Hoyleton is proud to partner with many Substance Use Prevention champions in Clinton and Washington Counties. As we prepare for National Prevention Week (May 10-16, 2020), Hoyleton sat down with two of our biggest prevention partners to talk about what they have been doing to turn #PreventionHappensHere into a reality for their communities in 2020.
First, we had the chance to speak with Sharon Frederking, who is a strong partner with Hoyleton as a Prevention Champion.
Why is prevention important to you?
“Prevention is important to me as a mother and grandmother: I want my children and grandchildren to have the information they need to make healthy choices regarding using substances such as alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs as marijuana, and unfortunately, also heroin. I have also been involved in prevention activities in my role at the county health department, as the prevention of teen substance use has been a priority health concern since I began working there in 1994. But this is also one of the most difficult health issues to resolve—or prevent.”
What has been your main priority this year concerning prevention?
“My main activities during this past year have included the education of parents, the community, and also students. Through the Substance Abuse Alliance, we have provided programs to women’s groups, students in the high schools, and coordinated several ‘Hidden in Plain Sight’ programs to educate parents.”
With National Prevention Week coming up, what is something you would like to say to your community about prevention?
“For National Prevention Week, I would tell my community that substance abuse is a real problem here. Don’t Deny it. But most importantly, Prevention is so much better for our community and our young people than trying to deal with treating the problem after it has occurred! Support our local efforts.”
Second, we spoke with Dennis Trask, who is in charge of SISAA (Southern Illinois Substance Abuse Alliance), an organization dedicated to preventing substance misuse in Randolph and Washington Counties.
Why is prevention important to you?
“Prevention works, it saves lives by reducing drug misuse and drunk driving crashes.”
What has been your main priority this year concerning prevention?
“To involve more people to make a greater impact.”
With National Prevention Week coming up, what is something you would like to say to your community about prevention?
“You can make a difference. You can save a life. Simple things like parents talking with their children about not using drugs reduce use by 50%.”
Hoyleton is proud to partner with both of these prevention champions who continue to dedicate their time to substance use prevention, including the creation and distribution of informational material related to COVID-19 procedures and how to approach prevention during this unprecedented time. To learn more about substance abuse prevention, call the Prevention Department at 618.688.4739. Together, we can flatten the curve of substance misuse in our communities #PreventionHappensHere.
