Steps are in place to help the community battle through problems associated with substance use in Carter County.
In the wake of a $60,000 grant provided by the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services , the Carter County Drug Prevention Coalition (CCDP) named a new director at the start of September – Jennifer Miller, MA, LPC-MHSP, MPA. The new director is no stranger to working in the behavioral health field and has experience as an outpatient therapist and crisis responder. She added that she’s ready to get to work on the “prevention side of the substance use issue”. “It’s very exciting,” Miller told the Elizabethton Star Thursday about her new position. “We’re looking at continuing to grow; I’m excited about working together with others in the community toward a safer and healthier Carter County”.
In an announcement provided by Angela Hagaman, with ETSU College of Public Health, the organization is on their way to mentoring children in the area. “We’re going to be offering Tuesday Tutoring at our office in downtown Elizabethton,” Miller said, discussing the event.
Tuesday Tutoring will begin on Tuesday, Sept. 27, at the Youth Opportunity Center – 546 East Elk Ave. – and continue throughout the school year. Miller added the tutoring will be in basic subjects and is geared toward grades 6-8. “We’ll be more than happy to help anyone and anywhere we can,” Miller said. “We’re going to be offering basic tutoring from 3 to 6 p.m. each Tuesday. We’ll have four volunteers rotating to help with tutoring.”
In a recent interview with the Elizabethton Star, Hagaman added the center will double as a resource center and an area for youth to socialize to enjoy time with friends to help deter use of substances.
“We’re also going to be holding an open house at our building on Saturday, Oct. 8, during the car show,” Miller said. “We’ll be providing light refreshments as well as information around what we hope to do.”
As Miller is preparing to become heavily involved with the community she thanked Hagaman and Carter County organizations that have helped CCDP to this point.
“I’ve been in the position for three weeks; before me Angela really handled everything,” she said. “She set up a strong base. Organizations, like the Boys and Girls Club, have been very helpful through the transition.” Miller will be working on a bevy of items in the coming months, including collaborating with area businesses on an educational program to address underage drinking in the community.
Another initiative CCDP will be working with includes “Count In, Lock It, Drop It”, which stresses the importance of keeping prescriptions safely stored and properly disposed of when no longer needed.  ETSU will be hosting a volunteer clinic in October to train participants in the use of Naloxone, a life-saving medication used to reverse opioid overdose. For more information, contact CCDP by visiting their website at cartercountydrugprevention.org or the Carter County Drug Prevention Facebook page.