LUCAS COUNTY, Ohio — The Lucas County Sheriff’s Office Drug Abuse Response Unit (D.A.R.T.) has a long list of educational events planned during National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week, starting Monday, March 22.
Teenagers and adults across America are teaming up to spread science-based facts about drugs during the holiday, which lasts from March 22 - March 28 this year.
Here's a look at what Lucas County officials have planned.
LUCAS COUNTY EVENTS
March 22 |11-11:30 a.m. DART Facebook Live Event
Hidden in Plain Sight. Take a virtual walk through a teen’s mock bedroom as Deputy Sheriff Dennis Whaley and Counselor Tamme Smith talk about the dangers of youth misuse, which are hidden in plain sight from caregivers and parents.
March 24 | 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. University of Toledo, ROTC Gymnasium
This is an in-person presentation of “Behind the Scenes: What Really Goes On."
Andrea Donohue, the ER director at Promedica Flower Hospital in Sylvania, created the program. The powerful reenactment uses nurses from the ER trauma team to portray four stages of a heroin overdose.
Each scenario depicts a progressively worse overdose, and little is left to the imagination. DART will be present to talk about current drug trends and the UT Coalition will talk about community referrals for students.
March 25 | 9 - 10 a.m. Glass City Academy, Monroe St.
Counselor Smith and Deputy Whaley will present, “The Science of Addiction” to students of Glass City Academy.
Students will utilize vision impairment goggles to explore the effects of substance misuse as they attempt to complete daily tasks.
March 25 | 2 - 2:30 p.m. DART Facebook Live Event
Deputy Whaley and Counselor Smith visit the Mother and Child Program at St. Vincent’s Hospital for their weekly Facebook Live Event.
The Mother and Child Dependency Program offers specialized case management services to help improve outcomes for opiate-using pregnant mothers and their babies.
Officers will talk with the staff of the program as they share their knowledge about addictions, how to reduce barriers to following through with prenatal care, and substance abuse treatment, and insights on where to obtain valuable resources for needed baby items.
This session is a must for anyone working with pregnant clients.
March 26 | 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Elenor Kale Sr. Center Driving Out Addiction
While remaining safe in their cars, participants will drive down rows where they will receive swag and information from numerous Community Partners. This is like trick or treating for the adults.
March 27 | 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. Virtual Mental Health First-Aid
Mental Health First Aid is a skills-based training course that teaches participants about mental health and substance-use issues. Counselor Smith and Michael Carter from the Lucas County Mental Health and Recovery Board are your instructors for this session.
To register for an Adult or Youth instructional session, click here.
For more information about the Lucas County D.A.R.T. unit, click here.
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