About this episode
Happy New Year! Pharmacists can play a meaningful role in addiction education by equipping the people some individuals with substance use disorders turn to first—faith community leaders, such as pastors, priests, rabbis, and others. Read the FULL show notes on https://www.thepharmacistsvoice.com/podcast Sign up for The Pharmacist's Voice ® monthly email newsletter! https://bit.ly/3AHJIaF When I worked at a behavioral health hospital in Northwest Ohio between 2015 and 2016, I realized there were gaps in my understanding of how people find themselves on the path of addiction. That curiosity led me to join my county's Addiction Task Force in 2017, where I learned from many people who were already deeply engaged in prevention, treatment, and recovery work. Over time, and with a great deal of support, I helped organize Faith Community Discussions about addiction. The goal was simple: to help faith leaders feel better prepared to respond with compassion, accurate information, and local resources when someone turned to them for help. I didn't do this work alone. I'm grateful for the collaboration and guidance of many people and organizations, including Pastor Jeffrey Bischoff (pictured in the episode artwork), Nate Kehlmeier (featured in Episode 7 of The Pharmacist's Voice Podcast), the Wood County Addiction Task Force, and the Wood County Alcohol, Drug Addiction, and Mental Health Services Board. I'm sharing these experiences not as a blueprint, but as an example of what's possible when pharmacists stay curious, collaborate, and focus on getting it right for the people who need help. My hope is that this episode encourages others to explore how their own skills and interests might contribute to prevention, education, and recovery in their communities. Links from this episode Wood County Addiction Task Force's Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/WoodCountyATF/ Wood County (Ohio) Board of Alcohol, Drug Addiction, and Mental Health Services https://www.wcadamh.org/ Chasing Hope Documentary https://www.springgreen.org/chasing-hope Generation Rx https://generationrx.org/ Ohio Pharmacists Association https://www.ohiopharmacists.org/aws/OPA/pt/sp/home_page Lutheran Social Services of Northwestern Ohio https://www.lssnwo.org/ The Pharmacist's Voice Podcast
