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Don Carson LADC, LCSW Outpatient Therapist/Consultant

Don Carson LADC, LCSW Outpatient Therapist/Consultant. Aroostook County Caribou, Maine. How I got involved?. From “The County” My family lives, works, and goes to school here AMHC, OSA have encouraged dual competencies in MH and SA Case Study of adult with chronic huffing disorder-gasoline.

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Don Carson LADC, LCSW Outpatient Therapist/Consultant

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  1. Don Carson LADC, LCSWOutpatient Therapist/Consultant Aroostook County Caribou, Maine

  2. How I got involved? • From “The County” • My family lives, works, and goes to school here • AMHC, OSA have encouraged dual competencies in MH and SA • Case Study of adult with chronic huffing disorder-gasoline

  3. 1996 data revealed Aroostook County 6-8th graders had highest level of inhalant use in the state (Lifetime 18%) • Grants became available in 1998 for Primary Prevention and Coalition Building • Organized gatekeepers who wanted “to make a difference” • Decision made to attempt to knock inhalant use down across Aroostook County

  4. Hawkins Catalano’s Communities that Care Prevention technology • Primary Prevention • Project Prevention • Coalition Building • Aroostook Cares Best Practice Forum • Free National Inhalant and Poison Awareness Week kits • Parent, teacher, Business Fact Sheets, distribution of data

  5. What have we accomplished? • It is on the Radar for: • Helping Hands • Houlton Police Department • Aroostook County Boy Scout leaders • TAMC Nurses: Inhalants 101, Medical aspects • Job Corps Staff :Inhalants 101 • The Christopher Home: Inhalants • Presque Isle Rotary Presentations • Union 122 Parents/teachers/concerned others • MH and SA Clinicians: Treatment of Inhalant Abuse • Radio WEGP Medical Monday • WAGM TV interviews • Aroostook Republican Public Service messages

  6. We learned to recognize and seize “teachable moments” • ”Can I talk to you?” • Huffing Gas, paint, whiteout, whipped cream • Abuse of poisons and toxins in group homes • Ether use at Job Corps • Interrupting huffing incidents • “blind spots” for professionals • effective assessment and intervention

  7. To fulfill our mission to promote the health and well-being of our community • Inhalant use for 6-8th graders in Aroostook County was 18% in 1996, average in 2000, and we’re at 12.3% in 2004 (MYDAUS 2004) • We share what we have learned with others, we believe we are making a difference

  8. How do we sustain our efforts? • NIPAW for 8 years and counting • Continued commitment of • Office of Substance Abuse • Maine Inhalant Prevention Coalition • New England Inhalant Prevention Coalition • ADCARE • National Inhalant Prevention Web Site • Free Inhalant Prevention Kits

  9. What needs to be done? • Promote expectation of core competencies in mental health and substance abuse assessment and treatment via licensing • “No door is the wrong door” for inhalant users/families • Knit together ongoing initiatives • Develop more local experts in inhalant and poison abuse prevention

  10. Why do this? • They’re our children, we take it personally • Provide children with a chance to live up to their potential unhindered by neurological or physical impairments associated with use of inhalants • To improve adult’s awareness of the risks of inhalant use and to teach effective intervention skills

  11. Thank you

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