SUBSTANCE ABUSE: The Siskiyou County Substance
Abuse Continuum of Care (SACC) project is a large and broad coalition of partners. It is
currently wrapping up its summary report to the California Endowment on the assessment
intensive work that has been done during the past fourteen months. Next the coalition will
split into three task groups to fine tune and
implement strategies. There will be a group concentrating on: (1) prevention; (2) “integrated community-based
systems”; and (3) intervention.
DESCRIBING THE PROBLEM:
There is no doubt that substance abuse is a huge problem in Siskiyou County. Locally,
Juvenile arrests for alcohol and drug offenses are 15.7 per 1,000 compared to 8.4 per
1,000 for the State. The school-based Healthy Kids Survey (2006) indicated that 82 percent
of 11th graders found it very easy to obtain alcohol/marijuana and 46 percent
had used alcohol and/or other drugs in the past 30 days. Collected Treatment Episode Data
(TEDS 2006) indicated that the highest rate for admission for substance abuse was for ages
25-29. This was also the highest age group for admissions for methamphetamine. 29.6
percent of admissions for substances were employed and 23 percent had 12 or more years of
education. According to a Catholic Healthcare West survey (2004 and 2007,) the rate of
chronic drinking in the county is 8.5 vs. 4.2 for the nation. Locally, binge drinking is
25 percent above national rates. One in ten of children in Siskiyou County is referred to
Child Protective Services for abuse or neglect. Estimates are that at least 75 percent of
the families of these children have significant substance abuse issues.
NEEDS ASSESSMENT: SACC
conducted eight discussions on needs with key community members and in community focus
groups. In addition a “ten dollar”
survey was distributed around the county and to participants at the seminar given by Dr.
Alex Stallcup in Yreka. This survey asked
respondents to allocate the ten dollars among categories that they felt were most critical
in meeting the needs of the community they represented. Participants
identified residential recovery programs, outpatient recovery programs, mental health
counseling and sober living facilities as the top four needs. (Note that it is unlikely we
will get a residential treatment center to locate in Siskiyou County. There is not the
population to support one and only a small number of people actually medically require
residential care. For most people, an intensive out-patient program plus a sober living
facility will provide the needed services.)
ACTION: The task group on
“prevention” will have a youth focus. It will work on such strategies as school
policies, Girls and Boys Councils, education and prevention activities. Currently, Happy
Camp has started a “Community Solutions” group that has been actively working on
substance abuse prevention. Through a national grant opportunity, this may be used as a
pilot template for other such groups around the county. They could then be supported in
their individual strategies by a countywide council.
The task group on “community-based systems” will look at
such strategies as sober living homes; continuation and expansion of the “Family-Based
Relapse Prevention” program currently offered at many of the Family Resource Centers;
recovery coaches, re-entry from treatment and wrap around services; and Brief Intervention
protocols for medical providers.
The task group on “intervention” will look at such
challenges as detox facilities; chronic pain protocols; jail re-entry into society; law
enforcement; drug court; jail programs; and getting individuals at their point of seeking
treatment rapidly into assessment and an appropriate treatment program.
For more information, or to participate on one of the groups, contact
Jill Phillips or Jewel DeMoss at the Community Services Council 926-5927. |
