The Shelby County Drug Free Coalition and other community partners are making Deterra® drug disposal pouches available at no cost to residents of Shelby County as part of drug take back and safe disposal efforts.

The launch of the safe-disposal program will coincide with National Drug Take Back Day October 23. Drug Take Back Day is promoted by the Drug Enforcement Agency as a way to safely remove unwanted and unused prescription medications from homes, to prevent theft, abuse and accidental poisoning.

Distribution points are being set up throughout Shelby County, and include: Senior Center of Sidney, Fair Haven, The Meal Prep Life, Wilson Health, Bunny’s Pharmacy, Family Resource Center, Jackson Center Pharmacy, and the Sidney-Shelby County Health Department. Other agencies also participating include: STAR House, Samaritan Works, Mercy Mission House, Shelby County Veterans Services, Botkins Village Hall and Jackson Center Village Hall. The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office and the Sidney Police Department, including the Sidney Addiction Assistance Team, will make the disposal bags available along with the drug take-back drop boxes in their respective lobbies.

The Deterra® pouches use activated charcoal and water to dissolve and deactivate a wide range of medications, including fentanyl, ketamine, quetiapine, tramadol, and zolpidem. Unlike most drug take-back drop boxes, which will only accept pills or powders, the pouches can also neutralize creams, liquids, patches and films. Once in the bag and deactivated, the substances cannot be absorbed by the body, even if ingested. They are also prevented from entering the ecosystem, as can happen when flushing or disposing in landfills without a deactivating process.

Shelby County Commissioner Julie Ehemann said: “Shelby County is excited to be launching a project utilizing Deterra® pouches, which can rid any home of dangerous, leftover drugs in minutes. Our goal is to reduce the risk of abuse, misuse and accidental ingestion of leftover medication, especially prescription opioids.”

The pouches were obtained through the Rx Abuse Leadership Initiative and Shelby County Department of Job & Family Services at not cost to the county. The Rx Abuse Leadership Initiative (RALI) convenes national, state and community leaders to exchange best practices and provide resources that help prevent misuse of prescription medicines.
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The Tri-County Board of Recovery and Mental Health Services maintains a list of area drug take-back drop boxes on its website at www.tcbmds.org/disposal.

Darke County Commissioners at their session Monday October 4 2021 endorsed the Tri-County Mental Health levy renewal with a Proclamation of Support.

​The Tri-County Mental Health & Recovery levy is a 0.6 mill, 5-year renewal to provide ongoing funding for counseling and supportive services to children and adults through the operation of alcohol and drug addiction programs and mental health programs. Levy funds are administered by the Tri-County Board of Recovery and Mental Health Services.

Tri-County Board Executive Director Terri Becker expressed her appreciation to the Commissioners for their support, saying, "The levy is a crucial part of the Board's funding that enables us to continue to address the mental health and addiction services needs in Darke County. The Commissioners are active partners in identifying local needs and solutions and we thank them for their endorsement."

Since 2006, the levy has passed with about 2 of 3 voters in Darke, Miami and Shelby counties supporting. More information about the renewal can be found at www.YESforMentalHealth.com.

​When a billboard sponsored by the Tri-County Board of Recovery and Mental Health Services is updated with this year’s Week of Appreciation message, the vinyl from the 2020 campaign will find new life.
According to Carla Stone, Account Executive for Lamar Advertising, certain heavy-duty vinyl panels such as those used on the highway billboard between Piqua and Sidney are able to be repurposed into emergency tent shelters and to cover damaged roofs. She said Lamar is currently gathering vinyls to help protect structures and shelter victims displaced by Hurricane Ida.
Brad Reed, Director of Community Resource Development for the Tri-County Board, said the Board was excited to find out the old vinyl panels would be reused and sent to areas needing emergency shelters. “It’s especially fitting in this case,” Reed said, because the message of Week of Appreciation is to acknowledge the efforts and sacrifices of all those who work to keep our communities safe: law enforcement, fire/EMT, educators, mental health and addictions services, medical professionals and support staff, public health and safety, and other essential workers. “Many of those same workers who have been on the front lines of the pandemic response now find themselves responding to disasters such as the recent hurricane,” Reed said.
Week of Appreciation is a statewide recognition in September, organized and funded through grants from the Ohio Association of County Behavioral Health Authorities and county mental health and recovery boards. The Tri-County Board serves Miami, Darke and Shelby Counties, and will be recognizing about 150 entities by delivering appreciation packs the week of September 20-24.

Fifteen law enforcement officers recently completed the June 2021 Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Academy conducted by the Tri-County Board of Recovery and Mental Health Services. The CIT Academy trains officers about mental illness and related conditions and how do de-escalate crisis situations.

With the 15 graduates of the June Academy, which was conducted over four full days June 21-24, the Tri-County Board has trained more than 330 officers since its first CIT Academy in 2006, 215 of whom are still actively serving with law enforcement agencies in Miami, Darke and Shelby Counties.

The June 2021 Academy hosted patrol officers and corrections officers from Anna, Covington, Greenville and Piqua police departments, Miami County and Darke County Sheriff’s Offices, and the Ohio State Highway Patrol. Officers ranged from rookies to a 35-year veteran.
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The CIT Academy for Law Enforcement Professionals is a free training, made possible by funds from the Tri-County Mental Health Levy, NAMI Darke, Miami, Shelby Counties, and NAMI Ohio. Law enforcement officers from across Darke, Miami and Shelby counties are invited to attend. The next Academy is scheduled for December 6-9, 2021. Working law enforcement officers interested in the Academy can find more information and a registration link at www.tcbmds.org/cit-academy.