On The Front Lines

Agencies on the front line of Montgomery County’s response to the drug problem have received more funding to tackle the issue.

The Drug Free Montgomery County Coalition announced the recipients of the latest round of mini-grants Monday during a ceremony at the Youth Service Bureau.

More than $28,600 was awarded for resources to deter people from drug use, treat addiction and support criminal justice and law enforcement efforts. Funding comes from county drug user fees.

“It’ll help them be able to reach more people with their programs,” coalition president Joyce Baker said.

The coalition brings together social workers, public health educators, school administrators, law enforcement officers and other stakeholders to raise awareness of drug abuse and coordinate the local response. 

The group’s next meeting is set for 7:15 a.m. Aug. 13 at the Youth Service Bureau, 808 W. Pike St.

Organizations can apply for grants covering program supplies, staff and drug testing kits. The funding allows women’s sober living program Halfway Home to keep a certified recovery coach on staff, a long-term recovering addict who provides peer support for clients early in their recovery.

“[It’s] someone that can relate to the ladies for the struggles they’ve been through,” director Dana Cook said.

The county’s probation department uses the funding to purchase incentives for clients in the drug court and veteran’s treatment court and drug screenings for juveniles.

Any Montgomery County resident can bring their child to the probation office for a $1 drug screen.

“It’s a deterrent,” chief probation officer Andria Geigle said. “So as a parent, for a supervision tool, I might say, ‘You know what, you’ve been hanging out with Johnny and I heard Johnny’s using and it’s not that I don’t trust you, but let’s go ahead with this drug screen and get this taken care of.’ Or they know they’re child’s using… and to help hold them accountable they have that drug screen.”

The full list of mini-grant recipients includes:

• Teen Court Pathways Program — $600 for supplies and incentives

• Montgomery County Health Department — $2,000 for safe sharps collection and disposal

• National Night Out — $2,000 to offset expenses for the July 30 event

• North Montgomery SADD chapter — $1,000 for volunteer recruitment and retention, supplies and support materials

• Trinity Horizons — $3,000 for substance abuse treatment workbooks and drug screens

• Recovery Coalition Inc. — $2,065 for Recovery Rec Center programming

• Halfway Home — $7,665 for a certified recovery specialist

• Crawfordsville Police Department — $350 for drug testing field kits

• Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office — $1,290 for drug testing field kits

• Montgomery County Probation — $8,650 for drug court and veteran’s court incentives juvenile drug screens and the juvenile moral reconation therapy