‘Takeback Day’ locations announced at council meeting
Allies for Substance Abuse Prevention encourages people to dispose of unused and expired medications April 26.
Shayla Wilson announced that event at the Clinton City Council’s March meeting.
She said drop box locations are at these police departments: 125 West Broad Street, Clinton; 104 Lawson Street, Rocky Top; and 200 S. Tulane Ave., Oak Ridge.
She said while there will be additional bins on Takeback Day, there are drop boxes at those police stations all the time.
Wilson also announced a new care coordinator funded by a state of Tennessee grant.
The care coordinator will work with emergency medical services to follow up on people who have made overdose calls, getting them into recovery support or treatment.
While she didn’t identify her by name, ASAP lists Cassidy Newman as care coordinator on its website.
“Anything they may need to start connecting some of the services that we have in our community with folks that really need them,” Wilson said describing the new staff member’s mission.
Wilson also announced the upcoming Coping Conversations program, which she said ASAP plans to hold at Clinton High School and other schools.
A United Way grant provided the funding.
The program works with students who’ve had referrals from parents, the school district or Juvenile Court.
Anderson County Schools has already adopted a policy that students who’ve had vaping violations go to the program.
“We are really excited about the progress with this program and what this may do to truly help students ... develop the coping skills that they lack [which make] them turn to substances as a way to cope with things like stress and anxiety and all the things they have going on,” she said.
