Help Make Our Community a Better Place
Dear Community Member,

Happy 2020 and welcome to our monthly newsletter! Our hope is that each time you open it, you will find current and informative content to help keep you and your families safe from the dangers of substance abuse.
In The News
Tackling Substance Disorders in Aging Populations
By Kathleen E. Carey For the Reading Eagle
"Older adults with substance issues may exhibit signs of their disease somewhat differently than younger people, but their age group has the highest level of recovery.

Abusing drugs or alcohol can actually worsen diseases linked with aging, such as heart and liver issues, arthritis, diabetes, glaucoma, hearing loss, ulcers, gastritis, Alzheimer’s disease and more.

“All addicts and all alcoholics are lonely, but when you take seniors and move into the realm of losing a spouse, losing a peer group, having friends die off, it’s a different kind of loneliness. “It’s loneliness that’s really kind of tinged with a sort of fatalism and, culturally, alcohol is a good companion in terms of that loneliness. The problem is: it’s a good companion until it’s not.”

Alcohol Deaths Have Risen Sharply, Particularly Among Women
By Matt Richtel, The New York Times
"The number of women drinking dangerous amounts of alcohol is rising sharply in the United States.

That finding was among several troubling conclusions in an analysis of death certificates published Friday by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. The analysis looked at deaths nationwide each year from 1999 through 2017 that were reported as being caused at least partly by alcohol, including acute overdose, its chronic use, or in combination with other drugs.

The death rate tied to alcohol rose 51 percent overall in that time period, taking into account population growth. Most noteworthy to researchers was that the rate of deaths among women rose much more sharply, up 85 percent. In sheer numbers, 18,072 women died from alcohol in 2017, according to death certificates, compared with 7,662 in 1999.

“More women are drinking and they are drinking more,” said Patricia Powell, deputy director of the alcohol institute, which is a division of the National Institutes of Health."



Upcoming Events
If you or someone you know is interested in learning more about or signing up for Strengthening Families 10-14 please contact Jacob Peterson at jacob.peterson.crx@gmail.com or 402-913-4337
The More You Know
Coalition Rx Spotlight
March Community Meeting
Roscoe Wallace- From Gangs to Giving back KETV Omaha
Help Reduce the Misuse of Substances of Abuse
We provide three evidence-based programs for youth and families. Strengthening Families Program 10-14, Too Good For Drugs and Violence K-8 and the WISE. If you are interested in attending one of our programs or would like to set up a presentation at your organization please call 402-552-2221.

Each month Coalition Rx hosts a community meeting. We partner with local experts to discuss the substance abuse issues in our community and how we can combat this epidemic. On March 12th we are hosting Roscoe Wallace at 4pm. He will be discussing his life story and how he has overcome in the face of adversity. 
Founded in 2015, our mission is to reduce the misuse of all substances of abuse by raising awareness and partnering with community organizations to provide public and professional education, prevention and treatment resources, and policy advocacy.
Carey Pomykata Executive Director
(402) 552-2221