$14K SOUGHT FOR COUNTYWIDE ANTI-DRUG FIGHT

$14K Sought For Countywide Anti-Drug Fight Panel Hunts Funds To Launch
Proven Prevention Program

GULFPORT - The committee to review Purdue Pharma's offer of a $25,000
grant has agreed to raise about $14,000 in matching money. Those
present for a unanimous vote:

Lisa Crain, Gulf Coast Mental Health Center

Roland Flowers, Pass Christian Police DARE officer

Mitchell King, Harrison County School District

Capt. Rick Kirk, Biloxi Police Department

Fred Walker, State Farm Insurance

Charles Wood, assistant district attorney

A committee of concerned citizens has agreed to raise at least
$14,000, bringing Harrison County closer to a countywide drug
prevention program and coalition.

The decision follows the committee's review of a science-based program
that is paid for in part by Purdue Pharma, the maker of OxyContin. The
company offers a $25,000 grant to pay for most of the basic costs of a
prevention planning program called Communities That Care.

Representatives of the Channing Bete Co., which administers the
program, met last month with about 40 leaders from across the county.
At the request of Sheriff George H. Payne Jr., a committee of about 10
people contacted community leaders in Georgia, Florida and Tennessee
to see if the program has worked in their areas.

"Everyone we talked to raved about the program and how beneficial it's
been in their own community," said Fred Walker, chairman of the Long
Beach Substance Abuse Task Force and a countywide effort to start a
drug education and prevention coalition.

Long Beach has the highest per capita fatality rate in drug-related
deaths, but drug abuse is rampant throughout the county, Walker said.

"This will help us build a coalition for the entire county and help
bring together all the stakeholders - law enforcement, education,
mental health, courts and parents - to have a say in how we address
these problems. It's going to help us communicate better and make the
best use of our resources."

The initial focus of Communities That Care is to collect data on youth
risk factors such as drug use, delinquency, violence and gang
involvement. The data is translated into an assessment study. Channing
Bete staff offer training in developing and implementing long-range
plans and applying for grants for related costs.

"We get (drug addicts) at the end of the road," said Charlie Wood,
assistant district attorney, "but wouldn't it be a wonderful thing if
we could alleviate the problems before they started.

"A substantial number of our cases are drug-related, from murders down
to grand larceny. A small percentage sell drugs to make money to take
a trip to the Bahamas. But a larger percentage sell to pay for their
own drugs. It's the reason people break into houses, write bad checks
and forge checks."

Most of the communities that Harrison County leaders spoke with
already had a countywide coalition, Walker said, "but this is a start."

Once the group raises at least $14,000, it will sign a contract with
Channing Bete, he said.