A healthy community is necessary to ensure the growth and vitality of a population. Many factors contribute to sustaining a healthy community. In January 2000, a diverse group of community representatives identified substance abuse as one of the priority health issues in Barry County. Since that time, a group of community leaders has worked to develop a community plan that begins to address the issue of substance abuse.
The first step in the process was to define a focus for the plan. Recognizing the multiplicity of issues confronting substance abuse, the group started by identifying one issue that was currently of high priority in Barry County.
Excessive drinking impacts the community’s health and well-being because of the risks associated with it. Excessive drinking can lead to direct physical harm from alcohol poisoning or harm resulting from risky behaviors. People engaging in excessive drinking are more likely to participate in high-risk activities such as drinking and driving and other criminal behaviors. Reducing incidences of excessive drinking will have a positive impact on individuals and the community.
To begin outlining the issue, the workgroup brainstormed a list of community resources impacting excessive drinking. Included were existing programs coordinated through the schools, employers, law enforcement, and local agencies (i.e. Mental Health and Substance Abuse). Missing from the list and other gaps identified included accessible treatment options and a coordinated community awareness of the issue.
Popular culture promotes the practice of excessive drinking by treating the activity as common—everyone does it. By glamorizing the issue, the impact of excessive drinking on one’s health is often ignored. To have an impact on excessive drinking, a community needs to counteract the messages received in the media with its own messages promoting responsible, safe behavior. According to the COMPASS needs assessment (2001, Barry County) alcohol abuse prevention ranked number 10 of 38 issues that need action in the community. In this survey, residents indicated that the issue of alcohol abuse prevention was very important yet the response to this issue in the community was not adequate.
Preventing excessive drinking is only half of a solution. A community must also have strategies to address those individuals who regularly engage in excessive drinking and are past the point of listening to prevention messages. Typically, substance abuse treatment is the only option for these individuals but is often inaccessible because of inadequate local resources. Workgroup members consistently pointed to the lack of treatment options in Barry County as a barrier in effectively addressing substance abuse in the community.
Based on these discussions, the Barry Health Assessment Team makes the following two recommendations for Barry County:
 | A variety of communication methods to ensure reception from a diverse audience; |
| A curriculum that has been proven to be effective; |
| Collaboration with existing community resources to deliver the message; |
| A plan to ensure the message is delivered to all geographic areas in the county; |
| An evaluation plan to measure appropriate outcomes; |
| Incorporates the input from the target audience, business community, and health/human services; |
| A plan to provide access to educational information after the campaign period ends. |
Leadership for the campaign will be provided by Barry County Substance Abuse Services (BCSAS) with support from other community agencies (i.e. Health Department, Mental Health, Head Start). BCSAS currently implements a prevention program in the schools for youth and with sufficient resources, can expand their work to encompass the campaign.
Funding options for the campaign include the regional substance abuse authority (Kalamazoo), local businesses, local foundations, and the United Way.
Timeline
January - June 2001 generate community support
July - December 2001 launch the campaign
| Conduct a thorough assessment of substance abuse treatment services in Barry County including the identification of existing resources and gaps, a review of utilization data, and an analysis of access issues. |
| Define the need for substance abuse services in Barry County, develop, and implement a plan for meeting the need. |
| Build collaboration and coordination among the stakeholders in the substance abuse domain. |
| Communicate the results of the assessment and the taskforce's recommendation to the community. |
Barry County Mental Health Services and Barry County Substance Abuse Services will provide leadership for the Taskforce with support from the Health Department. The Taskforce membership will be limited to stakeholders in the substance abuse field and will include representatives from the following:
| Health (hospitals, physicians, nurses) |
| Human Resources/Business |
| Substance Abuse Service Providers |
| Schools |
| Human Services |
| Government |
| Judicial System |
| Law Enforcement |
The work of the Taskforce will be initiated with a community forum that will educate the community on the issues confronting Barry County residents in accessing substance abuse treatment services. The forum will be held in April/May 2001 and the work of the taskforce should wrap up by December 2001.
For more information contact:
Colette Scrimger
Community Health Assessment Coordinator
Barry-Eaton District Health Department
1033 Health Care Dr.
Charlotte, MI 48813
517-541-2602
517-543-7737 fax
cscrimger@hline.org
