Parents, community members and counseling professionals turned out in West Ossippee last week to talk about the need for drug and alcohol services in their area. The meeting is part of an effort by state government to figure out how to help communities fight addiction. NHPR?s Trish Anderton reports.
ABOUT 50 PEOPLE FILLED A BACK ROOM AT SAMMY?S PAW PRINT RESTAURANT. THEY TOLD THE GOVERNOR?S COMMISSION ON ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE PREVENTION, INTERVENTION AND TREATMENT, THAT SUBSTANCE ABUSE IS A BIG CONCERN IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. SARAH FOGERTY IS A GUIDANCE COUNSELOR AT KENNETT HIGH SCHOOL IN CONWAY. SHE SAID SCHOOLS NEED MORE RESOURCES TO HELP TEENAGERS.
Last year we were fortunate in having a representative from carroll county mental health come in and work with students on drugs and alcohol. Unfortunately we didn?t have a confidential space for her to meet with people so that situation had to come to an end. Money and space are the big obstacles we see.
WHEN YOUNG PEOPLE DO GET ADDICTED, THERE ARE NO TREATMENT CENTERS NEARBY. LAURA CRANE IS A COUNSELOR AT WOLFEBORO?S KINGSWOOD HIGH.
Unfortunately when child needs help they have to leave the community. And when they come back they fall on their face. Because the hard work is when you come back to your community. We need local supports for students.
BUT THERE WAS DISAGREEMENT OVER HOW TO PREVENT TEENAGE SUBSTANCE ABUSE. THE SOLE TEENAGER IN THE AUDIENCE CRITICIZED THE POPULAR PROGRAM, DRUG ABUSE RESISTANCE EDUCATION OR DARE. NICK BRIGGS IS A STUDENT AT KENNETT HIGH.
I think what got me interested was DARE ?. No, I?m serious, because you go in, and I was thirteen and they say this is what it is, what the slang is, what it costs, and this is what it does to you ? I?ve heard a lot a lot of kids saying dare is what got me interested.
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Dare works when it?s done right ?.
D-E-A AGENT AND DARE INSTRUCTOR LISA REMICK DISAGREED. REMICK SAID MANY SCHOOLS OFFER DARE ONLY IN THE FIFTH GRADE ? AND THAT?S NOT ENOUGH.
Teach them starting in kindergarten and build up ? that?s the way to solve this and you?ll take care of prevention at that point. You know I hope I do a better job than whoever you had.
OTHERS ARGUED IT?S MORE THAN A MATTER OF THE RIGHT PROGRAM OR THE RIGHT COUNSELOR. NICK BRIGGS? MOTHER LAURA.
We owned a shop in north conway and on weekends we?d watch kids gather in the park to skateboard, and they?d be shooed away by the police (laughs) ? no loitering ? y?know what are these kids to do? There?s nothing there for these kids to do.
RESIDENTS SAID ADULTS IN THE EASTERN LAKES REGION ALSO FACE SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES IN GETTING HELP. DCYF CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES WORKER CONNIE JANSEERS.
i work with parents trying to turn their life around, many are in recovery, and they have no way to get a.a. meetings. Its as simple as that. And if they could get to meetings there?s no child care.
MARY MAYHEW, WHO DIRECTS THE STARTING POINT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ABUSE PROGRM, NOTED THAT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHELTERS BAN DRUG AND ALCOHOL USE. WHILE THAT?S NECESSARY, SHE SAID, IT LEAVES PEOPLE WITH ADDICTION PROBLEMS OUT IN THE COLD.
We knowingly set people up for failure. There needs to be a place in this state where victims of domestic violence can go to get shelter and have attention to their substance abuse needs because when we have somebody who makes the leap and goes into the shelter theres a 2-3 day trajectory before they?re going into DTs, they?re fleeing, they?re absolutely unable to maintain and there?s absolutely no place for these people to go.
THE OSSIPPEE FORUM WAS THE EIGHTH AND LAST IN A SERIES OF MEETINGS HELD AROUND THE STATE. TOM FOX, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE COMMISSION, SAYS THE MESSAGE WAS SIMILAR AT EVERY FORUM
There?s a gap between the needs and what?s available. Its adults as well as adolescents, its treatment as well as prevention, its worse in some areas than others but it?s a prob across the bd
FOX WASN?T SURPRISED. HE POINTS OUT NEW HAMPSHIRE IS AMONG-THE LOWEST SPENDING STATES WHEN IT COMES TO DRUG AND ALCOHOL PROGRAMS. BUT HE SAYS THE INFORMATION FROM THE FORUMS WILL HELP THE DEPARTMENT FOCUS ITS EFFORTS. HE ALSO HOPES TO TAKE SOME OF THE STORIES HE?S HEARD TO LAWMAKERS, AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO INVEST MORE IN TREATMENT AND PREVENTION. MEANWHILE, ONE SUPPORTIVE STATE SENATOR WARNED THAT ANY NEW PROGRAMS WILL HAVE TO SHOW RESULTS. REPUBLICAN NED GORDON HAS SPONSORED ANTI-DRUG AND ALCOHOL LEGISLATION.
We live in a frugal state (laughter ) ?. And there?s a lot to be said for that. If they?re gonna be spending money on that problem, they want to see that it?s used, and they want results.
THE GOVERNOR?S COMMISSION IS WORKING ON A STATE PLAN TO COMBAT DRUG AND ALCOHOL USE. IT EXPECTS TO RELEASE THE PLAN BY EARLY FALL. FOR NHPR NEWS I?M
