Published: July 25, 2008 10:58 am      

Circling the problems...Study group targets issues plaguing area’s youth

PRINCETON — A small group of Princeton citizens is looking to turn the tide of substance abuse and keep local kids safe. But, in able to do that, they know the group needs to grow.

A handful of concerned residents, volunteers, educators and business leaders have already taken part in three study circle discussions identifying problems facing local children, teens, families and communities. Facilitated by Community Connections and grant funding secured by the Mercer County family resource network, the study circle participants have already identified substance abuse and a perceived apathy among the community as their main challenges.

Now, they’re taking aim at the problems and looking to expand participation.

“The problems of substance abuse and the solutions to those problems are bigger than any one person,” David Bailey said Tuesday during the third study circle discussion at Planet Xtreme Teen Center.

According to information released at a previous meeting, Mercer County records 62 percent more drug-related arrests than the West Virginia average, and we have the highest alcohol-related mortality rate throughout the Mountain State. While some of the elevated statistics may be related to more aggressive investigations and reporting procedures, study circle members also believed there are serious substance abuse problems locally.

Part of the challenge is getting past the denial, according to Princeton Middle School educator Debbie Lackey.

“Parents do not ever want to accept that their children have problems. It’s always somebody else’s children who are in trouble,” she said.

ChildLaw Services Executive Director Shannon Atwell said an absence of inpatient treatment facilities also complicates recovery to an extent. In her business, she said children and teens are routinely forced to go out of state, sometimes even as far away as the Midwest to get help for addictions.

“The state pays far more to send them out of state than they would to keep them here, but there’s just nowhere else to put them,” she said.

As this week’s study circle discussion turned from identifying problems to crafting solutions, members reviewed the following approaches, or goals, in the process:

• Give people a greater voice in making decisions.

• Strengthen community leadership and unity.

• Help residents and organizations work together to solve problems.

• Get people involved in long-term planning.

• Focus on building respect and cooperation between different groups of people.

“Basically, this is where we start action-planning,” Atwell said. “It’s a good place to start addressing substance abuse.”

Although members present did not identify any concrete projects to address the problems — that’s on the agenda Tuesday — they did define characteristics inherent in any solution.

One was more community, citizen and corporate involvement.

“This community has a lot of things, like the Day Report Center and Drug Court, that appear to be making a difference. When you put people, boots on the ground or whatever, that’s more effective,” Planet Xtreme Director Tim Smith said, adding that willing volunteers also need to get past the vision and into creating it. “To endure to the end, that’s what people have a hard time doing.”

Shane Ellison, who has worked extensively to improve safe, productive opportunities for local skateboarders, said leadership plays a key role in any project.

“It comes down to the leaders. They have to understand that there’s an issue, and they really have to care about it,” he said. “People love jumping on board a train that’s already rolling, but they don’t want to be the one to get it moving.”

The last Princeton study circle discussion is set for Tuesday, 6 p.m., at Planet Xtreme Teen Center on Thorn Street. Participants will have the opportunity to decide how to address the substance abuse and community issues and seek grant funding to help in finding solutions. Everyone is encouraged to attend.

The study circles program is a project of the Mercer County Prevention Partnership and Community Connections. It is funded in part by the West Virginia Prevention Resource Center and the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention.