It’s a rare sight to see pink unicorns and blue toucans dancing in the Scramble Lights on the Ball State campus. But they were there to call attention to important events on serious topics.
A large group of Ball State University faculty, staff, and students (including a few students dressed in colorful costumes for attention) are part of an initiative to educate the campus community as they battle the blistering cold. , conducted the 3rd Annual Prevention and Drug Take Back Day. On drug awareness and harm reduction. The concept of harm reduction includes accepting that illicit drug use is part of our community, but rather than ignoring or condemning drug use, Try to mitigate the impact.
The event was hosted on October 20th by the Ball State University Center. Substance use research and community initiatives (SURCI), Delaware County Addiction Coalition (ACDC), Addiction Countermeasures Student Association (S3), and Ball State Healthy Lifestyle Center Partnered with the Muncie Folk Collective and their Harm Reduction team.
At this year’s Prevention and Drug Take Back Day, participants were able to get free fentanyl test strips. Unload old or unused medications for disposal. Get addiction and prevention resources. Her S3 students, ACDC’s official student division, distributed free naloxone (Nalcan), a drug that rapidly reverses an opioid overdose, along with fentanyl test strips. Students also demonstrated how to use naloxone and fentanyl test strips.
This year’s Prevention and Drug Take Back Day students celebrated Nicotine Quit Month in October by donating 350 doses of Narcan, 400 fentanyl test strips, 1,000 drug prevention postcards, and 1,000 Quit Nicotine Day cards. Distributed. Expired medicines collected at the event filled a 20-gallon garbage bag. Those drugs will be safely disposed of by the Muncie Police.
“One of the good things is that there weren’t any fentanyl test strips or Narcan left by the time we finished. I know not everyone uses it, but if it saves one life , that’s what matters,” said Makayla Thompson, a senior social work major and S3 member student.
with S3 students SOCWK 430an immersive learning course within social enterprise Gain experience in your department and with community outreach initiatives such as community cleanup days, campus social substance use prevention campaigns, drug- and alcohol-free student social network offerings, and drug take-back days. Please load. S3 also serves mocktails every Saturday night. late night We hold events and distribute drug prevention education materials.
All 24 students in the class Dr. Dane MinnickAssistant Professor of Social Work and Director of Ball State SURCI, is ready to take Certified Prevention Specialist (CPS) End of semester exam. Adopted in 1994, the Prevention Specialist certification makes him one of the fastest growing credentials in the field of addiction-related behavioral medicine. The course produces 20 to 25 new prevention professionals each year, according to Dr. Minnick, and Indiana will have the highest number of certified prevention professionals in the nation within five years.
“This is an innovative way of tackling this problem. It’s not passive. We’re removing barriers and actively trying to get naloxone into the hands of students,” said Minnick, who is also executive director of the ACDC. says Dr.
Muncie City Council Speaker Jeff Robinson was one of several city officials who attended this year’s Prevention and Drug Takeback Day.
“We are truly grateful for the hard work of our community of dedicated citizens in addressing the ongoing drug addiction crisis. It is inspiring to see their dedication. ‘ said Robinson. Also present were Delaware County Sheriff Tony Skinner, Muncie Deputy Mayor Richard Ivey, Delaware County Commissioner Sherry Riggin, and Dr. Scott RutledgeDean of the Ball State health universityamong others.
