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Tag: Fairfield Behavioral Health Services

  • $50K grant helped cut Fairfield opioid deaths in half

    FAIRFIELD COUNTY – A $50,000 State Opioid Response (SOR) grant from South Carolina’s Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services has resulted in a 50 percent decrease in overdose deaths, a 65 percent decrease in the number of opioid and stimulant arrests and a 7.6 percent decrease in drug seizures in Fairfield County during the grant period from January, 2021 through Sept. 17, 2021 in comparison to 2019 and 2020.

    The grant award was made to the Fairfield Opioid Response Team in partnership with Fairfield Behavioral Health Services, Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office, Winnsboro Public Safety Emergency Medical Services, Coroner’s Office and Fairfield County Emergency Management/911.

    The grant allowed the team, starting at the beginning of 2021, to gain access to the Overdose Detection Mapping Application Program which gave members real time data of suspected opioid or stimulant overdoses or deaths in different jurisdictions.

    Upon reviewing the tracked data, the team was able to determine locations in Fairfield County that had the greatest need for substance use prevention. Targeting these hotspots, the team hosted six Community Take Back Days, collecting prescription medications from 26 residents; distributing 1,000 Deterra drug deactivation bags; and discussing the importance of proper medication disposal.

    Deterra bags were also distributed to Hawthorne pharmacy, 4 local physicians, and other organizations in the county.

    The SOR grant allowed the team to purchase and install a new prescription drop box at Hawthorne Pharmacy. Boxes are already located at the Sheriff’s office and the Winnsboro Public Safety office. With the installation of this third drop box and the Community Take Back Days, our county collected 146 lbs. of unused, unwanted, or expired prescription medications this year

    The also grant enabled the team to raise awareness in the community through billboards, news articles, ads, and a direct mailer in hotspot areas. It also provided funds to give Botvin Life Skills Training, an evidence based prevention program with an opioid lesson, to 72 high school students.

    The Fairfield Opioid Response Team, in partnership with Fairfield Behavioral Health Services, Fairfield County Sheriff Department, Winnsboro Public Safety, Emergency Medical Services, Coroner’s Office, and Fairfield County Emergency Management/911, has now been awarded a second $50,000 SOR grant to continue their efforts to reduce the impact of opioid and stimulant use and abuse in Fairfield County.

    What Can You Do?

    • Learn more about the dangers and impact of opioid use at https://justplainkillers.com and  https://naxolonesavessc.org 
    • Request prescription drug deactivation bags (Deterra Bags) for your family, community, church or business etc.
    • Collect all unused prescription drug pain killers and place them in the prescription drug drop boxes located at Fairfield County Sheriff, Winnsboro Public Safety, and Hawthorne Pharmacy (1 new site to be announced soon)
    • Participate in Opioid Education and Narcan Distribution training through Fairfield Behavioral Health Services and receive free Narcan to prevent an overdose
    • Administer Narcan for someone you believe in good faith is experiencing an opioid overdose without being subject to civil or criminal liability
    • Participate in the Strengthening Families Program through Fairfield Behavioral Health Services
    • Start treatment and recovery for opioid and stimulant use at Fairfield Behavioral Health Services

    For more information contact Fairfield Behavioral Health Services: (803) 635-2335; www.fairfieldbhs.org

  • Register for Behavioral Health Services Drop-In

    WINNSBORO – Even though ‘Recovery Month’ has just begun this week for Fairfield County’s Behavioral Health Services, it’s already time to sign up for the month-end Drop-In to be held Friday, Sept. 28, from 12 – 1:30 p.m. at the agency’s new building, 178 Hwy 321 Bypass N. in Winnsboro.

    “We hope everyone will participate in our several programs this month including the Church of the Year and My Recovery Story contests,” BHS Director Vernon Kennedy said.

    To register, call 635-2335 or go to fairfieldbhs.org.

  • Not Your Average Classroom

    Prevention Specialist Veronica Edmonds and Mr. Best’s eighth-grade class at Fairfield Middle School.

    If you were to walk into a class taught by Prevention Specialists Veronica Edmonds or Courtney Kilgore from Fairfield Behavioral Health Services, you might be surprised by what you saw: games, songs, prizes – it was not your average classroom experience.

    During the 2011-2012 school year, 679 students grades 4-9 participated in the Keepin’ It REAL (Refuse, Explain, Avoid, Leave) program, an evidence-based curriculum that teaches strategies for refusing alcohol, tobacco and other drugs, as well as important decision making and communication skills. Schools that received the program include Kelly Miller Elementary School, Geiger Elementary School, McCorey Liston Elementary School, Fairfield Middle School and Fairfield Central High School.

    A pre- and post-survey was administered to measure student’s attitudes and perceptions toward alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. Data has been completed for students in classes from September to December 2011 and it was found that students’ perception of risk of harm while using alcohol, tobacco or other drugs increased significantly by 19.6 percent from pre- to post-test, meaning that students understand they could risk harming themselves or others if they use alcohol, tobacco or other drugs. This was higher than the state percentage, which is 8.1 percent.

    Additionally, there was a 5.7 percent increase in decision-making skills from pre- to post-test, meaning that students learned how to make better decisions by completing the Keepin’ It REAL program, which also is higher than the state percentage, at 1.8 percent.

    Statistics are nice, but what does this really mean?

    Students in Fairfield County are learning, through activities, games, songs and winning prizes, that using alcohol, tobacco and other drugs is risky, harmful, and that avoiding alcohol, tobacco or other drugs is the better decision to make, not just now but all through out their lifetime.

    That is why these Prevention Specialists did not have your average classroom; they were teaching life-long skills for decision making and avoiding alcohol, tobacco and other drugs.

  • Fairfield Behavioral Health Begins Anti-Tobacco Campaign

    Fairfield Behavioral Health Services, in partnership with Fairfield Community Health Partners and the Healthy South Carolina Initiative, is sponsoring a Faith Based Tobacco Education Training session, July 7, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Christ Central Community Center, 35 S. Congress St., Winnsboro. Pastors, ministers, directors, deacons, secretaries or designated persons who will lead tobacco prevention efforts should attend this free training session.

    The session will provide the latest information on tobacco and the impact it has on health. Training will also enhance the faith-based community’s abilities to educate congregations, families and the community, as well as implement strategies to improve health.

    Registration deadline is June 29 at noon, and is limited to 40 participants (two per faith-based organization). For more information on how to register, contact Cheryl Y. Goodwin, Special Service Coordinator, at cgoodwin@fairfieldbhs.org, or 803-635-2335, ext. 33.

    Fairfield Community Health Partners is one of 33 organizations in the state to have been awarded a grant by the Healthy South Carolina Initiative (HSCI) to fight obesity and tobacco use in Fairfield County. Fairfield Community Health Partners has adopted the theme: “All Aboard For a Healthy Fairfield” with specific focus areas to include tobacco-free living and healthy eating/active living. The grant funds will directly support work in Fairfield County communities. Community partners will work together on environmental and policy strategies to increase healthy opportunities in their communities.

    Executive Director, Vernon L. Kennedy Sr. with Fairfield Behavioral Health Services and Mac Russell, Registered Dietitian and Chair of Eat Smart Move More Fairfield County(ESMMFC), are two Fairfield Community Health Partners who will implement faith based tobacco free prevention activities, healthy eating and active living activities and youth empowerment strategies in Fairfield County. Specifically, Fairfield Behavioral Health Services along with support from Fairfield Community Health Partners will coordinate with members of the Fairfield Ministerial Association, the Blair Coalition of Churches and other faith based organizations to provide tobacco education with the goal to adopt and implement a model tobacco-free policy, smoke-free environments including vehicles and homes. Fairfield Behavioral Health Services will also coordinate the youth empowerment strategies.

    ESMMFC will continue their partnership with the Fairfield County School District to build a healthier school environment by expanding the Coordinated Approach To Child Health (CATCH) program to include all preschools. Preschool staff will be trained in CATCH Early Childhood, (a nutrition and physical activity program for children ages 3 to 5), and existing school gardens will be used to enhance the program. In addition, the school district, along with ESMMFC and Fairfield Behavioral Health Services will work with youth groups on a project to increase physical activity, good nutrition and a healthy lifestyle.