NEWS

On September 13th, in partnership with the Town of Davidson, Davidson LifeLine hosted a Community Conversation on Youth Drug Use, Fentanyl, and Xylazine. The event was informational, emotional, and a motivation for the community to take action on this important topic that reaches many of us here in Davidson.

The event was not recorded out of respect for the privacy of audience members. Because of this, we’d like to share some of the important takeaways and resources for those who were not able to attend, and as a reminder for attendees.

The evening began with a presentation from Wanda Wiggins, a Community Resource Officer with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration. She discussed fentanyl and xylazine, explaining what they are and their dangerous presence in the drug supply. More information from the DEA can be found by visiting the resources listed at the end of this newsletter.

A panel of community experts was moderated by Davidson LifeLine’s president, Diana Merrifield. Below is a list of panelists and a little bit about who they are.

• Dr. John Brunelle, Psychologist, Novant Health:

John Brunelle has 20+ years of experience working with adolescents and emerging adults, as both a psychologist and as a parent.  While he does not consider himself a specialist in substance use treatment, he has intimate experience with the causes and conditions that lead young folks to substance use and abuse.  More importantly, he has had the privilege to witness enough success stories to remain hopeful about a teenager and their loved ones’ capacities to create positive and sustainable behavior change in this challenging area of teen life.

• Koa Goode, Clinical Social Worker, CriSyS Mecklenburg County

Koa is a clinical social worker and part of the Town of Davidson’s co-responder program which supports residents experiencing a behavioral health crisis. Koa’s 20-year human services career has allowed her to gain experience in child protection, family stabilization, crisis intervention, program development, and community engagement. Due to a keen interest in trauma recovery, in 2022 Koa obtained her Masters in Clinical Social Work from the University of Kentucky with the goal of supporting individuals and communities to increase their resilience.

• Leslie Parks, Student Assistant Program Counselor, Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools

Leslie Parks is a Student Assistance Program Counselor with CMS who services Hough High School. Mrs. Parks has been with CMS for over 23 years and holds a Master’s in Counseling.

• Eric Conaway, Assistant Special Agent in Charge, DEA Charlotte

Special Agent in Charge Conaway was a wonderful addition to our panel. He brought in expertise on the national and local drug supply, fentanyl, and xylazine.

Audience members included various local professionals, school personnel, and concerned parents. They asked insightful questions that the panel answered masterfully with compassion. After the official event, folks stayed for about another hour to connect and talk about what they had learned, and the next steps to address this.

The goal of this event was to educate community members and have an open dialogue about a heavy topic that reaches each of us. Seeing folks connect to each other and with resources was a highlight. If you have any questions, you can refer to the resources below or email us at [email protected].

Resources & Future Events:

Local Resources

• CriSyS Mecklenbug County: Koa Goode is part of the CriSyS team and acts as a co-responder to folks who call 911 in Davidson that are having a behavioral health crisis. In addition to Koa’s services in Davidson, residents of Mecklenburg County can call CriSyS at (704) 566-3410 and choose option 1 to have a Mobile Crisis Team dispatched to their location. This service is offered 24/7 and is free to residents of Mecklenburg County.
• Queen City Harm Reduction: QCHR provides free naloxone, fentanyl test strips, xylazine test strips, and more to residents of Mecklenburg County. They specialize in overdose prevention and harm reduction for people who use drugs.
• Anuvia: Offers substance use and mental health treatment services, as well as prevention resources. Located in Charlotte.

Upcoming Event

• Thursday, November 2nd: Students at Hough High School will have the opportunity to hear from guest speaker and advocate Becky Savage. Ms. Savage lost two children to fentanyl overdoses and will share her story to help our students learn about the dangers. Parents will then have the opportunity to attend a presentation that evening at 6pm in the auditorium.

Helpful Websites & Videos

• Naloxone Saves: This website has great information, such as where you can access Naloxone (the medication that reverses opioid overdoses), treatment options, and other North Carolina resources.
• Operation Prevention: Scroll down on the home page to find a Parent Toolkit on starting a conversation with your child about drug use.
• Videos on Dr. Dan Siegel’s Brain in Palm of Hand/Hand Model of the Brain/Flipping Your Lid Concept: For Parents (~3 minutes), For Parents (~9 minutes), For Younger Kids, For Older Kids

DEA & Other Government Resources

• Fentanyl Awareness
• One Pill Can Kill
• Campus Drug Prevention
• Just Think Twice
• Get Smart About Drugs
• The Growing Threat of Xylazine and its Mixture with Illicit Drugs

 

Editors’ Note: Please also see our recent article on Fentanyl, and more specifically about the use of NARCAN.