| Portsmouth Herald
COVID-19 has affected all of us and created important challenges. Thankfully, New Hampshire has an extended historical past of group involvement and coming collectively to resolve issues notably throughout tough instances like we’re experiencing as we speak. We’ve got been honored to work with a gaggle of New Hampshire-based group organizations to supply 50,000 well being and wellness kits to assist folks of all ages throughout the state to fight points created and exacerbated by COVID-19.
As a part of a statewide effort, the New Hampshire Hospital Affiliation (NHHA), the New Hampshire Division of Training (NHDOE), and the Basis for Wholesome Communities (FHC), in partnership with the Public Well being Networks and the Rx Abuse Management Initiative of New Hampshire (RALI NH) have all come collectively to lift consciousness of vital group points and set a wholesome tone as mother and father and households navigate the brand new college 12 months through the COVID-19 pandemic. In instances of disaster, leaders throughout the Granite State have come collectively to help each other and overcome the challenges at hand.
Legislation enforcement professionals, first responders and well being care professionals are persevering with their arduous work to maintain our communities protected and preventing towards opioid misuse is a important a part of that. The COVID-19 disaster has not induced the opioid disaster to go away. Actually, in some ways, the impacts of this pandemic have induced for some to lose floor in stopping and addressing opioid misuse and dependancy in addition to in restoration. The vulnerabilities and stresses being confronted in houses and communities throughout the state appear to be coming from all instructions making it an much more important time to stay steadfast in our combat towards substance misuse. The excellent news is we are able to proceed to behave and lift consciousness in our personal houses concerning the some ways we are able to obtain higher general well being and wellness throughout these difficult instances.
With extra kids and households at house adjusting to this new regular, taking the time now to higher educate and empower people and households to try for higher well being can set a tone of wellness for generations to return. Extra time at house means extra entry to medicines that could be within the house, and misuse of medicines can sadly flip to dependancy if we aren’t cautious. One of many best methods to forestall and handle substance misuse is by safely disposing of expired or unused drugs.
With this collaborative and broad distribution effort, every of our companions are prioritizing wellness, the New Hampshire manner, and stressing the significance for households to have a protected drugs system in place in our present at-home world. Companions have already began distributing protected disposal luggage to community-based Public Well being Networks together with collaborating police departments across the state. Moreover, the NHDOE will likely be sending mother and father a protected disposal flyer about the necessity to lock up medicines at house. Together with these academic supplies, the NHDOE will likely be sending mother and father info on the best way to decide up protected disposal luggage and this effort will proceed by means of the Fall.
As we work collectively to reside inside COVID-19 restrictions, it is very important hold addressing our state’s opioid disaster. Coming collectively to lift consciousness and share sources to assist us act towards substance misuse can go a great distance, and we’re honored to be part of this partnership of well being and wellness leaders that may assist so many.
Annika Stanley-Smith is director of substance misuse prevention with the Capital Space Public Well being Community. The views expressed are these of the author.
