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THE EARLY BIRD NEWSPAPER
WEEKEND EDITION - SEPTEMBER 2, 2018
THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE GREAT DARKE COUNTY FAIR!
Family Health to roll out XChange program SUSAN HARTLEY
STAFF WRITER shartley@earlybirdpaper.com
GREENVILLE – Representatives of Family Health, the Darke County Health Department and the Darke County Coroner’s office met with county, city and village officials Thursday to introduce a new program aimed at combating drug abuse. According to Jean Young, executive director, Family Health has received a $100,000 grant from Cardinal Health in Columbus to fund aspects of the program. Family Health submit-
ted the following press release concerning the program on Thursday: Family Health Services of Darke County, a Federally Qualified Health Center operating since 1972, will launch a new initiative designed to address some of the community health concerns created by the opioid epidemic. The program, called XChange, helps men and women who are struggling with drug misuse by offering clean needles, education and referrals to addiction treatment services. “People with addiction often inject drugs, and often share needles,” said Dr. Hannah Hatic,
Blain Smith accepts The Early Bird/Bluebag Media gift basket from Annette Sanders, advertising manager.
Smith wins Early Bird’s fair gift basket GREENVILLE – The Early Bird/Bluebag Media is pleased to announce its winner of the gift basket drawing from the 2018 Great Darke County Fair. Blain Smith, of Greenville, had his name drawn from approximately 1,500 entries. The gift basket was valued at over $500 with gift certificates and merchandise from local merchants and restaurants. The Early Bird/Bluebag Media thanks every-
one that stopped by our booth during the fair and shared how much you enjoy reading the newspaper when it comes to your door or reading us online. Many of you also mentioned your appreciation for the thousands of pictures we publish on our Facebook Page. If you haven’t Liked The Early Bird on Facebook, you are missing out. We posted over 3,000 photos from this year’s fair.
WHC hosts Women’s Night Out on Sept. 13 GREENVILLE – Women’s Night Out – An Evening of Wellness & Pampering will take place on Thursday, Sept. 13, 5:30-8 p.m., in the Wayne HealthCare Lobby. Attendees will have the opportunity enjoy shopping, wine tasting by the Winery at Versailles, cooking demonstration by The Merchant House, massages and fashion show courtesy of Youniques and Sadie Grace. The event will focus on health prevention and screenings, cancer services, bone density
scan for osteoporosis, tour of the Lifestyle Enhancement Center and Women’s Center. Wayne HealthCare physicians and professional staff will be present to answer questions regarding cancer treatment and prevention, women’s health, orthopedic surgery, sports medicine and more. Women of all ages are welcome to attend this free event. Light refreshments will be served. For more information, contact Karen Droesch at (937) 5475750 or karen.droesch@ waynehealthcare.org.
DO, Family Health Services’ Clinical Director of Medication, Assisted Treatment Programs and a specialist in internal medicine and addiction medicine. “Sharing needles puts people at risk of contracting Hepatitis and HIV.” According to the National Harm Reduction Coalition, needle exchange programs “are one of the most effective methods of disease prevention among injection drug users. “Over a decade’s worth of scientific research concludes that syringe exchange programs play an essential role in reducing the spread of bloodborne illnesses such as HIV and Hepatitis B and C.” XChange will provide a one-to-one exchange, Hatic said. “Anyone who comes in with a dirty needle will get a new needle, and will have access to basic medical supplies, education about misuse and addiction and refer-
rals to addiction treatment services.” XChange has widespread support throughout the community, Hatic said, including from the Darke County Sheriff’s Office, the Coalition for a Healthy Darke County, the Darke County Health Department and the Darke County Coroner’s Office. “We support XChange because it will connect the folks who are struggling with addiction to healthcare providers who can work with them and help them get treatment,” said Chief Deputy Mark Whittaker of the Darke County Sheriff’s Office. “The program also will help reduce needle stick injuries to law enforcement officers and first responders.” XChange opens Oct. 12, and will run every month on the second and fourth Fridays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Family Health Dental Clinic, 5735 Meeker Road, Greenville.
For general information about the program, email: xchange@familyhealthservices.org The public is invited to attend an informational meeting concerning the XChange program from 5:30-7 p.m. Tues-
day, Sept. 25, at Family Health in Greenville. Information concerning how the program works for individuals dealing with addiction will be available. For more information, call Family Health at 548-3806.
Residents urged to get involved to change culture RYAN BERRY
MANAGING EDITOR editor@earlybirdpaper.com
GREENVILLE – Tired of what she was seeing around her business and in her community, Youniques owner Hala Knapke called for a meeting to learn what residents of Greenville can do to combat the drug problem. She invited Darke County Sheriff Chief Deputy Mark Whittaker, Greenville Police Chief Steve Strick, Greenville Police Lt. Eric Roberts and Darke County Recovery and Wellness’ Kelly Harrison to address a group of approximately 35 interested residents. Knapke shared an incident that shook her to where she could no longer sit idly by. She said she was walking the bike trail between Alice Bish Park and the Greenville City Park and saw boys on bikes and “they weren’t just putting needles in their arms; they were desperate,” she said. They were no more than 10-feet away and they seemed not to care about her, but were fixated on getting their drug. “This is not okay. That is not okay. When is it normal to see that on a bike path at 8 o’clock in the morning,” Knapke said. Chief Whittaker did not bring good news and was blunt in sharing, “Don’t think for a minute that Greenville has developed
into a terrible place and that it’s only happening here because that is not true at all.” He said the things you’ve seen or heard about are also happening in other communities. “We think of Greenville of the way it was in our youth. We have an issue and it’s changing right in front of our face. This perception that it happened overnight is not true.” The Sheriff’s Office has been tracking the numbers for a long time and they first noticed an issue more than a decade ago. They began seeing an increase in the number of overdose deaths in 2005 and 2006. In the 80s and 90s they would record an average of two overdose deaths a year. Since 2015, Darke County has recorded 62 overdose deaths with a high of 24 last year. There have been 11 overdose deaths this year – already making it the second most deadly year. Whittaker pointed out there isn’t a village in the county that has escaped this problem. The problem, according to Whittaker has not come from just one change, but several. Where we are at today is a result of the crackdown on prescription drugs and addicts looking elsewhere to fill their cravings, the state reducing funding to prisons, local courts choosing
Chief Deputy Mark Whittaker shares information with approximately 35 area residents at a meeting formed by Hala Knapke.
community control sanctions or treatment in lieu of prison, and an immunity law when an overdose is called in. All of these reasons and more are fueling the problem. The answer from Chief Whittaker, Chief Strick, Lt. Roberts and Greenville Safety Service Director Curt Garrison – get involved, form neighborhood watch groups, make phone calls to the police department when you see something suspicious, write down license plate numbers if you can do so safely, clean up your home, lock your house and car doors, light up your house – don’t sit idly by. The law enforcement officers agreed this will not change overnight and will not change if residents choose not to get involved
and report suspicious activity. Whittaker warned it may seem like officers aren’t doing anything, but nothing could be further from the truth. In some instances, it can take several months to build an iron-clad case to take to the prosecutor. Someone who is making a difference is Kelly Harrison who works in prevention at Darke County Recovery & Wellness. Harrison is taking the message to the schools that the majority of kids are not drinking or doing drugs. She is showing there is an alternative to the lifestyle that gets so much attention. Whittaker believes the prevention message will make a difference, but it may be 10 years or longer before we see those results.
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