According to the Kentucky Office of Drug Control Policy 2020 Overdose Fatality Report, more than 1,964 Kentuckians died from drug overdoses in 2020. That’s a 49% increase from the 1,316 overdose deaths for 2019. The Cumberland County Family and Consumer Sciences Agent and the Cumberland County KY-ASAP Council collaborated on community events to bring awareness to the rising substance abuse epidemic. The first event was a parent training called Courageous Communities in which parents were trained on the Courage to Speak Curriculum to bring attention to the signs of drug and alcohol use in children and teens. Twenty-one people participated, including middle and high school parents and parents currently in recovery. The group brainstormed ways to continue to bring awareness and take steps to fight substance use in the community and planned a Candlelight Vigil. The vigil was held during Red Ribbon Week and was attended by 50+ people including people in recovery, community members and family members of those battling substance abuse. Eleven people spoke about their experience with substance use and recovery. 

Truth and Consequences: The Choice is Yours was presented to 7th and 8th grade students at Cumberland County Middle School. Ninety-six students participated in the program and 55% of participants stated that they had talked with at least one of their parents about the dangers of tobacco, alcohol, or drug use in the past 12 months. That left 44% who had not talked to a parent about the dangers of alcohol, tobacco, or drug use in the past 12 months. Students role-played scenarios including possession of prescription drugs, driving under the influence, sniffing, possession of alcohol, drug paraphernalia, or illegal drugs, trafficking, stealing drugs, etc. Depending on the scenario, students visited appropriate officials and/or agencies to experience the consequences of their behavior.  A survey of parents that participated in the program showed that 66% knew parents/adults who had hosted parties where alcohol was available/served to teenagers.