CHIEF LOGAN STATE PARK - The fight against drug abuse took center stage yesterday at the fourth annual PIECES Drug Summit.
The summit brought together educators and medical professionals, law enforcement officers and attorneys, social workers and pastors who participated in the day long event held at the Earl Ray Tomblin Convention Center at Chief Logan State Park on Thursday to address Logan's drug crisis.
A special multi-agency panel including Chad Barker, John Bennet, Roger Perry, Eric O'Briant, Lee McDermott, Susan Jackson, Vicky Bell, Sean Walker and John Mays who answered questions about how their various agencies were addressing the substance abuse issue.
Vicky Bell of Child Protective Services noted that both Psychological Associates and Logan Mingo-Mental Health provided counseling and other addiction treatment services. Bell admitted that many facilities are overwhelmed by the sheer number of addicts in the county.
When asked what the church can do to help, Pastor Lee McDermott discussed the upcoming Faith Based Drug Summit PIECES is sponsoring on Nov. 4 and asked people to talk to their own pastors about attending. McDermott said some congregations may have the ability to assist addicts in ways they don't realize in getting help.
Pastor Sean Walker said addicts need to know that people love them and that the faith based community needs to find grace and compassion for addicts. Walker said the church was always in the business of helping people make the right decisions about life.
When asked about the corrections system, Judges Roger Perry and Eric O'Briant noted the Southwestern Regional Jail only holds inmates on charges of one year or less and is not intended as a long-term facility. The judges said some non-violent offenders can be diverted into alternative sentencing programs like Day Report, probation and the upcoming Drug Court. Perry said 90 percent of the cases he sees are rooted in drug and alcohol abuse. Judge O'Briant noted that sometimes proper treatment including successful rehab and recovery can take more than a year to be truly effective for some individuals. O'Briant said Logan County desperately needs a long term rehab treatment facility for females and that more counselors, therapists and treatment centers are needed locally.
Judge O'Briant noted that each addict is different and every case the judges saw was unique and noted that programs like Drug Court sometimes had to tailor programs to the offender. He noted Drug Court is for hardcore addicts with continuing legal problems, not teenagers arrested for the first time for misdemeanor possession charges or drug dealers.
Judge Perry noted that the drug crisis didn't happen overnight and could take years to effectively deal with.
Junior Amburgey said he felt a better educated person is able to make wiser decisions about things that could affect their lives -including drugs and alcohol. Amburgey pointed out that student athletes who are in voluntary programs (not required) are eligible for drug testing but said the law currently prevents the school system from requiring students who are mandated to attend school to be tested.
Chad Barker spoke about a new program by the Boone County Sheriff's Office making free drug testing kits available to parents who can test their children at home and are not required to report the results to anybody. Barker said Logan Sheriff Eddie Hunter is looking into starting up a similar program here.
John Mays noted Logan Mingo Mental Health has many programs including an outpatient treatment program.
Prevention Resource Officer Dave Adkins, a former Logan Police Chief discussed his role at Middleburg Island in interacting with children and teaching them about topics related to drugs and offenses that regular teachers did not handle in class.
Amburgey pointed out that one third of the county's school population was located on Midelburg Island, which was why Adkins was placed there.
Judge O'Briant said many people in Logan County were working on the substance abuse problems and issues and that only by working together could they achieve the most good. O'Briant asked that those who are concerned and want to help contact PIECES and get involved. "There are things being done and we need all the help we can get," O'Briant said. "It is important to get the community involved."
PIECES meets the first Monday of every month at noon at the Presbyterian Church on Stratton Street. A pastor's subcommittee meets one hour earlier at 11 a.m.
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