POWELL COUNTY C.A.R.E.S.

A message from the Powell County Health Department

At the start of 2020, the Powell County Health Department was awarded a grant to fund efforts to lower overdose rates in the county. Our health department was one of six departments to win the grant. Since then we have been laying the groundwork for this large project, and now, we are ready to launch.

We are now introducing Powell County C.A.R.E.S., a project that will involve the entire community in the fight against Substance Abuse Disorder. The goal of the project is to turn the tide of drug usage in Powell County, and we believe that means we have to change our approach to addiction.

This project has 5 different parts:
Collaboration, Access to treatment, Rapid response team, Education, and Syringe exchange. Each of these components, when working together, should allow us to reach all of Powell County, and eventually lower our number of overdoses.

Collaboration:

We are working with a wide range of people in the community to help make decisions on what needs to be done. We are trying to unite the efforts of people that are addressing drug usage in Powell County, knowing that acting as a unified group will be more effective than several individual parts working on their own.

Access to Treatment:
We are looking to make getting access to Substance Abuse Disorder treatment easier than ever before through publicizing resources, making reference books for the public, and hiring more peer support specialists. Peer support specialists work in a role where they help provide direct guidance for people seeking treatment.

Rapid Response Team:

We are forming a rapid response team, which is a group that will visit overdose victims shortly after their overdose occurs to help in whatever way they can. This is a common practice in surrounding counties.

Education:

There is plenty of research being done on addiction around the world, and we are assuming the responsibility of passing that information along to you. We’re doing this through a wide variety of ways, including on WSKV with a new podcast, in the classrooms of our school system, and
online through social media. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram at
@powellcountycares to stay in the loop.

Syringe Exchange:

Through the syringe exchange, we have a unique opportunity to connect personally with people who are using. We want to continue and expand our outreach at the health department.