Help the Hills holds town hall

Parents, school administrators, community leaders and elected officials gathered Monday night to discuss the life or death issue facing all of Vestavia Hills: substance abuse.

At the invitation of Mayor Ashley Curry to what normally would have been a council work session, representatives from Help the Hills, first responder agencies and law enforcement presented the significant drug and alcohol abuse problem in the city and greater county.

“It’s a very real problem,” said fire chief Jim St. John, who said VHFD responders administer anti-overdose medication almost once a week.

In 2016, there were 206 heroin or fentanyl overdose deaths in Jefferson County, a figure with an annual average that has risen sharply over the last few years.

Thanks to recent legislation, St. John said, anti-overdose medication is now available with a prescription from any doctor or dentist, and any citizen can learn to administer it and possibly save a life.

VHPD Lt. Steve Gurley presented the ways the police department fights drugs, and FBI agent Angel Castillo discussed how federal law enforcement works with local forces to try to take out drug dealers and distributors.

State Rep. Jack Williams discussed his efforts in state politics to change the policies and methods substance abuse is prevented and handled in Alabama.

“It’s time to stop doubling down on stupid,” Williams said.

And part of that, he added, is focusing on prevention, intervention and rehabilitation, rather than locking people up.

All of the speakers discussed the need to address both the "supply" part of the problem, but the fact that the true issue lies in the "demand" side of the equation: teaching young people to engage in healthy lifestyle choices.

“We’ve got to stop this problem at the front end,” St. John said.

To further that effort, representatives from Help the Hills explained how last year, Help the Hills became the Help the Hills Coalition by partnering with the Drug Awareness Team with the schools and partnering with law enforcement and first responders to make sure everyone is on the same page.

Representatives from each subcommittee of the new coalition – Peers, Schools, Parents and Community – discussed the specific efforts that committee is pursuing to further the coalition's goals.

One of the most important but least discussed, former chair Julie Ellis said, is the involvement of the community and faith organizations to make sure young people are being supported from all angles.

Wade Griffith from Liberty Crossings United Methodist Church was also present to encourage residents to push their faith leaders to make substance abuse prevention a priority of the church.

“It can’t just be more of the same,” Griffith said.

Help the Hills will serve as a resource bank, Ellis said, but it's the groups within the community that have the ability to really save lives.

More information about Help the Hills' revitalized effort, as well as archived sessions and links to external resources are now available on the coalition's new website, helpthehills.org.