shame and guilt due to her daughters’ drug habits and that this
epidemic does not discriminate—it affects every race, religion
and socioeconomic group.
Casey Butler is a recovering addict who is also featured in
the Greenbrier County toolkit. He struggled with addiction
for 18 years. In his sobriety, he became a peer recovery coach
for the Greenbrier County Drug Court before moving on to
a job with Habitat for Humanity. He believes the solution to
the drug epidemic is a community effort and is happy to be
one piece of the puzzle by leading support groups for other
recovering addicts.
To date, printed and electronic versions of the prevention
and awareness toolkits are available in Greenbrier, Boone and
Mercer counties. Electronic versions are available for Cabell and
Kanawha counties with 3,000 printed copies of each available
soon. Toolkits in Fayette and Wyoming counties are currently in
development, and 10 additional counties are planned for 2019.
Meeting a Need
According to research conducted by the CRCH and West
Virginia University, the need for toolkits in the state’s southern
counties was a high priority.
“The Southern West Virginia coalfield counties are part
of a research project we are working on with West Virginia
University called Rural Response to the Opioid Epidemic: From
Data to Action,” says Mace. “As part of that grant, we have
worked closely with the hardest-hit counties in Southern West
Virginia, so it made sense to start a toolkit project in that area.”
Substance use is not limited to the southern coalfields,
though—it’s a widespread issue across the Mountain State. A
study by the West Virginia Health Statistics Center showed at
least 818 drug overdose deaths in the state in 2016. The CRCH
and CARxE Coalition hope the toolkit will prove to be an
example of how to address this crisis while also addressing
the negative stigma associated with opioid use.
“Everyone is looking for prevention and educational tools
that can help the next generation of West Virginians under-
stand the opioid epidemic and reduce the stigma around
substance use so we can focus on getting people into treatment,”
says Mace. “The local resources in the back of each toolkit pro-
vide valuable information relative to treatment and recovery.”
Building on Success
This educational effort has also gained national exposure.
Mace and Haylee Heinsberg, a CRCH health education
coordinator, gave a presentation entitled “An Opioid Toolkit:
A Rural Community Education Project” at the National Rural
Health Association’s annual conference in May 2018 in New
Signs of Opioid Use
The following is a sampling of the physical, cognitive
and behavioral signs of opioid intoxication. A full
list can be found in the toolkit.
• Constricted/pinpoint pupils
• Flushed skin
• Depressed breathing
• Impaired coordination
• Slurred speech
• Track marks
• Euphoria
• Itching/scratching
• Decreased appetite
Source: “Prescription Opioid and Heroin Awareness Toolkit”
Orleans, LA. The toolkit, along with a provider packet and a
series of public service announcements, were shared.
In addition to speaking at rural health conferences, the
CRCH team participated in a news series on opioids in Boone
County with NBC Nightly News and has been featured in local
news programs. The center has hosted six community forums
and participated in various community events in Greenbrier,
Boone and Wyoming counties.
In April 2018, WVSOM received an Excellence in Commu-
nications Award at the American Association of Colleges of
Osteopathic Medicine’s annual conference in Washington, D.C.
The marketing and communications department, the media
services department and the CRCH were awarded first place in
the advertising category for the prescription opioid campaign.
While the CRCH has made great strides over the past two
years in addressing the opioid epidemic in West Virginia, there
are still areas to be reached. However, it is assuring to know
that the creation of a toolkit could spark enough conversation
to potentially change the outcome of an issue the state has been
dealing with for years.
“Community infrastructure building is needed in West Virginia
if we are ever going to turn the tide on the opioid epidemic,”
says Mace. “I believe the toolkit process helps facilitate com-
munication within communities, which reduces stigma and
recognizes substance use as a disorder that can be treated.
During the process of working with communities to develop
the toolkits, I have met some incredible community leaders
who want to make West Virginia a healthier place to live. I
feel good that the toolkits are a way to promote collaboration
between WVSOM and community partners.”
Drugs in the Workplace
Source: “Prescription Opioid and Heroin Awareness Toolkit”
An estimated
10-12%
of employees use
alcohol or illegal drugs
while at work.
70%
of substance abusers
hold jobs.
Drug abuse
costs employers
$81 billion
annually.
WWW.WVEXECUTIVE.COM
Industries that tend to
have a higher number of
substance users include
construction, trucking,
retail sales and assembly
and manufacturing.
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