By Staff
— story by Lisa Tindell
Community leaders and law enforcement officials gathered Friday to plan the beginning of a community coalition to fight drug and alcohol problems in the county.
Monica Shockley, prevention coordinator with the Southwest Alabama Mental Health, said the coalition will have many goals.
Greg Forbes, commander of the 21st Circuit Judicial Drug Task Force, addressed the group and provided information targeting some substances currently being abused in the county.
Forbes said the use of the drugs have been directly linked to several deaths in the county.
Forbes said the drug abuse problems aren’t unique to one group.
Shockley said getting that kind of information out to the public is the purpose of the coalition.
Forbes also said parents need to be aware of the actions of their children.
Finding solutions to the problem may be a while in coming, Shockley said, but educating parents and the public is the first step in fighting the situation.
The coalition group plans to hold regular meetings and allow the public to have input in plans of prevention and fighting drug and alcohol issues in Escambia County.
To learn more about the coalition or to be a part of the group, contact Shockley at the Southwest Alabama Mental Health office.
The office is located on Edgewood Drive behind D.W. McMillan Hospital, or call 867-3242.