SNAP receives proclamation from commissioners
Thank you Commissioner’s for this opportunity to speak to you today. This is the 9th year we in Josephine County have recognized Red Ribbon Week. We have participated in quite a few events over the years.
What started out as Red Ribbon Rallies at the courthouse - has progressed to essay and poster contests for students in elementary schools and middle schools.
This year, the Jo. County Drug Court is collaborating with a new group called S.N.A.P. which stands for Social Network of Advocates for Prevention. This group is an offshoot of the local Meth Task Force.
Not only is SNAP partnering with the Drug Court this year for RR Week, they host clean and sober teen events to coincide with our local First Friday evenings. They are doing an awesome job to offer fun and creative activities to youth in our area.
During RR Week, many schools in Josephine County will be hosting a variety of activities. Our sponsored activities include:
- Our Drug Court ProTeam family group made fabulous posters using the theme ” Life - Nothing Added,’ which is the theme of our Red Ribbon bracelets.
- Classes at Fleming Middle School and Lincoln Savage entered our essay contest by writing some amazing essays using the theme, “Why I Choose to be Drug Free.” Prizes will be given to schools, classrooms, students, and teachers — next week.
Essays and Posters will be displayed for RR Week starting this Friday, the 24th on the County Commissioner’s wall on the 1st floor of the courthouse. Come by to view the display.
First Annual Josephine County Recovery Fair!
What better way to help people recovering from addictions and their families than to put all your resources together and let people know what their options are?
That’s exactly what happened at the Recovery Fair. The effort was not coordinated by just one person or even three - countless agencies joined in to participate and make this event a success.
Upon entry, which was free, visitors were met by the sight of Drug Court Theater Troupe members putting on a skit, followed by personal testimonies. All in attendance were encouraged to sign their names and number of clean and sober names on a giant poster, and to the delight of all present, the poster gradually filled throughout the five hour event.
Wellness on Wheels donated their vehicle for the event, and members of Harm Reduction Center were on hand to give free HIV and Hepatitis C testing. Approximately twenty people took up the offer, and the highly accurate testing results were cause for looks of relief from those tested, as all turned out negative. Those undergoing the simple procedure, which is simply a mouth swab and a twenty minute wait for results, were given information on how to reduce their risk of contracting such infections and encouraged to implement the safety measures they learned.
Across from Wellness on Wheels, the Oregon Judicial Department presented information on how to reinstate license fees, setting up payment schedules, and more. Those with licenses suspended for non-payment of fees were given a break and allowed to pay just $100 down for reinstatement, leaving a visitor named Julie beaming as she exclaimed “I haven’t had a license for eight years now! This was the break I needed to get back into the game and be able to do things on my own. I couldn’t afford how much I owed all at once.” Those in need were also offered the option to work in order to pay off the remainder of their court fees, and that option is one that is available to people at any time.
Officer Kevin Blaich and other associates of Grants Pass Public Safety were on hand to talk to those who needed advice and to discuss the current problems they are seeing in the Josephine County area. He noted that while methamphetamine is still a popular drug of choice, cocaine and heroine are making a small but still alarming comeback in this area of the state.
Amy, who has been clean and sober since 2002 after a five year struggle, stopped by the Community Corrections booth for hugs and a cheery “Thank You” to workers Denise Olson, Darren Calvert, Steven Monroe, and Dan Schram. Amy, who was referred to Community Corrections by the courts, enthusiastically praised the program and particularly the care and counseling that Ms. Olson offered as her counselor. “She got me to open up. She [Denise] is a good person and I love her!”
While the majority of those who attended were from Josephine County, the Recovery Fair drew in visitors from out of the area as well. One man, Mr. Garrido, was celebrating his one year anniversary of being off meth and driving through the state on his way home to Las Vegas when he saw the signs and made a u-turn to stop and check things out. He entered the free raffle on the off chance of being one of the few chosen from over 350 entries, and walked away grinning with a a gift certificate from Jimmy’s Classic Drive-In. Garrido claims “…it’s a sign that I should stay off, that I’m doing good. I didn’t expect anything like this!”
Whatever one was looking for, it could be found at the Recovery Fair. Bridges, a program to help homeless people who struggle with addiction or mental illness, was available to talk about their services. UCAN (Umpqua Community Action Network) presented fliers for those who needed resources to help pay utility bills, housing costs, or help provide for other basic necessities. However, it wasn’t all business! There was lots of fun involved. Children and adults played frisbee in open areas of the park, while others enjoyed the free hotdogs, snacks, and beverages. An impromptu group gathered on the pavement to enjoy the music and learn hip hop dance moves from one of the many volunteers, while children and adults alike were fascinated by the balloon twisting skills of Albert “The Balloonman” Joseph.
Key coordinators Karen Caskey, Abe Huntley, and Denise Olson were thrilled with how seamlessly the event came together and the number of people who showed up and were provided with information, support, entertainment, and great opportunities to take their recovery to the next level. All who took part in making the first annual Recovery Fair happen look forward to doing it again next year and for many years to come.
Above: Denise Olson and Steven Monroe, Community Corrections employees, head up the Employer Recovery Support Solutions committee of the Josephine County Methamphetamine Task Force.
Article originally posted on Grants Pass Now, May 2008.
“If we keep doing what we’re doing, we’re going to keep getting what we’re getting.” - Stephen R. Covey
Chances are, your business has a drug problem.
In a study done by the Department of Health and Human Services*, it is found that nearly 1 in 5 full time workers between the ages of 18 and 25 have used illicit drugs in the past month. While the numbers drop with subsequent age groups, the total number of drug users remains surprisingly high and does not include marijuana or heavy alcohol use.
What does this mean for your business? To be blunt, it means less profit. It means more time and money spent on repeatedly hiring and training new employees, often without knowing why the previous employee failed to work out. It means a possible increase in losses due to theft and a greater likelihood of accidents occurring on the job site.
What does it mean for those recovering from addiction or struggling with it now? Most often, they are reluctant to share information. The task force has seen clients go out to the workforce where they’re very vulnerable, and they ask them to be successful. The problem continuously seen is that the employer has no idea that the employee is struggling with this condition…this addiction. For new people in recovery, this is the most stressful time for them. Therefore you have an employee coming to work stressed out, frustrated, going through withdrawal symptoms, and the employer is left to wonder what the problem is. When the worker is afraid to say he/she’s an ex drug addict (and sometimes the employer doesn’t even want to know), there is a tremendous conflict.
Steve Monroe, a Josephine County Corrections employee, is well aware of this problem. When Denise Olsen, a founding member of the Meth Task Force, asked him to become part of a group task force to come up with new ideas for combating the issue, Steve was quick to say yes. They broke off into sub groups, and the Employer Recovery Support Solutions (ERSS) program began to take shape and is still in the process of being molded.
ERSS wants to introduce ways for both employers and employees to cope with this issue in a way that will prove beneficial to both parties. They use the analogy of a copy machine. If the machine is giving you trouble, do you waste the money you invested in it and buy a new one? No. You try to figure out what is wrong, and if needed, a repair man is contacted. That isn’t a very helpful solution, but it is often what happens when an employee isn’t working out. They are often dismissed without much ado, and a new employee is brought in to take their place. What ERSS wants to do is offer employers more productive resolutions to retain their employees, which in turn will help troubled workers be supported on the job.
Because many business owners and managers may not have the time or ability to attend classes or meetings, the idea came about to assemble packets of information and present them to local businesses. The packets would also be available for employees to hand deliver to their bosses. ERSS believes this is a way to create avenues for employers and employees to meet and strip away the anonymity of drug addiction, allowing workers to be safe in telling their employees “I’m in recovery, and need to tell you some issues that are going on.” The information given will allow businesses to understand the medical aspects of addiction and be willing to understand and help support the person going through it. A website will be set up that talks about the 12 steps of narcotics/alcoholics anonymous and will answer questions such as the definition of a sponsor, along with listing resources for both employers and employees.
So why is this the time to introduce such a program? Mr. Monroe has seen the justice system first hand and realizes that just locking up drug users simply doesn’t work. Not only that, but our county is facing a budget crisis that reduces the number of officers on the streets and reduces the availability of jail space, with some jails being completely eliminated. What we’ve done isn’t working anymore. If we continue, we will get what we’ve always gotten, and right now we’re getting a high rate of drug use and those who return to that lifestyle. Employers are getting the short end of the deal, having to hire and retrain over and over and losing money in the process. Having an alternative plan isn’t just a good idea, it’s now become a necessity. It’s time to go head to head with this problem and find solutions instead of throwing it behind bars and hoping it will go away.
This will not only benefit those who fight with addiction, it will enable employers to retain those they hired and lead to a more compassionate and caring environment. It’s a way to fight drug use in our county in a logical and humane way. Right now, people in recovery are lost in that time frame between leaving treatment and going back to work. ERSS would like to fill that gap and have them know there are people out there who are concerned enough to ask them how their day is going and if they’ve been going to their meetings, and know there are people out there supporting their recovery.
While there will always be a degree of recidivism, it can be reduced. While this program is still in the planning stages, the Josephine County Meth Task Force Employee Recovery Support Solution program will be in operation quite soon. Steve Monroe and his fellow workers are excited to be bringing this fresh new perspective to Josephine County employers and employees, and hope that they will be able to assist you with any questions or concerns you may have. -Gina Locke