INPUT ON DRUG ABUSE SOUGHT

Pence Will Head Regional Forum To Assess Scope Of Problem

For years, police and substance abuse professionals have fielded phone
calls from relatives frustrated about how to end a loved one's
substance abuse problem.

For the past several weeks, questions such as "What can I do?" have
been answered with a specific date and a time.

Kentucky Lt. Gov. Steve Pence will be in Owensboro on Tuesday to
gather input from residents during a regional forum to assess the
scope of the state's substance abuse problem. Residents from Daviess,
McLean, Ohio and Hancock counties are encouraged to attend the free
public event.

The Owensboro forum is one of 16 public meetings throughout the state
as part of Gov. Ernie Fletcher's Drug Control Policy Assessment
Summit. Feedback gathered during the statewide tour will be used to
create a statewide drug control policy.

The event will be an excellent opportunity for people to share their
stories about the difficulty of finding appropriate help for a child
or spouse, said Gary Hall, senior director of RiverValley Regional
Prevention Center. Hall said he plans to attend along with many of the
employees at RiverValley.

"It's not a straight line to services," Hall said. "This will be an
excellent opportunity for any citizen or any parent to share with the
lieutenant governor and the representatives ... the difficulty in
identifying ways to get help for child, spouse or loved one."

The forum is expected to attract regional law enforcement, prevention
specialists, treatment professionals and people with personal stories.
RiverValley and Community Solutions For Substance Abuse, among others,
have marketed the forum as a prime opportunity to become involved and
be heard, Hall said.

Hall said he plans to address representatives at the forum about a
common misperception that education is the sole answer to prevention.
A more realistic effort combines education with law enforcement,
interdiction, environmental factors and comprehensive data collection
to determine the success of existing programs, he said.

Daviess County sheriff's Detective Sgt. Jim Acquisto has attended each
of the nine panels held so far in eastern and western Kentucky.
Acquisto is serving as an expert on the enforcement panel.

The pervasive problem in eastern Kentucky is prescription pills, while
methamphetamine labs are the biggest problem in western Kentucky, he
said. Marijuana is prevalent throughout the state, and some cities
have reported problems with club drugs such as Ecstasy, he said.

Different drugs pose unique challenges for prevention, treatment and
behavior of offenders, Acquisto said. Many forums have produced
similar complaints about limited treatment, lack of adequate police
staffing, crowded jails and lack of drug courts, he said.

Acquisto praised the forums and their ability to question state
residents about which programs are working and which are not.

"Across the board, everybody who has a drug court has spoken very
highly of it," Acquisto said. "It's been really good. I appreciate
getting the chance to do it."

There will be three panels at the forum --on treatment, on prevention
and education and on enforcement. Participants will be asked to sign
in to address a particular panel. The addresses will be recorded and
reviewed in preparation of a final report.

Owensboro will be the 10th forum and will be followed by events in
Henderson on Wednesday and Bowling Green on Thursday.

Topics are expected to be varied. The forum will explore illegal drug
use and prescription drug abuse in addition to alcohol and tobacco
concerns.

To Attend

The Drug Control Policy Assessment Summit forum will be from 1 to 5
p.m. Tuesday at the Executive Inn Rivermont in downtown Owensboro.

Participants will be asked to complete a questionnaire about substance
abuse in their community. The forms will be available at the event but
can also be obtained in advance at http://www.kydrugsummit.ky.gov.