Pubdate: Tue, 15 Nov 2005
Source: Southern Illinoisan (Carbondale, IL)
Contact:  http://www.TheSouthern.com/
Address: P.O. Box 2108, Carbondale, IL 62902
Fax: (618) 529-3774
Copyright: 2005 Southern Illinoisan
Author: Andrea Hahn

GRANT WILL BOOST AGENCY'S STRENGTH IN METH FIGHT

WILLIAMSON COUNTY - Southern Illinois Healthcare is putting money 
into the fight against meth in Southern Illinois

SIH today announced a one-year grant of $50,000 to 
Williamson-Franklin Human Services. The grant will enable the 
organization to develop a regional methamphetamine prevention and 
education program.

"Helping build and maintain healthy communities is our goal at SIH," 
Woody Thorne, director of SIH Community Benefits, said before the 
morning's press conference. "We recognize the growing use of 
methamphetamine as a barrier to that goal."

Thorne said there were four applicants for the competitive grant. 
While he said all applications presented "innovative and creative 
ideas," Franklin-Williamson Human Services had been "at the forefront 
of this battle."

"We are very pleased to be partnering with them, and many other 
community-based agencies through this new initiative," he said.

"We are in a position to focus many groups and resources on the task 
before us," said John Shadowens, prevention manager for the agency. 
"We are very excited about this opportunity and are looking forward 
to working with all of our partners to address the methamphetamine 
epidemic in Southern Illinois."

The competitive grant was sponsored by Herrin Hospital, Memorial 
Hospital of Carbondale, St. Joseph Memorial Hospital in Murphysboro 
and Miners Memorial Health Center in West Frankfort.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman