TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) – National Drug Awareness Week kicks off on Monday, and there will be events all week long to spread awareness through Lucas County’s Drug Abuse Response Unit, also known as D.A.R.T.
Team members said there has been an increase in drug abuse treatment among youth since the pandemic began. It is essential to spread awareness and help students say no to drugs.
The goal is to educate students on the harmful effects of drugs and alcohol and help parents see the signs of what to look out for, how to talk to their children, and provide resources for those who might be battling addictions.
The events range from simulations to drive-thru swag bags and mental health training courses.
Tammi Smith, D.A.R.T. advocate explains four things to look out for, including the environmental, physical, mental, and financial aspects.
“You might notice that they’re kind of disheveled in their appearance, they’re wearing long sleeves in the summertime, you know that they’re hanging around with different individuals than they did in the past,” Smith explains. “We’re going to look through each one of those categories and provide some information for families and parents.”
And with fewer activities to keep youth occupied, there are greater temptations to use drugs and alcohol. But, too many afterschool commitments can also have a negative effect.
“Pick one or two for the youth to be involved in, don’t pick 15. They get just as stressed as we do,” Smith says. “When we go into the schools, that’s one of the major things they say is why they do drugs, because of how overwhelmed and stressed their feeling.”
Smith said the second reason was caused by depression, and instead of commitment overload, what students actually need is someone to help assess and process their emotions. See below for all of the events this week for Drug Abuse Awareness Month.
Monday
11– 11:30 a.m.
DART Facebook Live Event
Facebook Live Event- Hidden in Plain Sight. Take a virtual walk through a teen’s mock bedroom as Deputy Sheriff Dennis Whaley and Counselor Tamme Smith talk about the dangers of youth misuse, which are hidden in plain sight from caregivers and parents.
Wednesday
11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
University of Toledo, ROTC Gymnasium
In-person presentation of “Behind the Scenes: What Really Goes On”. Andrea Donohue, the ER director at Promedica Flower Hospital in Sylvania, created this program. The powerful reenactment uses nurses from the ER trauma team to portray four stages of a heroin overdose. Each scenario depicts a progressively worse overdose, and little is left to the imagination. DART will be present to talk about current drug trends and the UT Coalition will talk about community referrals for students.
Thursday
9-10 a.m.
Glass City Academy, Monroe St.
Counselor Smith and Deputy Whaley will present, “The Science of Addiction” to students of Glass City Academy. Students will utilize vision impairment goggles to explore the effects of substance misuse as they attempt to complete daily tasks.
Thursday
2– 2:30 p.m.
DART Facebook Live Event
Deputy Whaley and Counselor Smith visit the Mother and Child Program at St. Vincent’s Hospital for their weekly Facebook Live Event. The Mother and Child Dependency Program offer specialized case management service to help improve outcomes for opiate-using pregnant mothers and their babies. We will talk with the staff of the program as they share their knowledgeable about addictions, how to reduce barriers to following through with prenatal care, and substance abuse treatment, and last insights on where to obtain valuable resources for needed baby items. This session is a must for anyone working with pregnant clients.
Friday
11 a.m.– 1 p.m.
Elenor Kale Sr. Center
Driving Out Addiction
While remaining safe in their cars, participants will drive down rows where they will receive swag and information from numerous Community Partners. This is like trick or treating for the adults.
Friday
8 a.m.-3 p.m.
Virtual
Mental Health First Aid – Mental Health First Aid is a skills-based training course that teaches participants about mental health and substance-use issues. Counselor Smith and Michael Carter from the Lucas County Mental Health and Recovery Board are your instructors for this session. To register for an Adult or Youth instructional session register at: https://www.utoledo.edu/nursing/MHFA.html
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