven-
tion strategies and efforts in New Jersey.”
Other goals of the task force include:
developing additional strategies to reduce
stigma associated with substance abuse and
addiction; reviewing the continuum of treat-
ment services and developing recommenda-
tions for strengthening
the treatment system;
and advising the Gov-
ernor on matters relat-
ed to stigma, addiction
and substance abuse.
The SCRATCH
Coalition is excited to
foster this new rela-
tionship with the gov-
ernor’s task force and
looks forward to work-
ing closely with them
in the future.
The Facing Addiction Task Force meets regularly at the State House in Trenton to discuss issues related to drug abuse and prevention.
P A G E 2
T H E S C R A T C H P O S T
Cumberland County college spring Fling
SCRATCH participated in Cumberland County
College’s Spring Fling event Wednesday, April 29th
from 11:30am-2:30pm. The event was held during
finals and was a time for students to let off some
steam and relax with fun activities.
A DJ played music while students enjoyed free
food, ziplining, and a Wipe Out–style obstacle course.
Students could stop by the SCRATCH table and
answer a drug-related trivia question to spin the wheel
for a prize.
Pennsville memorial high school pre-prom
assembly & Southern regional asap meeting
SCRATCH was asked to participate in Pennsville
Memorial High School’s annual Pre-Prom Assembly.
Cory engaged an auditorium full of high school students
in a trivia game, having three volunteers come to the
front and answer questions about underage drinking. She
followed up the trivia with statistics and information
proving that underage drinking is not a smart choice.
SCRATCH was invited to present about its initia-
tives at the Southern Regional ASAP Meeting in May.
Most SACs from south jersey were present and learned
about how they could partner with their local coalitions.
in the
Cumberland County college community day
Community Day on Saturday, May 2nd was a day
for the college to advertise its programs and sign up
students for clubs and extracurricular activities.
SCRATCH was one of the few organizations outside
of the college that was invited to participate. Addi-
tionally, SCRATCH was designated as a “star” table,
where students had to visit to get a star sticker to be
entered in a raffle for a new tablet. “A family a fair” Resource fair in Salem
The Salem County Council for Young Children
(SCCYC) sponsored its First Annual “A Family A Fair”
outdoor resource fair in Salem on Saturday, June 13th
from 12-4pm.
The event had a block party feel, complete with a
DJ, cotton candy and the fire department spraying water
for children to play in.
The SCCYC is a collaborative of Parents, Agencies
and Community members who are committed to address-
ing community issues that directly or indirectly affect
children from pregnancy to 8 years of age.
P A G E 3
Pennsville Liquor Store Gets Sticker Shocked
NJ PMP Training Attracts Diverse Professionals
Students from the Lindsey
Meyer Teen Institute of Penns-
ville Memorial High School
joined SCRATCH members Don
Palmucci, Cory Gilden and Steph-
anie Quinzer May 6th at For-
naro’s Liquor Store in Pennsville
for a Sticker Shock Event.
Youth and coalition members
went into the store to attract atten-
tion to the fact that not all under-
age kids want to drink alcohol.
Participants wore brightly col-
ored shirts and placed fluorescent
green stickers on alcohol packag-
ing, reminding buyers the penal-
ties for purchasing alcohol for
underage teens.
The stickers say, “Keep It Le-
gal!” and state the possible penal-
ty of six months in jail and/or up
to $1,000 fine for buying alcohol
for minors.
The group was later joined by
an officer from the Pennsville Po-
lice Department, which reinforces
to store owners and the public that
local law enforcement is paying
attention to the issue and looking
out for this offense.
The SCRATCH Coalition
hopes to continue to do Sticker
Shock events throughout the re-
mainder of the year.
The SCRATCH Coalition, together with the
Cumberland County Prosecutor’s Office and
Inspira Health Network, held a training for profes-
sionals about the New Jersey Prescription Moni-
toring Program on April 21 at the Luciano Confer-
ence Center of the Cumberland County College.
There were more than 25 attendees at the
event, who enjoyed an hour-long training and a
complimentary breakfast. The training was facili-
tated by Douglas Collier, MA, DEA Ret. of the NJ
Office of the Attorney General, Division of Con-
sumer Affairs.
Participants came from diverse fields and con-
sisted of doctors, professionals in the field of re-
covery, dentists, pharmacists, professionals with
the justice system, police officers, nurses and
others.
Doctors were offered a free CME for attending
the training, and nurses attending the event earned
a CE credit.
The training aimed to alert professionals to the
growing issue of prescription drug abuse in New
Jersey, educate them about the Prescription Moni-
toring Program, and encourage participants sign
up and use the NJ PMP.
The training was well received and most
participants remained after it was finished to ask
additional questions and speak with the presenter.