Pubdate: Mon, 05 Dec 2005 Source: Johnson City Press (TN) Copyright: 2005 Johnson City Press Contact: http://www.johnsoncitypress.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1983 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine) ETSU TO HOST FORUM ON METH PROBLEM The growing problem of methamphetamine and overall substance abuse in Appalachia will be the theme of a major health conference hosted by the College of Public and Allied Health at East Tennessee State University. The event is slated for March 20-22 at the Centre at Millennium Park. Organizers hope to come up with community approaches to handling the problem of drug abuse, including prevention options, funding strategies and coalition building. Community agencies that have an interest in confronting the problem of meth abuse and production are encouraged to apply for scholarships to attend the conference. "Methamphetamine use devastates communities through human and environmental degradation and is a major threat to the health of the public," said Dr. Creg Bishop, interim dean of Public and Allied Health. "This conference will emphasize a whole-community approach to substance abuse problems with the goal of assisting each team to complete a take-home action plan." Support from the Appalachian Regional Commission, the federal Office of Rural Health Policy and the Southeast Public Health Training Center at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, will be used to offer competitive scholarships to qualifying team members who attend the conference. Bruce Behringer, ETSU assistant vice president for rural and community health and community partnerships, convened a planning workshop in August that brought together individuals from various stakeholder groups, including public safety, government, mental health, public health, medicine, environmental protection and the media. This group concluded that the problem affects entire communities and requires greater awareness and the sharing of proven prevention and treatment methods. "No one owns this problem - no discipline, no individual, no community," Behringer said. "By bringing people together, we can see intersections and gather different opinions that could bring about resolutions and strategies that work." Application forms for scholarships and conference registration will be distributed this month. The number of attendees will be limited. For more information, send an e-mail to or call 439-7658. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake