ANTI-DRUG GROUP TO BECOME NON-PROFIT

What began as a small group of Washington County citizens concerned about
the area's growing drug problem may soon be a formal non-profit organization.

Members of a Turning Point, a coalition formed three months ago to bring
attention to illegal drug use in the county, voted at a meeting Wednesday
night to apply for non-profit status. The group has grown from having seven
initial members to between 40 and 70 people attending each meeting. Members
include concerned parents and citizens, law enforcement officials, recovery
specialists and recovering addicts.

Turning Point spokesman Geoff Brunton said applying for non-profit status
will be an important step for the coalition.

"If we can get non-profit status, we can then start to raise money and use
it as we see fit," he said. "It's a start - just like getting a name was a
start."

Members have also been trying to gain support from other community groups
like the Muskingum Valley Area Chamber of Commerce, where Brunton and
founding member Jack Moberg spoke Wednesday.

Immediate priorities for Turning Point include trying to establish a
half-way recovery house in the area.

Ron Rees, executive director of the Washington County Mental Health and
Recovery Board, said finding funds for half-ways houses is often a problem
in Ohio.

"The state of West Virginia funds half-way houses like the Mid-Ohio Valley
Fellowship Home (in Parkersburg)," he said. "The state of Ohio doesn't."

Rees said funds for all forms of drug and alcohol dependency treatment have
been cut in recent years.

"The last couple of years have been among the most volatile for the funding
of alcohol and drug addiction recovery," he said. "And we're being told by
the governor's office that next year will be worse."

Rees said the passage of the mental health levy in November could provide
some help, as can work done by coalitions like Turning Point.

"A community coalition has access to other sources," he said. "And if a
half-way house can be brought about on a community coalition basis, I think
only good things would come from it."

Rees also suggested that Turning Point join forces with other community groups.

Turning Point meets every other Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Washington State
Community College. The next meeting will be Sept. 18.