This annual conference is a wonderful resource for anyone who is raising or caring for a young family member.
The Northland Coalition, with the support of Tri-County Mental Health Services, has partnered with the DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration), law enforcement agencies and other communities across the country to encourage the responsible disposal of prescriptions.
National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Oct. 27 is specially designated to focus on reminding anyone who uses prescription drugs to keep them carefully stored and to safely dispose of any that are no longer needed. Currently there are 12 permanent drop box sites located in law enforcement agencies operating throughout the year in Clay, Platte and Ray counties. The service is free and anonymous.
According to the DEA, studies show that the preponderance of misused prescription drugs leading to significantly high rates of accidental poisonings and overdoses are obtained from the medicine cabinets of family and friends.
According to the Community Anti-Drug Coalition of America (CADCA), the National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that 20 percent of teens say they have taken a prescription drug without having a prescription. The most commonly misused prescription medications include opioids and pain relievers such as hydrocodone (Vicodin®) and oxycodone (OxyContin®); barbiturates and benzodiazepines including diazepam (Valium®) and alprazolam (Xanax®); and stimulants including dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine® or Adderall®) and methylphenidate (Ritalin® or Concerta®)
In addition to prescription drugs, some over-the-counter (OTC) drugs can be misused. Five percent of teens surveyed report using over-the-counter (OTC) cough medicine to get high. When taken in excessive amounts, the CADC says cough medicine ingredients such as DXM can cause very serious side effects affecting heartbeat, blood pressure and memory as well as causing nausea and vomiting.
Prevention Services Manager Vicky Ward, Tri-County Mental Health Services, the administrative support for the Northland Coalition, emphasizes the importance of the issue. “Properly storing and monitoring prescription drugs and then disposing of those unused and no longer needed is critical in addressing their misuse.” She added that improper disposal of them, such as flushing them, can negatively impact the water supply and community at large.
Ward said it is important for anyone involved with teens to talk to them about prescription and misuse of OTC cough medicine and share information about their appropriate use as well as to safeguard any medicines in their home.
According to the 2016 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 6.2 million Americans misused controlled prescription drugs. And, the majority was obtained from family and friends.
Since the Take Back program began in 2009, Ward said the Northland communities have enthusiastically participated in the program. “”The 12 prescription disposal receptacles in Clay, Platte and Ray counties average approximately 100 pounds each per month, collecting 1,200 pounds of unwanted medications yearly. Additionally, during last year’s National Take Back Day, we collected another 4,177 pounds from these sites, totaling 5,377 pounds of medications. That is a significant amount of unneeded prescription and over-the-counter drugs that were potentially kept out of the hands of our youth.”
The permanent Northland drop box sites and their hours of operation include:
Excelsior Springs Police Dept. Lobby
301 South Main, Excelsior Springs, Mo 64024
(816) 630-2000
Permanent Drop Off hours: Open 24 hours daily
Gladstone Police Dept.
7010 N. Holmes, Gladstone, Mo. 64118
(816) 436-3550: Drop Off hours: Open 24 hours daily
Kearney Police Dept.
725 W. 92 Highway, Kearney, Mo. 64060
(816) 628-3925
Drop Off hours: M-F 8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
and 1:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.
KCMO Police North Patrol Lobby
11000 NW Prairie View Road, Kansas City, MO 64153
(816) 437-6200 Drop Off Hours: Open 24 hours daily
KCMO Police Shoal Creek Patrol Lobby
6801 NE Pleasant Valley Rd., Kansas City, Mo. 64119
(816) 413-3400 Drop Off Hours: Open 24 hours daily
Lawson Police Dept.
103 W. 3rd St., Lawson, Mo. 64062
(816) 580-7210 Drop Off Hours: M-F 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
(Advised to call before coming.)
Liberty Police Dept. Lobby
101 E. Kansas St., Liberty, Mo. 64068
(816) 439-4716 Drop Off Hours: Open 24 hours daily
North Kansas City Police Dept. Lobby
2020 Howell Street, North Kansas City, Mo. 64116
(816) 274-6013 Drop Off Hours: Open 24 hours daily
Platte County Sheriff’s Office Lobby
415 Third Street, Platte City, Mo. 64079
(816) 858-2424 Drop Off Hours: M-F 8:00 a.m. -5:00 p.m.
Richmond Police Dept.
205 Summit St., Richmond, Mo. 64085
(816) 776-3575; Drop Off Hours: M-F 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Riverside Police Dept. Lobby
2990 NW Vivion Road, Riverside, Mo. 64150
(816) 741-1191 Drop Off Hours: 24 hours daily
Smithville Police Dept. Lobby
107 West Main Street, Smithville, Mo. 64089
(816) 532-0500 Drop Off Hours: M-F 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
If any of the listed drop sites are not convenient, those interested can visit www.dea.gov, type in their zip code and find the drop location nearest to them.
WHAT NOT TO BRING – WON’T BE ACCEPTED
-Do not bring illicit drugs (e.g. cocaine, marijuana, etc.) KCPD asks that anyone finding illicit drugs call 911 and ask for an officer to respond to the location.
-Not accepted: sharp objects, including needles, radioactive medicines, bio-hazardous materials or glass thermometers or other medical devices.
For those unable to use the Prescription Drug Take Back boxes in their area, the following method of disposal is recommended:
Remove and shred labels from the bottles. Crush pills and mix them with coffee grounds or kitty litter. Place the mixture in a sealed container and dispose of it with trash.
For further information about the Take Back program or prescription drug abuse, contact the Northland Coalition by visiting www.northlandcoalition.com or calling 816-877-0401.
Please join us for a day just for you. A day to learn about the effects of secondary traumatic stress and how to combat it as an individual and in our community.
November 5th 8:00 to 4:15 @Pleasant Valley Baptist Church
Registration includes – Laura’s newest book – The Age of Overwhelm, lunch and CEUs
Speakers:
Laura van Dernoot Lipsky is the founder and director of The Trauma Stewardship Institute and author of Trauma Stewardship: An Everyday Guide to Caring for Self While Caring for Others. Widely recognized as a pioneer in the field of trauma exposure, she has worked locally, nationally, and internationally for more than three decades.
Jamie Wehmeyer & Sarah Martens led by Theresa Hubbard, LCMFT: Trauma survivors share their experience and give insight into the importance of community support.
Topic: Wild Tree– Tips to a Healthy Thanksgiving
Speaker: Kim Wilkinson
This is a free gathering of seniors who meet on the third Friday of each month to discuss various topics relevant to promoting healthy aging. Everyone welcome.
Topic: Year End Mindfulness
Speaker: Candis Desselle-Boily, LPC
This is a free gathering of seniors who meet on the third Friday of each month to discuss various topics relevant to promoting healthy aging. Everyone welcome.
The Northland Coalition is hosting a Youth Mental Health First Aid Training on January 25. This training is excellent for anyone who has direct contact with youth. Training is basic and is not designed to provide new information for trained clinicians (counselors, therapists, social workers).The training will start at 8 am and go to 5 pm (with lunch provided) at Maple Wood Community College (2601 NE Barry Road, KCMO 64156) in the Campus Center Building, Room 110. Seating is limited. Nationally this course is valued at $170, but because of generous sponsorship by Missouri’s Department of Mental Health, you have the opportunity to attend at a reduced cost of $25. Email Maggie to register: maggiez@tri-countymhs.org
Topic: Information for care takers in regards to hospitalization
Speaker: Brande Rash, Crisis QMPH, Hospital Liaison
Brande is both a crisis clinician and the hospital liaison. She meets with individuals whom come into the office in crisis or at the hospital to evaluate for safety, or safety plan with them. She also meets with local hospitals to build relationships to open better communication to improve resources for our clients.
Event Details:
IndieFlix, a leading independent online streaming platform, along with its non-profit arm, the IndieFlix Foundation, is sparking a global conversation about anxiety through screenings of its brand-new documentary, “Angst: Raising Awareness Around Anxiety”. On February 6th, Kearney-Holt CAN in conjunction with Kearney School District will hold a special screening of the documentary at Kearney High School Auditorium, 715 East 19th Street, Kearney Missouri 64060 to open up a dialogue between local families, community leaders and experts. The event will feature a viewing of the 56-minute film, followed by a brief follow up discussion.
Producers Scilla Andreen and Karin Gornick have one goal: to start a global conversation and raise awareness around anxiety. Through candid interviews, they utilize the power of film to tell the stories of many kids and teens who discuss their anxiety and its impacts on their lives and relationships, as well as how they’ve found solutions and hope. The film also includes a special interview with Michael Phelps, a mental health advocate and one of the greatest athletes of all-time. In addition, the documentary provides discussions with mental health experts about the causes of anxiety and its sociological effects, along with the help, resources and tools available to address the condition.
Free tickets are now available and space is limited! The screening will be held at Kearney High School Auditorium at 6:30 pm. RSVP on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/
Part of the beauty of this film is the openness of the children and young adults featured; for some of them, the “Angst” project marks the first time they are publicly sharing their experiences with anxiety. Our hope is that their candidness and bravery will inspire our community to do the same.
While “Angst” documents the struggles some people have with anxiety, it also reveals their hope for the future. Noah, a teenager in the film, describes it this way: “Anxiety doesn’t define me. It’s not just a curse; it also gives me strength.”
“Everybody needs to know that anxiety disorders are real, common and treatable instead of viewing them as a personal choice or something to be ashamed of,” said Dr. Jerry Bubrick, Senior Director of Anxiety Disorders Center, Child Mind Institute. “Getting help early is crucial in giving people the tools they need to feel better. We just need to start the conversation.”
“We felt it was important to make a movie that could raise awareness to open up the conversation and provide hope,” said Andreen, IndieFlix CEO and “Angst” Producer. “So many people struggle with anxiety and have trouble talking about it. We want to change that.”
Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health challenge in the U.S., impacting 54 percent of females and 46 percent of males, with age seven being the median age of onset, according to the World Health Organization. While anxiety disorders are highly treatable, only one-third of those suffering receive treatment. Everyone involved in the development of “Angst” has a personal experience with anxiety – from the producers to the interviewees.
“The conversation surrounding mental health really hits home for me,” said Michael Phelps. “Many people don’t understand how debilitating mental illness truly can be, and even more than that, how common it is, yet people are afraid to have the serious discussions about it. I welcomed the opportunity to be a part of ‘Angst’ to further the dialogue around mental health and to help people understand the impact anxiety has on our mental state and encourage people, especially kids, to ask for help.”
“Angst” screens in schools and communities across the world. The IndieFlix original film is expected to reach more than three million people around the world, through 25,000 community and school screenings