  Ginny Nacy from Drug Free Irondequoit: Together updated us on the progress happening with this community coalition focused on preventing and reducing substance abuse among youth in the town. Drug-Free Irondequoit: Together, (DFI) a not-for-profit 501 (c) 3 community coalition, was founded by Ginny who approached a sampling of sector leaders in May, 2016- a year after her son passed away from a heroin/fentanyl overdose. The goal of DFI is to reduce substance use among youth with an emphasis on brain development and a long-term goal of overall reduction of addiction.
The Coalition: - Engaged multiple sectors of the community in the coalition in the assessment, planning and evaluation process.(e.g. town government, youth, schools, law enforcement, businesses, youth serving organizations, faith community, civic groups etc.)
- Increased community awareness on youth substance use through the Hidden in Plain Sight Display (HIPS), which demonstrates ways that drugs can be hidden in common items used by youth.
- Has received a one year grant from OASAS (Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services) to increase coalition capacity of under represented groups and work with diverse populations by defining health disparities and develop strategies for substance use reduction projects with communities adjacent to Irondequoit, specifically in the 14621 and 14609 zip codes.
- Is in process of re-applying for the Drug Free Communities Grant through the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) and Substance abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
Outreach: DFI: Together has participated in approximately 20 tabling and outreach events during the past year including but not limited to school Open Houses, the Senior Health Fair Expo, youth sporting events, National Night Out and Overdose Awareness Day, Narcan Training in conjunction with Rotary, and Bridge the Ridge.
Substance Use Reduction Efforts: The group continues to work on substance use reduction in the areas related to alcohol, nicotine, marijuana and prescription drugs. Most recently, a small video series was created with information provided by four community members: The Chief of Police, a youth pastor, a pediatrician and a person in recovery. The series specifically addressed alcohol use but included reference to other substances as well. One of the goals of this was to bring a forum effect to social media so it can be viewed at any time and by more individuals than what typically attend a one time event.
Through all of these efforts, the coalition provided an opportunity for community members to begin to talk more openly about the subject of addiction and continue to support efforts in removing the stigma associated with this disease. Taking into consideration an understanding of being more culturally responsive, one of our main goals is to increase the capacity to ensure that all members of the community are represented in order to facilitate on-going conversation and open discussion. |
