Hope Over Heroin: One survivor's story
"My son walked into the kitchen and was crying trying to get me to stop. He said mommy, don't. By then I grabbed a set of butcher knives on the counter."
It wasn't the first time she tried to kill herself. But Dinovo wasn't always hooked on drugs or heroin. She grew up in Bellefontaine. Her mother, Robin Burton said she was your typical teenager. "Just an all American girl, " she said. But when Dinovo moved away on her own, she found herself mixed up in a lifestyle of partying and pills. "I tried pretty much everything, " she said. "I used heroin. I snorted it, I smoked it and finally, I shot it up." She hid her addiction for 10 years, always thinking she had it under control, but her mother knew. When Dinovo moved back to Ohio, mom was there by her side to fight back against the addiction. "Addiction attacks everything, every single part of who they are," said Burton. There were detoxes and relapses, but Burton would not give up on her daughter. " I never forgot the person inside, who I knew she was, " said Burton. Now, four years clean, their relationship is stronger than ever. They are sharing their story to let people know there is life after addiction. "It's amazing how things can change and you can get better. you can. I'm living proof," said Dinovo with a smile. by Bill Tipple, PeakOfOhio.com
In an effort to address the safety and economic threat of drug abuse in the workplace, Logan County is one of 18 Ohio communities participating in the Working Partners Drug-Free Workforce Community Initiative. This statewide initiative is a public-private partnership funded in part by the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services. The initiative’s objectives are to increase an employable, drug-free workforce in Ohio; build healthier, more productive and economically sound workplaces; and to create systems to educate employees – who are parents or adults with influence over young people – to prevent drug use among that population now and in the future. To achieve these objectives the initiative will be modeled after a program developed by drug-free workplace industry experts, Working Partners, and bring together local stakeholders and businesses. “We are concerned about the drug-related issues we are facing and how they affect not only individuals, families, and the community as a whole, but also workplaces which are the economic foundation of our community,” said Paul Benedetti, President/CEO of the Logan County Chamber of Commerce. “By bringing employers together to develop polices and share best practices, we believe we are taking very important steps to address the economic threat of substance abuse by employees and job seekers in our state.” You can contact the chamber office (599-5121) if your business would like to participate in this “Second Chance” program. “We are thrilled to partner with the Logan County Chamber to create their own unique Drug-Free Workforce Community Initiative,” said Dee Mason, founder and CEO of Working Partners. “By attacking this problem with a local grassroots approach, working with leaders embedded in communities across the state, we believe we will realize measurable changes that will result in a safer, healthier, and more economically viable Ohio workforce.” A local task force will be starting a new program with a grant it received recently.
The Logan County Opiate Task Force received a Health Living Grant from the AMA Foundation to fund the launch of the PERK (Positive Engagement Reaches Kids) Program for Logan County families. The program will begin on Saturday with a half-day kick-off that will feature a fun and educational day to address the impact of medicine abuse on real families, to stimulate an informal discussion, and educate adolescents about substance abuse through an engaging presentation meant to challenge their behavior towards drugs and alcohol. The kick-off will take place at Union Station from 12-4pm. Logan County Youth between 10 and 15 years of age, who are at risk for substance abuse, will be referred to the PERK Program. It is the goal of the group to include between 35 and 50 youth in this half-day event and then follow-up with ongoing after school opportunities. The PERK Program also includes a component for parents to increase their understanding and confidence in preventing and addressing drug and alcohol issues. The multi-media training program called “Parents: You Matter,” was created by the Partnership at Drugfree.org and it is designed to be co-delivered by a range of community presenters, from law enforcement, prevention and treatment professionals, as well as educators and healthcare professionals. It aims to educate parents of teens and tweens about why kids use drugs and alcohol; what parents can do to protect their children, and tips on how to communicate with their kids, monitor activities, how to spot drug/alcohol use, and what a parent should do when they find it. The Logan County Opiate Task Force was formed following the 2012 Community Health Risk and Needs Assessment, where drug abuse was identified as an area of risk and concern in Logan County. Members include: Mary Rutan Foundation, Mental Health and Drug and Alcohol Services Board of Logan and Champaign Counties, Consolidated Care Inc., Universal Home Health & Hospice Care, Kroger Pharmacy, Logan County Drug Free Youth Coalition, Logan County Family & Children First Council, Logan County Treatment Court, Joint Drug Task Force, Logan County Prosecutor’s Office, RTC Employment Services and other community partners. The local data collected by the Opiate Task Force and its partners supports the need for such a program:
“We are excited to have been awarded the Healthy Living Grant,” said Tammy Nicholl, Opiate Task Force Co-chair. “This grant allows us to continue to bring awareness and an educational opportunity to Logan County youth and their families.” |
News & Local UpdatesArticles and stories that reflect and highlight the work of the Logan County Joint Drug Task Force and other local organizations. Archives
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