Meet the Drug-free Task Force!
The Drug-Free Task Force is a work group within the Partnership for Health in Hunterdon County, NJ. The goal of the Drug-Free Task Force is to reduce underage drinking and substance use within Hunterdon County. We work with our community to help young people make positive and healthy choices. If you would like to be part of the innovative work with the Drug-Free Task Force contact Wendy Sidebottom, wsidebottom@njprevent.com
Winners of the 2020 CADCA Chairman’s Award!
Out in the Community in 2021
2022 Initiatives & Activities
Starting in May 2022, the Drug-Free Task Force along with Prevention Resources, Positive YOUth, Safe Communities Coalition and Harvest Family Success Center joined forces with the Flemington Food Pantry and America’s Grow-A-Row in their Family Meals initiative. They provide recipes and ingredients for families and encourage preparing and eating together as a family. This is a great time to have family discussions about important topics including substances use, mental health, among others. We created “conversation cards” for families to use to start the conversation about these topics. May’s topic was about mental health. Resources like the HELP App were included on the card. Cards were written in English on one side and in Spanish on the other. Participants who complete a survey can win a ShopRite gift card. For more information about the conversation cards, contact Wendy. Learn more about the Flemington Area Food Pantry and America’s Grow A Row.
The Drug-Free Task Force partnered with Positive YOUth on their Help App initiative to get posters and mirror clings into Middle and High Schools. Our own task force member, Dr. Greg Cottrell gave us the idea for the mirror clings! Thank you Greg for being so helpful and an active member of our task force!
In February 2022, members of the DFTF attended Capitol Hill Day during our CADCA Forum. We were able to meet virtually with representatives from Senator Menendez, Senator Booker and Congressman Malinowski’s office to encourage support of DFC programs and bills related to the NOPAIN Act (Non-Opioids Prevent Addiction in the Nation Act). Bills S.586 and H.R.3259.
2021 Initiatives
On September 21, 2021 from 10:00am-2:00pm the Drug-Free Task Force will be partnering with One Voice for their annual summit “Prevention Through the Lens of Faith”. Topics include “Faith as the Lens to Prevent Substance Misuse”, “Empowering Language to De-Stigmatize Addiction”, “Marijuana Legislation”, yoga and medication and opioids. Please join us for this free and informative event, register here- https://www.onevoicehc.com/summit2021
This fall keep an eye out at your local school for vape disposal boxes. The Drug-Free Task Force is partnering with Positive YOUth to provide schools with a safe place that students can dispose of their vapes. Students can dispose of their vape anonymously. The disposal boxes have a QR code that students can easily access resources on how to quit vaping.
Please join is on August 31, 2021 from 5pm-7pm to commemorate International Overdose Awareness Day. International Overdose Awareness Day is worldwide event to remember those lost to an overdose, and support the family and friends left behind. There will be speakers sharing their personal experience on the loss of family to an overdose, opportunities to post remembrance for those who have passed, and a candlelight vigil. The event will be held at the Open Door Recover Center at 5 East Main Street Flemington. Register here- https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?oeidk=a07eick1yta7bf42f95&oseq=&c=&ch=
2020 Initiatives
While schools transitioned to all virtual learning and the State of New Jersey was on a stay at home order, the Drug-Free Task Force launched the Love My Lungs Initiative. Nearly 200 high school and middle school students took the pledge that they would not vape or smoke. Love My Lungs was created with the goal of connecting to middle and high school students in Hunterdon County and encouraging them to make positive choices. After taking the pledge, they received follow-up messaging reminding them of the dangers of vaping or smoking. To reward students for their positive choice, they were entered to win Amazon gifts cards, and one student won pair of Apple AirPods. This spring ,the Drug-Free Task Force will re-launch the initiative with the goal of educating more students about the dangers of vaping and smoking.
In 2020, Project Coordinator, Meghan Moore, and coalition member, Erin Cohen, participated in CADCA’s National Coalition Academy (NCA). Meghan and Erin spent three weeks learning how to build an effective anti-drug coalition. At the conclusion of the NCA, coalitions were encouraged to submit an application for CADCA’s Chairman’s Award, based on what they learned in the NCA. We are pleased to share the Partnership for Health Drug-Free Task Force is the winner of the 2020 Chairman’s Award. They will be presented with the award on February 2, 2021, at CADCA’s NCA Graduation.
In October 2020, Project Coordinator Meghan Moore, along with coalition members, Amanda Kovacs and Amy Menes completed the training to become a Certified Tobacco Cessation Specialist (CTTS). In the next few years, Meghan, Amy and Amanda will complete the required 240 individual hours of tobacco treatment experience.
They will work with Tobacco-Free for a Healthy New Jersey to engage and educate young people on the dangers of tobacco. In addition, they will engage with participants in the Hunterdon County Recovery Center to educate and encourage tobacco cessation to those in recovery from substance misuse.
In an effort to engage and educate young adults about the dangers of substance misuse the Partnership for Health Drug-Free Task Force collaborated with the Hope Club at Raritan Valley Community College in Trivia Tuesday. Each Tuesday young adults from Hunterdon and Somerset Counties were invited to participate in an online trivia game. The games included “fun” trivia long with information about substance misuse. Topics included opioids, prescription drugs, underage drinking, and vaping/smoking. On average, nearly 20 students were reached each week with this important information.
