MAYOR’S BEAT | Substance abuse coalition continues to make progress

Published 4:07 pm Friday, November 7, 2014

By FRED MCCARTHY

Mayor of Langley

November is the month of Thanksgiving. We have many things to be thankful for just in living on Whidbey Island. We also have things we appreciate that we need to actively guard, preserve, and cultivate.

The quality of life here is why many people came here. Many people feel it is so extraordinary that it is worth investing their time, talents and treasure in preserving the  safety, security, and peace of mind for ourselves and our friends, neighbors and family members here.

November also marks the sixth month of meetings of the Island County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition in Coupeville. So what has been accomplished so far and what does the Coalition plan to do in the coming year? We have selected a proven model for organizing a Drug Prevention Coalition that is based on 10 plus years of successful research and best practice reporting from Michigan State University. The plan is in the form of a Handbook we are sharing widely with anyone who is interested. We have been presented with Healthy Youth Survey data by experts in measurement and student support from Island County. We have 37 people from all walks of life in Island County who have joined the Coalition and attended at least one of our monthly meetings. We have collected 20 plus research and best practice articles about substance abuse, community approaches to intervention, treatment, law enforcement etc. We have attended community meetings organized by Island County Commissioner Helen Price Johnson and Sheriff Mark Brown where friends and neighbors have shared what it feels like to have their property invaded or to know that young people they know and care for are drawn into the web of illegal drugs.

We have learned that this can occur after an accident and the pain relief of prescription drugs or maybe a young person experiments with drugs and falls into full-scale addiction. Many times these are good people in our families who have made very bad life-changing decisions. Next year we will join a national anti-drug coalition to access planning and training modules, gather additional baseline data, and form sub-committees to focus on high priority activities to address the most pressing concerns first.

Here in Langley, a rundown property with travel trailers was inhabited by people with police records from other areas. We worked with the landlord, arrested individuals, hauled in a large dumpster, and are requiring the property to be cleaned up or demolished, and are conveying the message that we are not going to let people set up shop here and pursue illegal drug-related activities. It is a small step among many being taken here, but an important one for us to take.

You can help. Consider joining or supporting the Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition. Call the anonymous county reporting line for suspected drug activity (360-679-7319), e-mail tips@co.island.wa.us or call the Langley Police Department at 360-221-4333 and report suspicious activity. Thank our dedicated police officers the next time you see them for being proactive about this problem. Thank you for your support. By working together we can keep the community we love and enjoy.

Sincerely,

Fred