SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION COUNCIL WANTS MORE FUNDING FOR SERVICES

MADISONVILLE - The Monroe County Coordinating Council for Substance Abuse
Prevention and Treatment may have to ask the county for additional funds
this year to serve the increasing number of people needing help. The
council currently gets all of its funding from county D.U.I. fines and has
never received additional money from the county.

During a recent meeting, council co-chair Barbara Levin asked the council
what it thought about requesting additional funding.

I think it would be totally justified said Kim Yount of the Monroe County
Family Resource Center. The council agreed for Levin to try to set up a
meeting to formally make the request.

More funding may be necessary because the council did not receive a $5,000
grant it had applied for from the East Tennessee Foundation. Program
Coordinator Laurie Ashcroft said she thought the council did not get the
grant due to issues regarding aftercare and budget.

The biggest obstacle we have as volunteers is where are we going to get
them help, asked Grace Kowantz of CONTACT Helpline.

Ashcroft is working on a 150-page methamphetamine and inhalant grant that
could bring as much as $300,000 to the program. However, she said she did
not think the council would get that grant either because of the same issues.

She also said she needs more information from the county regarding the
number of meth labs busted this year and last year before she can complete
the form. Ashcroft later requested a workshop or training on grant writing
to help improve the council's chances of receiving grants.

Low scores were reported on more than 400 area alcohol awareness
screenings, with a substantial number of people scoring zero, on a scale of
zero to 30. Scoring close to 30 on the test would indicate a serious
problem with alcohol.

It was a success for awareness, said Hiwassee guidance counselor Lawrence
Salisbury regarding the screening at the college in April. National Alcohol
Awareness Screening is primarily to provide awareness to the community and
not necessarily to find alcoholics.

Ashcroft proposed the council start a group at Sequoyah High School to meet
at least once a week. She has the curriculum but will need money for
materials and follow up.

Sweetwater resource officer Jim Kile stated 293 students signed up for Prom
Promise this year. Each senior English class wrote a eulogy for their best
friend in an exercise designed to encourage the students not to drive under
the influence. There were no incidents at the prom this year. Six students
even called Kile to let him know they made it home safely.

I need new videos and visual aides said Kile. MADD does a presentation at
county schools every year and has decided to release a new video each year.

Kile said the countys materials are extremely outdated and have lost their
shock value. Kile also reported a canine check in Sweetwater High School
last month did not turn up any drugs.

Ashcroft stated that referrals from the Monroe County jail have been
increasing. Shes working to form an Alcoholics Anonymous group there. Shes
also getting referrals for community service work from the court system.

The court is starting to look at us as a referral service, she said.

In other business, there was money set aside in the council budget for an
assistant to the director. Ashcroft requested a person be hired one or two
days a week to help out with paper work and to answer phones.

The next meeting of the council will be June 25 in the conference room at
the Monroe County School Board from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.