News Update January 2021 Volume I Find us on Facebook and Instagram @hunterdondrugfree www.njprevent.com/drugfreetaskforce

Taylor's Story The Safe Communities Coalition has partnered with the Hunterdon County Prosecutor's Office and Hope One for a presentation of "Taylor's Story". In addition to a screening of the short film, we will be joined by Taylor's mother, Kerri Rhodes, Michael Williams, Acting Prosecutor for Hunterdon County and Tom Bill, coach and local high school Student Assistance Counselor.

Alternatives for Pain Management Older Adults are at risk for medicine misuse by either taking too much, not enough, or forgetting to take their medication. Healthy Outlooks, is a program for Older Adults and Caregivers. Participants can learn helpful tools such as keeping a medication list and discussing safe alternative methods to manage pain without using prescription opioid pain medications with their . Please join us on February 18, 2021, for a free presentation and interactive demonstration.

Studies show heavy use of marijuana by young adults and teens with a mood disorder increases the risk for  self-harm. With NJ on the precipice of marijuana legalization and the COVID-19 pandemic, our community and youth are at a high risk for increased mental health complications. Marijuana will be another medium for teens and youth to experiment with and it may pose a life or death risk. Read more below: Marijuana abuse by youth with mood disorders linked to suicide attempts, self-harm and death, study finds - CNN

Dropping the "X-Waiver" In an effort to make medication assisted treatment more accessible the Department of Health and Human Services hopes to drop the "x-waiver" for buprenorphine. Fore more information click here.

Last month, we collaborated with the residents from Hunterdon Medical Center to host a Teen Town Hall, focusing on mental health issues. This forum gave teens and several parents a welcoming space to ask questions they may have had on common mental health problems and the pandemic. Participants were provided with critical resources. The evening was full of insightful questions and direct answers from trained medical staff. Kahoot trivia served some comic relief and winners took home Amazon gift cards and other prizes. With over 70 attendees, we will be offering more collaborative events like this in the coming months.

Help App The Help App provides the youth and families of Hunterdon County easy access to local, state, and national resources that can assist them with substance misuse, mental health, bullying, and other important topics. To download this free app, point your camera to the QR code. Please share this important resource with any young people you may know.

For information on the Drug-Free Task Force, contact Meghan Moore at mmoore@njprevent.com. For information on the Partnership for Health contact Kim Blanda at kblanda@hhsnj.org The Drug-Free Task Force is a work group with the Partnership for Health. The Drug Free Communities grant is staffed and managed by Prevention Resources Inc.