GET HELP AT LINC OPIOID CLINICS
This article is reprinted from The Chronicle-Telegram, April 5, 2019. Lorain County residents battling addiction are invited to seek help at the LINC (Local Initiative to Network Compassion) of Lorain County’s opioid harm-reduction clinics in Wellington. The program will take place every other Friday from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Wellington United Methodist Church, 127 Park Place. The clinics will take place on April 19, May 3, May 17 and May 31. Harm-reduction strategies involve getting people with addiction into addiction treatment programs; preventing the spread of communicable diseases such as hepatitis, HIV/AIDS and others through testing and education; peer support, counseling and resources for families whose loved ones are battling addiction; safe syringe disposal; and insurance resources, among others. Addiction is a disease, Wellington Police Chief Tim Barfield said, and programs like the harm-reduction clinic reduce deaths from accidental overdose, reduce the spread of disease and promote safer communities. Reports and studies “unanimously support the conclusions that harm-reduction programs reduce HIV/AIDS and hepatitis transmission and none have found that collecting and providing supplies caused rates of drug use to increase,” according to LINC of Lorain County, which stands for Local Initiative to Network Compassion. “Additionally, many studies affirm that these programs help to encourage and facilitate entry into treatment programs and healthy lifestyle changes.” Along with LINC, partners in the harm-reduction clinic include Alcohol and Drug Addiction Service Board of Lorain County, Lorain County Public Health, the Nord Center, the Nord Family Foundation, Let’s Get Real, The LCADA Way, Firelands Counseling, University Hospitals and The Cleveland Clinic Foundation. Organizers said harm- reduction strategies have proved successful in battling the drug epidemic and addiction in 19 Ohio counties, particularly when it comes to opioid addiction — heroin, morphine and prescription painkillers among them. LINC started in March 2016 because “what we were doing” — locking up people with substance use disorders — “wasn’t working,” Barfield said. “We’d arrest people, they’d go to court and be let out on bond,” he said. “Then they’re stealing from family or friends or overdosing. You’ve got to understand, I have no problem arresting people and illegal drug use is a crime. But addiction is a disease, and many people just don’t understand that. This is truly an attempt to help people.” Since the LINC program’s inception, Barfield said, 120 people in the village have sought and received help in their struggles with addiction, and the harm-reduction clinic “just seemed to be the perfect match” and logical next step. He said he recently presented the Wellington model of combating addiction at an international police conference in St. Louis, sharing the project with officers from around the world. “What we find here is that when we get people off these drugs, they can become productive members of society,” he said. “If we can get them help, they stop committing crimes. This is who I think the Wellington Police Department is. We have to work in this community and try to help and make a difference. In this case, I know we’re making a difference.” Other public health and addiction services advocates said they were pleased to be a part of the program. “We’ve been plagued by the opioid epidemic in Lorain County and have long as a community been embattled by the disease of addiction,” Lorain County Health Commissioner Dave Covell said in a news release. “Opening this clinic in Wellington is a critical step in our efforts to create a healthier community and encourage people to embark on their path through treatment and recovery.” “Drug use is a complex, multifaceted phenomenon that encompasses a continuum of behaviors from severe abuse to total abstinence. As a community, we meet people who are struggling with substance use disorders where there are,” said Elaine Georgas, executive director of the ADAS Board of Lorain County. LINC of Lorain County provides access points and connections to treatment. More information can be found at the group’s Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/LINCofLorainCounty/ Anyone with questions about the program who is ready to enter detox or recovery is encouraged to call the Wellington Police Department at (440) 647-2244 or stop by the Wellington police station at 117 Willard Memorial Square, the Wellington Fire Department at 202 Kelly St. or the South Lorain County Ambulance District offices. 
A Life Worth Saving
Help Stop Opioid Overdoses: Naloxone Kits at No Cost
Because the opioid crisis in Lorain County is severe, THRIVE! is posting this article directly from the website of our Partner, the Lorain County Public Health department: https://www.loraincountyhealth.com/announcements?f=13590 FACTS*: - Opioid overdose caused 132 deaths in Lorain County in 2016. - Opioid use contributed to 2,691 emergency department visits in Lorain County in 2016. - The annual economic burden of the opioid crisis in Lorain County reached nearly $200 million in 2016. *For references, see “Lorain County Assessment,” below Narcan® kits (also known as nasal naloxone) are available for anyone who wants to prevent an opioid overdose death. Pick up a Narcan® kit at no cost and receive opioid death prevention education at Lorain County Public Health (LCPH), 9880 Murray Ridge Road, Elyria, OH. Walk in on weekdays (excluding holidays) between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. For an after-hours appointment, call 440-322-6367. Allow 20 minutes for the visit in order to receive education and the Narcan® kit. Continue reading here. 
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"What motivated me to lose weight and get in shape was to place mirrors all over my bedroom and walk around with no clothes on. There's nothing like seeing yourself in the raw to kick-start a fitness regime. (I live alone, by the way.)" - Maggie S.
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Helpful ResourcesAren't we lucky? Lorain County offers so many resources to help us all live better!
Lorain County Service Agencies(The list is alphabetical according
to type of services) AGING SERVICES Friends of Senior Citizens 44627 State Route 18 Wellington, OH 44090-9412 440/724-3804, tel. or 440/647-2113 Lorain County Office on Aging THRIVE! Partner MAIN OFFICE – Elyria 320 North Gateway Blvd, 2nd Floor Elyria, OH 44035 440/326-4800, tel. 440/244-6261, ext. 4800 Wellington Branch 115 Willard Memorial Square Wellington, OH 44090 440/647-0777 (direct line) 440/647-4626, tel. DIABETES PREVENTION YMCA of Greater Cleveland THRIVE! Partner Diabetes Prevention Program 440/574-0580, tel. 419/438-7345 (to register for classes) FOR MORE RESOURCES, CLICK HERE “Librarian’s Corner: Best Reads and Views on Health and Fitness"
New picks for books and DVDs! The list is made by Janet L. Hollingsworth, MLIS, Director, Herrick Memorial Library, Wellington. They're all at the Library.
Adult Books
• “The Yoga Lifestyle: Using the Flexitarian Method to Ease Stress, Find Balance, and Create a Healthy Life,” by Doron Hanoch • "Prevention's Complete Book of Walking: Everything You Need to Know to Walk Your Way to Better Health," by Maggie Spilner Cookbooks • “Eating for Life: Boost Immunity, Prevent Disease, Celebrate Good Food,” by Kristi Fuller, Better Homes and Gardens Books • "The Whole 30: the 30-Day Guide to Total Health and Food Freedom," by Melissa Hartwig DVDs • "Yoga for Arthritis" • "Daily Stretch" |
THRIVE! Southern Lorain County is one of 11 Community Collaboratives powered by United Way of Greater Lorain County that are working to improve the health, education, and financial stability of all residents in our communities.