Drug Take Back Day set for Oct. 29 in Goldendale; unites prevention coalition
Klickitat County event in Goldendale on October 29
From Washington Gorge Action Programs:
By Tammy Kaufman
Local Klickitat County substance misuse prevention coalitions have joined the National Drug Take Back Day on October 29 to help get medications out of the hands of children.
“About 165 kids -- or roughly four school busloads of children -- are seen in emergency rooms for medication-related treatment every day in the U.S.,” said Kate Carr, President and CEO of Safe Kids Worldwide on ashealth.org. Every one of those trips was preventable. We can and must do better.”
The local event will be held at the Klickitat County Courthouse in Goldendale on Saturday, October 29, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., and residents are encouraged to bring unused prescription and over-the-counter medications for safe, free disposal by local law enforcement. “
Sharps will not be accepted.
Four local coalitions combine forces to serve youth in the area. Three groups are funded by Community Prevention and Wellness Initiative (CPWI) funding from Washington State Health Care Authority/Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery. The Coalition for Preventing Abuse in Klickitat County (CPAKC) focuses efforts in the Goldendale area. Klickitat-Lyle Against Substance Abuse Coalition (KLASAC) serves the Klickitat-Lyle area, and Klickitat Community Link Project (K-Link) serves the White Salmon-Bingen area. Our Klickitat is funded by the national Drug Free Communities program and helps to elevate messaging across the county.
“We are grateful to have wonderful community partners to assist us in getting potentially dangerous medications out of the hands of children,” said Sunday Sutton, the coordinator for CPAKC. Sutton’s organization partnered with the Klickitat County Sheriff’s Department to host the Goldendale event on October 29 at the Courthouse.
In addition to the Drug Take Back event, year-round drop boxes are available at several local locations. Kiosks are available at Hi-School Pharmacy and Skyline Hospital in White Salmon, and Goldendale Pharmacy and Klickitat Valley Health in Goldendale. Residents also have an option to mail in old medications by requesting a free medication return envelope online at https://med-project.org/.
“Removing unused and expired medications from your home helps prevent misuse and reduces the risk of overdose,” said Kristen McReath, the prevention coordinator for K-Link. She added that it also helps the environment to safely dispose of medications, keeping them out of soil and water sources, protecting wildlife, and protecting drinking water from contamination.
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All of the groups are interested in removing unused Opioids from households. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), 75 percent of opioid misuse starts with people using medications that were not prescribed to them. Washington State and the local coalitions utilize the Starts With ONE campaign to share information at https://getthefactsrx.com/.
Washington Gorge Action Programs administers Our Klickitat, CPAKC, and K-Link prevention programs. To learn more about how you can get involved, call 509-492-2662 or email info@wagap.org. To participate in KLASAC, call 509-316-9523 or email klasaccoalition@gmail.com.
