Updates to Needle Exchange
Programs in Indiana
Treatment for those using injection drugs used to focus mostly on recovery services, yet recently, initiatives have been implemented to treat multiple other health concerns. Those using injection drugs not only suffer from addiction but can also have other health issues such as skin infections and blood borne pathogens such as HIV or hepatitis C. Programs addressing these concerns have been tied into what we know as Needle Exchange Programs (NEP), which include testing and treatment of STIâs, counseling, and housing assistance alongside the exchanging of used syringes for new clean syringes.
In 2015, Scott County experienced an outbreak of HIV associated among those using injection drugs. After 4 months and over 100 new cases of HIV, now Vice President Pence signed an executive order allowing Scott County to begin an NEP. This was a recommendation from both the CDC and community leaders. After initiation of the program, the cases of HIV dropped from 22 cases a week to 14 cases in nine months. This event remains an important example as Governor Holcomb is making NEPâs a top priority after specifically referencing them in his State of the State Address.
The full article has been posted in the IPRC's Feature Article Section.
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Upcoming Trainings
August 30
Health Disparities Webinar
September 28
Marketing and Communication Planning Webinar
Visit the Training Portal for descriptions
and to register.
While youâre there, take one of our FREE courses. CEUs available. |
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William J. Bailey Prevention Leadership Award
Background of Award
The late Bill Bailey was the inaugural director of the Indiana Prevention Resource Center (IPRC) in Bloomington, Indiana. Bill is well known for establishing a foundation of prevention in the state and pioneering Afternoons R.O.C.K. in Indiana, an after-school drug prevention program. Bill is regarded as a visionary in the prevention field and his former colleagues refer to him as a selfless, hardworking and passionate leader. Bill is most known for launching a campaign for science-based prevention, leading the use of information technology and innovative software in prevention, devoting incalculable hours of research in the prevention field, and initiating numerous Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug (ATOD) prevention programs and services. The William J. Bailey Prevention Leadership Award was established by the IPRC and the Division of Mental Health and Addiction (DMHA) to honor Billâs contribution to the prevention field. In 2017, the William J. Bailey Prevention Leadership Award will recognize a person who displays characteristics similar to Bill by making a difference in the prevention field in Indiana.
Criteria for award
This award recognizes the hard work and commitment of a person who contributes to the benefit of the prevention field in Indiana. The recipient of the award will be an individual who exhibits innovation as a prevention professional or volunteer, provides state or local leadership in prevention, promotes the concept that prevention works, promotes unique funding ideas and has a personal commitment to prevention.
Presentation of the Award
The selection committee will review all nominations and determine the award recipient. The award will be presented at the Indiana Annual Recovery Month Symposium during a luncheon on September 12, 2017. The award recipient, a guest and the nominator are all invited to attend and given a complimentary registration for both days. http://www.inarms.org/
Nomination
If you choose to nominate someone, please use the web form: http://www.drugs.indiana.edu/main/bailey-award.html
Nominations accepted until September 1, 2017 at 5pm (EST).
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Resource of the Month
Located in Terre Haute and servicing 13 counties within the surrounding area including Monroe, Sullivan, Clay and Owen counties, the Chances and Services for Youth (CASY) organizationâs mission is to provide services to children from âcradle to college.â Their aim is to ensure youth grow up in safe nurturing environments within their communities. CASY is a product of two organizations merging into one. In 1971, Community Alliance and Services for Young Children began in an effort to promote quality child care services for preschool children. Training and learning activities in early childhood were offered to increase competence of preschool teachers and providers. In 1980, CHANCES for Indiana Youth developed to provide substance abuse prevention, positive youth development and early-intervention services via youth-serving organizations and governmental agencies. In 2011, CHANCES became an affiliate for Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Vigo County. Ultimately, in 2013, both CHANCES and Community Alliance and Services for Young Children merged to form CASY. As one agency, there is a history of collaborating and networking with local, state and national non-profits, businesses, and governmental/law enforcement agencies, which allow for CASY to provide cost-effective programs for infants through college age children and their families.
Specific programs offered by CASY include tobacco prevention and cessation programs, financial child care assistance through vouchers for families who are working or enrolled in school, and the Child Care Food Program (CACFP), which provides child care facilities with funding to provide nutritious meals and snacks. Services from CASY also include professional childcare development with courses offered to help those seeking training hours required for the Child Development Associate credential. The CASY website also offers a search feature to locate child care, preschool programs and school age programs for families. For school age children, there are activities such as summer camp, Big Brother/Big Sister, Teen Court and iLead, which all aim to teach leadership skills, responsibility, provide character development and engage youth in their communities.
To learn more about CASY, go to http://casyonline.org/.
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6 Tips on Coping with
Work-Related Stress
Stress is not always bad, and it is very normal at the workplace. A little bit of stress can help you stay focused, energetic, and ready to face new challenges that may arise at work. While job related stress can become all-consuming, it does not have to be. You cannot always avoid the tensions that occur on the job, but you can take steps to manage your stress. Here are a few tips to help you manage your work related stress:
Identify your stress triggers. This can be done by keeping journal to identify which situations create the most stress and how you respond to them. Record your thoughts and feelings in the journal of what the top issues you are facing right now, and how you react to these issues. Once your stressors are identified, develop strategies to manage them.
Develop healthy responses. Do your best to make healthy choices when attempting to fight your stress. Completing a favorite activity, doing a fun hobby or any form pf physical activity can be beneficial when you can feel your stress levels increasing.
Establish boundaries. In today's digital world, it is easy to feel the pressure to be available 24 hours a day. Creating limits on how available you are once you leave work can help reduce work-life conflict and the stress that comes along with it. You can do this by not checking your email once you are home or not answering the phone at home, unless it is an emergency.
Take time to recharge. To avoid the negative effects of chronic stress and burnout, we need to take the time to replenish ourselves. This could include taking periods of time where you are neither engaging in work-related activities nor thinking about work. When possible, take time off to relax and unwind, so you come back to work feeling reinvigorated and ready to perform at your best!
Reach out. Simply sharing your stress with someone close to you can be a great stress-reducer. Talking with someone about what is causing your stress and receiving that support can be highly effective in blowing off steam and regaining your sense of calm.
Do not skimp on sleep. Missing out on sleep can interfere with daytime productivity, problem-solving skills and the ability to focus. The more rested you are, the more you will be able to tackle job responsibilities. When operating on a full night of sleep, it is easier to balance your emotions, which is an important factor in coping with job and workplace stress.
More Details Resource Additional Resource
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Staff Spotlight
Rosemary King is the Evaluation and Grants Specialist at the IPRC. She has had a wide variety of experience in public health; she began by taking a customized motor home (with an exam room, doctor, and nurse) to migrant farm worker camps in southwestern Michigan - such a unique experience! Rosie has been involved with the IPRC for many years, and as such, her motto in life proves her dedication to prevention: "Yes we can!"
Rosie has many interests, including visiting beautiful places and experiencing different cultures. She absolutely loves beaches and will try to go to one whenever she can. Rosie is also learning how to play the ukulele! One of the greatest inventions ever for Rosie would have to be air conditioning.
âIf you think you're too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito."
âDalai Lama
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THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
ON MOTIVATIONAL INTERVIEWING
The Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT) is an international organization that brings together individuals that train others in Motivational Interviewing (MI). It is a network that has  developed a process to determine if those who are training are competent in using MI. To become a member of MINT, an individual must learn the training techniques that were developed in 1997 by Bill Miller (featured in the photograph to the right) and Steve Rollnick. MINTâs mission is to promote good practice in the use of research and training of MI and to support the continued learning and skillfulness of its members through various learning opportunities, such as conferences and training events. Those trained in MI are from diverse backgrounds and focus on improving the quality and effectiveness of counseling and consultations with clients about behavior change. MINT is now represented in 35 countries and in more than 20 languages.
The International Conference on Motivational Interviewing (ICMI) was created because of interests surrounding MI research. It allows individuals from around the world, who may not be MINT members, but are practitioners and researchers who study MI, to learn more about it. This conference allows practitioners across many cultures, languages and professions to share their experiences in using MI in various settings with different focus areas.
Recently, three IPRC staff members, Mallori DeSalle, Kaitlyn Reho and Jon Agley, attended the Fifth Annual ICMI Conference, which was hosted in the United States for the first time. Mallori is a member of MINT and attended ICMI because she uses MI in SBIRT and trains others in MI who are practitioners in medicine, counseling, and other professions. Due to SBIRT specifically, Mallori âfelt it was important to hear what research was coming out about using MI. [She wants] to know how to use information that already exists to better inform [her] on what research SBIRT should doâ. Kaitlyn stated âthat this was [her] first experience, and that ICMI was very inspirational and left [her] feeling energized to continue building competence in MI.â
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Community Corner
The Morgan County Substance Abuse Council consists of community
partners interested in alcohol, tobacco and other drugs (ATOD) abuse
issues. Their work is dedicated to helping Morgan County residents reach
their full potential. Recently, in efforts to achieve this goal, the MCSAC
has begun assisting in implementing LifeSkills into their local school
districts. LifeSkills is a research-validated substance abuse prevention
program that has been shown to reduce the risks of alcohol, tobacco,
drug abuse and violence. LifeSkills addresses the major social and psychological factors that promote the initiation of substance use and other risky behaviors among adolescents and young teens by providing the confidence and skills necessary to successfully handle difficult situations.
The MCSAC has had great success with implementing LifeSkills in two of the four Morgan County school districts. The first school district, Eminence, had previously implemented LifeSkills in their middle schools but now wanted help from the MCSAC to begin expansion to the elementary grades, specifically grades 3, 4, and 5. The MCSAC was able to meet with the school officials and discuss what each party was responsible for in order to successfully fulfill their goals. The MCSAC made themselves available for questions or any  issues that may have developed through implementation of the program. This proved to be successful, and those experiences with the Eminence School District helped guide future efforts with other school districts. Additionally, the MCSAC had a teacher from Eminence speak at their Annual Meeting about LifeSkills and how well LifeSkills fits into the current curriculum and planning. The MCSAC scheduled a meeting with the Monroe-Gregg School District, mentioned the success with the Eminence School District and was able to generate interest. After another meeting, it was agreed upon that implementation would begin in grades 3 through 8 this coming school year! The MCSAC will be providing the curriculum and provide consultation to teachers and administration staff in order to help have a successful LifeSkills experience. Further plans for the MCSAC include trying to incorporate LifeSkills into the remaining two school districts.
The Morgan County Substance Abuse Council provides an excellent model to effectively implement the LifeSkills program into local schools. Focusing efforts on establishing a clear list of responsibilities for both parties involved and making yourself available for troubleshooting along the way can ensure that implementation runs smoothly. Providing real-time success stories and personal accounts from those using LifeSkills can be powerful motivators for those making the decision on whether to invest in carrying out the program.
Thank you the great efforts of Kristinia Love and others in Morgan County!
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August 31st â International Overdose Awareness Day
International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD) began as an annual event in 2001 after a discussion between Sally J. Finn and Peter Streker. Both working in Australia, they planned an event to give ribbons out for anyone who wished to commemorate a friend, partner, or family member who had passed away. Ribbons were available to any member of the community that wished to offer their condolences, whether they directly or indirectly knew someone that suffered an overdose. Over 6,000 ribbons were distributed that year. In 2002, a steel badge was designed and requests for badges or ribbons came from all over Australia and New Zealand. From then on, international communities began to hold events in order raise awareness, including government and non-government organizations.
The major aims of International Overdose Awareness Day is to raise awareness of overdose and reduce stigma of a drug-related death. IOAD also acknowledges the grief felt by families and friends remembering those that have died or have permanent injury as a result of drug overdose. Key themes of IOAD include both remembrance and prevention with goals including:
- To provide an opportunity for people to mourn publicly without shame or guilt
- To give community members information about the issue of fatal and non-fatal overdose
- To send a strong message to current and former drug users that they are valued
- To stimulate discussion about overdose prevention and drug policy
- To provide basic information on the range of available support services
- To prevent and reduce drug-related harm by supporting evidence-based policy and practice
- To remind all of the risks of overdose
To get involved as a community organization, you can hold an event, host a twitter chat or, if applicable, host a related training. As an individual, you can volunteer with an event happening, share a tribute to remember someone you may have lost to an overdose, or donate to the IOAD or another organization which addresses drug use and abuse.
Across the state of Indiana, there are multiple events planned to acknowledge IOAD. Communities throughout the state are hosting vigils, community meetings, naloxone trainings, educational seminars and awareness walks/rallies to show their support. This link provides the most up to date list of IOAD events planned in Indiana. |
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Risk and Protective Factors
A total of 8,059 students 18-25 years
of age from 23 Indiana colleges participated in the Indiana College Substance Use Survey conducted in Spring 2021.
