Drug awareness takes center stage at The Rex

In many treatment programs, the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem. Sanders County Undersheriff Lanny Hensley says this applies to the drug crisis in the county as well.

“The first step to solving a problem is admitting you have one,” he said May 2 at the Sanders County Drug Awareness Seminar at The Rex Theatre in Thompson Falls. “It affects our whole community.”

Experts in the areas of mental health, safety, crime and economics gathered May 2 to educate residents about the effects drug issues have on everyone in the community. Hensley said that the seminar was not about fault or blame, but about educating and empowering citizens to make a difference.

Jennifer McPherson with the Flathead Valley Chemical Dependency Clinic (FVCDC) did an interactive presentation with the crowd of about 40 people. She started by having everyone in the crowd stand. She then asked questions such as whether they paid property taxes or had insurance. If they did, they sat down. At the end of the presentation, McPherson had attendees look around. No one was left standing.

“We’re all paying for it from our own pocketbooks,” McPherson said, noting that the questions she asked are ways that residents pay for the drug crisis. Speakers at the event she light on those statements, explaining that through such things as increased insurance premiums and additional resources fighting crime and medical costs, every person pays for drug problems, even if they don’t use drugs.

“People need to realize the cost of drugs to this community and how taxpayers are paying for it,” said Justice of the Peace Doug Dryden. He said that many people will ask why drug criminals aren’t just thrown in jail. Dryden said that when inmates start to have problems such as detoxing or medical issues, the taxpayers pay the bill. He said that then leads to issues with overcrowding in the jail and the costs associated with that.

The seminar was sponsored by the Sanders County Sheriff’s Office, FVCDC, Clark Fork Valley Elks Lodge and area churches.

Abby Harnett, Executive Director of the Western Montana Mental Health Center (WMMHC) in Thompson Falls, explained the relationship between mental health and substance abuse.

“If they are not getting help, it becomes very costly to the community,” Harnett said. For example, she said that people with severe anxiety may drink more or use marijuana. They may become suicidal. If they don’t get treatment and end up in jail or treatment, taxpayers pay for those services. Harnett said that WMMHC wants to reduce the stigma of mental health treatment.

Sanders County Sheriff Tom Rummel said that illegal drug trade within the county fuels burglaries, domestic violence, abuse and other crimes. He said that since 2014, the number of case reports to the sheriff’s office increased by almost 3,000, from 6,130 in 2014 to 9,902 in 2017.

Kathy Regier is an advocate with the Sanders County Coalition for Families. She encouraged residents to be involved with their neighbors, and step in if they think something is wrong. Regier noted that the Sanders County justice system has successfully prosecuted two cases where parents sold children for sex for drugs or to buy drugs.

“It affects all of us,” Regier said of drug issues. She also said that people in a domestic violence relationship are 70 percent more likely to abuse alcohol, and that 30 percent of SCCFF’s clients report drugs or alcohol as a factor in their relationship.

McPherson said she hopes to take the seminar to other communities in the county.

Hensley said that the next steps for the community are to get involved. The group highlighted several organizations, including the Local Advisory Council, the DUI Task Force and Project Ascent, that help strengthen the community.

“Involvement is a necessity to a strong Sanders County,” McPherson said.