Community Encouraged To Attend Local Substance Abuse Impact Town Hall Forum
Prairie du Chien, WI - Community members are encouraged to attend a town hall forum entitled “Responding to Addiction in our Community: It’s your neighbors, it’s your friends, it’s OUR problem,” on Tuesday, February 13 from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. in the George Family Education Center at Crossing Rivers Health in Prairie du Chien. The town hall is a collaborative community effort of the Crawford County Courts, Crawford County Health & Human Services, Crossing Rivers Health, Gundersen Health System, and Mayo Clinic Health System.
“We have seen an exponential growth in felony cases in Crawford County due to methamphetamine and other drug and alcohol use,” shared Lynn Rider, Crawford County Circuit Court Judge. “We are calling this town hall meeting to bring together a diverse group of people to determine resources and support the community can offer for their recovery, whether it be alcohol or another substance. We’re hoping that the community can look at this problem and determine ways we can beat this problem.”
Discussion topics will include the nature of addiction – what works and what doesn’t work and the role of community members; the current addiction problem facing Crawford County; a treatment court as an alternative to incarceration; and treatment, recovery, and building resilience in rural Wisconsin. Representatives from law enforcement, health care, and human services will share their perspectives.
“This collaboration is the first step,” added Judge Rider. “We’re all coming to the table to see how we can improve and are looking for members of the community to join us. My hope is that this is just the beginning of further collaboration between all of these agencies and members of the community.”
“Individuals who are recovering need support in an environment that is going to encourage them to get healthy again. I’m hoping the community is going to see that and develop additional treatment resources for their home community,” stated Dan McWilliams, Crawford County Health and Human Services Director.
For more information on the Responding to Addiction in Our Community Town Hall Forum, visit crossingrivers.org or call Lynn Groom, Crossing Rivers Health Education Coordinator, at 608.357.2285.
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