ELIZABETHTOWN — The Bladen County Opioid Task Force is a few weeks away from the end of its community forums, the deadline for its online survey and will soon be armed with a strategic plan.
The group met Tuesday at the Health Department.
There are four more forums scheduled, and more may be added. The online survey, found at https://tinyurl.com/Bladencommunity, will remain available to everyone through Sept. 30.
Addiction Consulting and Training Associates, known as ACT, is assisting the county. Their participation is funded through a grant from the Kate B. Reynolds Foundation to conduct a county-wide needs assessment in order to develop a strategic action plan.
“This is your strategic plan,” said Syd Wiford of ACT Associates.
The forums are:
• Sept. 17, 3 p.m.: Bladen County Schools, school counselors, social workers, school nurses and school resource officers. The meeting is in the board room of the schools’ administration building, 1489 U.S. 701, Elizabethtown.
• Sept. 17, 6:30 p.m.: Religious organizations. This meeting is at the Elizabethtown Baptist Church, 1800 W. Broad St., Elizabethtown.
• Sept. 19, 3 p.m.: Substance abuse providers. This meeting is at the Bladen County Health Department, 300 Mercer Mill Road, Elizabethtown.
• Sept. 19, 6:30 p.m.: Sheriff’s Office, EMS personnel. This meeting is at the Bladen County Sheriff’s Office, 299 Smith Circle.
A news release says in part, “The opioid, alcohol, and other substance abuse issue continues to take a dramatic toll on the residents and families of Bladen County. The county will begin to identify the depth of the issue, identify services and community supports needed to combat the issue of substance abuse.”
The task force is seeking the input of everyone in the county, regardless of whether they have been touched by opioids or any other kind of addictions. The strategic plan will be for addictions, including but not limited to opioids.
When the forums and surveys are complete, ACT will then try to formulate the strategic plan. The task force is hopeful to see it by the end of October.
More information is available from Dr. Cathy Gantz at 910-872-6256, or through email at cgantz@bladenco.org. She is the coordinator of the Opioid Task Force in Bladen County.
