COMMUNITY ADDRESSES ADDICTION, SUICIDE

Doctors, business owners, people struggling with substance abuse,
local parents, public officials and many more convened Wednesday to
discuss substance abuse and suicide in the valley.

And the collective message from the 180 people who attended The
Divided Self: Crisis in Paradise at the Hotel Jerome was clear:
Something must change.

Public awareness - shining a light on substance abuse and suicide in
the valley - might be one way to keep the problem at bay.

"We are hopeful that this conference is a new beginning on the path
to finding creative, healthy approaches to cope with our conflicts -
within ourselves and as members of our community," said Kris Marsh,
president of the Aspen Valley Medical Foundation, which presented the
conference.

Although the nonprofit brainstormed the conference last fall, this
spring a number of suicides and drug overdoses reported in local
newspapers brought the issues to the top of the public consciousness.

It's rare to see a cross section of the community gathered together
when there's not a free music performance involved. It's even more
rare when that group gathers to confront some of the community's
biggest problems.

This was the first community gathering of its kind since the
mid-1990s, when a small group of locals organized by The Aspen
Institute identified substance abuse and suicide as the primary
health problem in the community.

Addicts told their stories about the depths of their addictions and
their journey to recovery, and counselors and doctors spoke about the
damage they've seen in the community as a result of rampant drug
abuse. A panel of people who have lost family members to suicide
somberly told of their loved ones' last days alive, and counselors
relayed suicide rates and how to identify when a someone is suicidal.

Although there were pin-drop silent moments and rapt attention in the
ballroom, the conference was about opening up a dialogue, and there
was no shortage of participation.

Community members hugged in the hallways during breaks and had lively
exchanges about what should be done to shed light on problems that
are often swept under the rug in a picture-perfect resort town like Aspen.

Dr. Michael Weissberg, a psychiatrist from the University of Colorado
Medical School, summarized the suggestions at the end of the day,
most of which included raising community awareness.

Participants theorized that more education in the community about the
problems could lead to early interventions. An annual fund-raiser -
even a float in the Fourth of July parade - could keep the community
aware of struggles with addiction and depression, they said.

Some larger questions were raised in small group discussions,
including whether Aspen needs to change its image from a party town
to a health-loving community.

Many conference attendants said they are impressed with the local
groundswell of support.

"This has been going on for a long time, but right now these concerns
are coming to the forefront," said Brush Creek Village resident
Carolyn Harder. "People are willing to deal with this themselves and
believe that changes can be made and our community can be known for
its beauty and being a healthy community."

Harder and her friend Laura Smith are both parents of teenagers and
say they have confronted their own concerns about kids and substance
abuse by forming a parent peer group that meets regularly. The
parents support each other in making tough decisions to keep their
children safe and well accounted for.

Smith, an Old Snowmass resident, said going to the conference
reconfirmed her feelings that these are issues the community needs to
work on as a group.

"We are individuals representing the community and the world, and we
need to decide how we can minister to ourselves," Smith said. "This
was an affirmation coming forward - as a community, we have to help
each other."

A report from Wednesday's conference will reflect all of the problems
and ideas expressed, and a film crew will edit footage from the day
into documentaries that may be presented to the community in the
future. Marsh said that the Aspen Valley Medical Foundation will
analyze data to come up with a strategic plan for the future.

"It's so tempting to want to move quickly, but we'll move
strategically because, honestly, talk is cheap," she said. "But
action is where it's going to happen. We have work to do."

For more information on The Divided Self: Crisis in Paradise, contact
the Aspen Valley Medical Foundation at 544-1298.