News

Coalition launching fight against prescription drug abuse

By Bill Moss, Published: September 27, 2013

A coalition of health care providers, nonprofit agencies, educators and concerned parents will launch a countywide initiative next week to fight prescription abuse in Henderson County.

Called HopeRx, the effort is aimed at what mental health, health care and law enforcement officials say is one of the greatest social and health problems in the county.

The Partnership for Health of Henderson County will announce details of the effort on the steps of the Historic Courthouse at 11 a.m. Tuesday.

Brief comments will be made by Judith Long, Executive Director of the Free Clinics and a member of the Partnership for Health board; Julie and Don Huneycutt, representing parents in the community who have lost one or more children to drug overdose; Dr. Shannon Dowler, Chief Medical Officer for Blue Ridge Community Health Services; the Honorable Athena Brooks, Chief District Court Judge for Henderson, Polk and Transylvania counties and Todd Singer, HopeRx Project Coordinator.

HopeRx is a project designed to unite community leaders, parents, educators, students, healthcare providers, EMS workers and volunteers, law enforcement, the judicial system, civic organizations and faith groups throughout Henderson County to work collaboratively to address the issues of prescription drug abuse, one of the top three health problems in our county.

The HopeRx initiative is spearheaded by the Partnership for Health, a community coalition whose mission is to address critical health issues in Henderson County. Members of the Partnership for Health include representatives from Blue Ridge Community College, Blue Ridge Community Health Services, The Free Clinics, Henderson County Health Department, Mainstay, Pardee Hospital, Park Ridge Health and Wingate University Hendersonville Campus, School of Pharmacy.