Substance Abuse Initiative Has Drug Deactivation Kits, Adds Communication Tools
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May 24, 2018
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CoxHealth and the Skaggs Foundation announced today that the Stone and Taney Counties Substance Abuse Initiative received a donation of 4,000 drug deactivation pouches that will help bolster local efforts to combat opioid abuse.
The AmerisourceBergen Foundation, a not-for-profit charitable organization focused on supporting health-related causes that enrich the global community, donated the drug deactivation resources through its Municipal Support Program.
The disposable resources contain ingredients, which – when combined with water – permanently deactivate opioids, rendering them ineffective for misuse and providing a safe and environmentally friendly solution for disposal. The Substance Abuse Initiative will distribute the resources free of charge at community events and through local partner agencies.
“An estimated 80 percent of new heroin users report that their substance misuse began with taking prescription opioids,” says Marietta Hagan, population health project coordinator for the Stone and Taney Counties Substance Abuse Initiative. “These kits are a great way to properly dispose of these medications and keep them from potentially being misused.”
“As communities across the nation intensify their efforts to combat opioid abuse, we are committed to providing them with the critical resources and support needed to prevent misuse and drive sustained change,” said Gina Clark, president of the AmerisourceBergen Foundation who is also executive vice president and chief communications and administration officer at AmerisourceBergen.
In addition to the deactivation kits, the Substance Abuse Initiative is also celebrating its new website, DrugFreeOzarks.org.
“We believe DrugFreeOzarks.org will be an incredible resource for our community,” Hagan says. “The website, which features our Sink or Swim campaign, includes drugs facts, first-hand stories, information on drug disposal, news and information on getting help.”’
The Substance Abuse Initiative has also unveiled a Facebook page, Facebook.com/DrugFreeOzarks.
“We believe the Facebook page really compliments what we are doing and is a great way for people to receive important information in their news feed and keep up with all the initiative is doing,” Hagan said.
The Stone and Taney Counties Substance Abuse Initiative is a grant-funded project aimed at reducing and preventing substance use and misuse. It is a joint effort between CoxHealth, the CoxHealth Foundation and Skaggs Foundation. The initiative was started with a Skaggs Legacy Endowment grant. The project is also the recent recipient of a Missouri Department of Commerce grant for state tax credits. Businesses or individuals with business income can donate to support the Initiative and receive a 50 percent state tax credit in return. A donor gifting $1,000 can take off $500 from their debt owed to the state. To learn more about how to receive these tax credits, contact Lisa Alexander, CoxHealth Foundation at lisa.alexander@coxhealth.com or 417-269-7109.
To learn more about the Stone and Taney Counties Substance Abuse Initiative, visit DrugFreeOzarks.org.
The AmerisourceBergen Foundation, a not-for-profit charitable organization focused on supporting health-related causes that enrich the global community, donated the drug deactivation resources through its Municipal Support Program.
The disposable resources contain ingredients, which – when combined with water – permanently deactivate opioids, rendering them ineffective for misuse and providing a safe and environmentally friendly solution for disposal. The Substance Abuse Initiative will distribute the resources free of charge at community events and through local partner agencies.
“An estimated 80 percent of new heroin users report that their substance misuse began with taking prescription opioids,” says Marietta Hagan, population health project coordinator for the Stone and Taney Counties Substance Abuse Initiative. “These kits are a great way to properly dispose of these medications and keep them from potentially being misused.”
“As communities across the nation intensify their efforts to combat opioid abuse, we are committed to providing them with the critical resources and support needed to prevent misuse and drive sustained change,” said Gina Clark, president of the AmerisourceBergen Foundation who is also executive vice president and chief communications and administration officer at AmerisourceBergen.
In addition to the deactivation kits, the Substance Abuse Initiative is also celebrating its new website, DrugFreeOzarks.org.
“We believe DrugFreeOzarks.org will be an incredible resource for our community,” Hagan says. “The website, which features our Sink or Swim campaign, includes drugs facts, first-hand stories, information on drug disposal, news and information on getting help.”’
The Substance Abuse Initiative has also unveiled a Facebook page, Facebook.com/DrugFreeOzarks.
“We believe the Facebook page really compliments what we are doing and is a great way for people to receive important information in their news feed and keep up with all the initiative is doing,” Hagan said.
The Stone and Taney Counties Substance Abuse Initiative is a grant-funded project aimed at reducing and preventing substance use and misuse. It is a joint effort between CoxHealth, the CoxHealth Foundation and Skaggs Foundation. The initiative was started with a Skaggs Legacy Endowment grant. The project is also the recent recipient of a Missouri Department of Commerce grant for state tax credits. Businesses or individuals with business income can donate to support the Initiative and receive a 50 percent state tax credit in return. A donor gifting $1,000 can take off $500 from their debt owed to the state. To learn more about how to receive these tax credits, contact Lisa Alexander, CoxHealth Foundation at lisa.alexander@coxhealth.com or 417-269-7109.
To learn more about the Stone and Taney Counties Substance Abuse Initiative, visit DrugFreeOzarks.org.