Extension
It Starts With Us
Author: Alyssa Cox
Major Program: Substance Use Prevention and Recovery General
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, people who are recovering from a substance use disorder are finding it difficult to maintain their sobriety during COVID-19. Most have uprooted their routine and are lacking social support, which are essential to maintaining a healthy recovery. The COVID-19 pandemic has also impacted many of the social determinants of health, including poverty and food insecurity, that increase risk for substance abuse. In response to this emerging issue,
Author: Kenna Knight
Major Program: Substance Use Prevention and Recovery General
Research shows that SEL not only improves achievement by an average of 11 percentile points, but it also increases prosocial behaviors (such as kindness, sharing, and empathy), improves student attitudes toward school, and reduces depression and stress among students (Durlak et al., 2011).Based on the research The Pendleton County Champions Coalition/ Extension Office used an evidence based program to build Pendleton County Elementary teachers and staff skills on implementing social emotional le
Author: Kelly Mackey
Major Program: Substance Use Prevention and Recovery General
Financial stress can put individuals in recovery from substance use disorder at risk for relapse, particularly during early stages of recovery. This increased risk is due, in part, to financial stress that people in recovery from substance use disorder often encounter. Through comprehensive financial education training we can expand the capacity of recovery centers and other partners in the community that work with individuals in recovery thereby reducing the likelihood of relapse. To addre
Author: Lynnette Allen
Major Program: Substance Use Prevention and Recovery General
In 2019 the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service published county and state specific community needs assessment reports that identified substance abuse and mental wellness as a top priority for Breckinridge County families and across the state. Key stakeholders continue to express concerns regarding the negative effects that drug use has caused for families and children being placed in foster and kinship care. To increase awareness and create an environment to support
Author: Anna Morgan
Major Program: Substance Use Prevention and Recovery General
In 2019 the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service published county and state specific community needs assessment reports that identified substance abuse as a top priority for families across the state. To increase awareness and create an environment to support recovery, the Fulton County FCS agent hosted the Addiction 101 program. The program discussed basic understanding of addiction, distinguished facts and myth surrounding addiction, identified major risk factors, develop an un
Author: Luciana Hockersmith
Major Program: Substance Use Prevention and Recovery General
Substance use and substance use disorder (SUD) are pervasive public health problems in the United States, and specifically, in the state of Kentucky. In the year since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020, the United States suffered a record 88,000 overdose deaths (CDC, 2021). More specifically, Kentucky counties have seen increases in hospitalizations, infectious diseases, non-fatal overdoses, and other complications related to drug use, all while leading the nation
Author: Katherine Jury
Major Program: Substance Use Prevention and Recovery General
The Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services reports that 10% of adolescents self-report illicit drug use in the past month. Preventing illicit substance use among adolescents in Kentucky is a public health priority. However, evidence-based programs and policies have not been widely implemented across Kentucky. Identifying, securing, and promoting educational resources to respond to substance use is a priority of the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service.
Author: Ashley Board
Major Program: Substance Use Prevention and Recovery General
Financial stress can put individuals in recovery from substance use disorder at risk for relapse, particularly during early stages of recovery. This increased risk is due, in part, to financial stress that people in recovery from substance use disorder often encounter. Through comprehensive financial education training, we can reduce the likelihood of relapse due to financial stress.To address this concern, the Caldwell County Family & Consumer Sciences Agent taught basic budgeti
Author: Alethea Price
Major Program: Substance Use Prevention and Recovery General
Substance use and substance use disorder (SUD) are pervasive public health problems in the United States, and specifically, in the state of Kentucky. In the year since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020, the United States suffered a record 88,000 overdose deaths (CDC, 2021). More specifically, Kentucky counties have seen increases in hospitalizations, infectious diseases, non-fatal overdoses, and other complications related to drug use, all while leading the nation
Author: Catherine Jansen
Major Program: Substance Use Prevention and Recovery General
The Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services reports that 10% of adolescents self-report illicit drug use in the past month. Substance use prevention programming is critical to the prevention, delayed onset, and/or early identification of substance use. The Life Skills Training (LST) program, developed by Botvin and colleagues, is one of the most successful substance use prevention programs available in the country. It teaches a variety of personal self-management skills and s
Author: Alexander Elswick
Major Program: Substance Use Prevention and Recovery General
Drug overdose persists as the leading cause of accidental death to Kentuckians in 2020. During the 12-month span beginning in March 2020 and coinciding with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the US suffered 88,000 overdose deaths. During this, the worst year on record, Kentuckians witnessed an opioid epidemic in the midst of a public health pandemic and the consequences have been dire.In August of 2020, I was invited to the BRIGHT Eastern Kentucky Leadership Academy by my friend an
Author: Kate Thompson
Major Program: Substance Use Prevention and Recovery General
Mental health has always been an important part of one’s overall health, but unfortunately, often a taboo subject. The need for mental health awareness and education is expected to increase due to the effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic. According to the CDC, during the pandemic, more than 3 in 10 adults reported having symptoms of anxiety and/or depressive disorder since May 2020 in the U.S. 35.2% of adult Kentuckians reported having symptoms of anxiety and/or depressive disorde
Author: Karli Giles
Major Program: Substance Use Prevention and Recovery General
Substance use and substance use disorder (SUD) are pervasive public health problems in the United States, and specifically, in the state of Kentucky. In the year since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020, the United States suffered a record 88,000 overdose deaths (CDC, 2021). More specifically, Kentucky counties have seen increases in hospitalizations, infectious diseases, non-fatal overdoses, and other complications related to drug use, all while leading the nation
Author: Mary Hixson
Major Program: Substance Use Prevention and Recovery General
Substance use and substance use disorder (SUD) are pervasive public health problems in the United States, and specifically, in the state of Kentucky. In the year since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020, the United States suffered a record 88,000 overdose deaths (CDC, 2021). More specifically, Kentucky counties have seen increases in hospitalizations, infectious diseases, non-fatal overdoses, and other complications related to drug use, all while leading the nation
Author: M. Elizabeth Coots
Major Program: Substance Use Prevention and Recovery General
Substance use and substance use disorder (SUD) are pervasive public health problems in the United States, and specifically, in the state of Kentucky. In the year since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020, the United States suffered a record 88,000 overdose deaths (CDC, 2021). More specifically, Kentucky counties have seen increases in hospitalizations, infectious diseases, non-fatal overdoses, and other complications related to drug use, all while leading the nation
Author: Rita Stewart
Major Program: Substance Use Prevention and Recovery General
Substance use and substance use disorder (SUD) are pervasive public health problems in the United States, and specifically, in the state of Kentucky. In the year since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020, the United States suffered a record 88,000 overdose deaths (CDC, 2021). More specifically, Kentucky counties have seen increases in hospitalizations, infectious diseases, non-fatal overdoses, and other complications related to drug use, all while leading the nation
Author: Tamera Magee
Major Program: Substance Use Prevention and Recovery General
Substance use and substance use disorder (SUD) are pervasive public health problems in the United States, and specifically, in the state of Kentucky. In the year since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020, the United States suffered a record 88,000 overdose deaths (CDC, 2021). More specifically, Kentucky counties have seen increases in hospitalizations, infectious diseases, non-fatal overdoses, and other complications related to drug use, all while leading the nation
Author: Kelly May
Major Program: Substance Use Prevention and Recovery General
The University of Kentucky Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) Extension program is a multidisciplinary field that focuses on building assets of individuals and families to address the perennial problems faced across the lifespan. CEDIK is a statewide program dedicated to building capacity around community and economic development issues. FCS and CEDIK have joined together to combat the issue of substance use disorder recovery relapse. The opioid epidemic scourging the United States is a pub
Author: Tracy Cowles
Major Program: Substance Use Prevention and Recovery General
Financial stress can put individuals in recovery from substance use disorder at risk for relapse, particularly during early stages of recovery. This increased risk is due, in part, to financial stress that people in recovery from substance use disorder often encounter. Through comprehensive financial education training we can expand the capacity of recovery centers and other partners in the community that work with individuals in recovery thereby reducing the likelihood of relapse. To
Author: Jann Knappage
Major Program: Substance Use Prevention and Recovery General
The Nutrition Education Program has been pairing nutrition education with gardening education in the recovery center setting for the last 3.5 years. In 2020, efforts were moved beyond a pilot program and expanded to include 8 programmatic counties and the development of the Recovery Garden Toolkit. This toolkit is being created in partnership with Family and Consumer Science Extension, Horticulture Extension and Community and Leadership Development. The toolkit team consists of Specialists, Agen
Author: Nellie Buchanan
Major Program: Substance Use Prevention and Recovery General
The Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services reports that 10% of adolescents’ self-report illicit drug use in the past month. Substance use prevention programming is critical to the prevention, delayed onset, and/or early identification of substance use. The Life Skills Training (LST) program, developed by Botvin and colleagues, is one of the most successful substance use prevention programs available for use. It teaches a variety of personal self-management skills and s
Author: Brooke Hogancamp
Major Program: Substance Use Prevention and Recovery General
Substance Use Disorder is a serious danger for youth today. Truth and Consequences is a time honored tradition in Carlisle County Schools. Carlisle County Middle School and the Carlisle County Extension Office partner annually to provide 8th grade students with a complex interactive program focused on the dangers associated with drug and alcolhol use. With so many restrictions in place due to COVID guidelines, access to the school was an impossibility, but Carlisle County FRYSC
