Excerpt from Delaware State News…

“GEORGETOWN,— At the local, county and now, state level, Delaware is going purple against substance abuse and opioid addiction that is claiming lives and devastating families in epidemic proportion.

Sussex County Council Tuesday’s agreed to ante up $5,000 — matching last year’s pledge — for the Sussex County Substance Abuse Prevention Project, part of the growing Delaware Goes Purple campaign.

“Let’s not let people get addicted to begin with,” Peggy Geisler, executive director of the Sussex County Health Coalition said in her presentation to council.
“There was close to 400 (overdose) deaths in the state last year. This year we are losing people at a rate of about one per day.
“This is a tragedy that can be avoided and prevented. That is what the Delaware Goes Purple initiative is about.”
Delaware Goes Purple is a statewide initiative spearheaded by the Sussex County Health Coalition based in Georgetown.

In 2018, SCHC led efforts in Sussex County to begin to reduce the stigma of addictions, inspired by The Herren Project and the Talbot County Go Purple campaign in Maryland.

This initiative, which initially included the city of Seaford and Sussex County, now encompasses groups working in New Castle, Kent and Sussex counties.

Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long is honorary chair of Delaware Goes Purple and a strong advocate and supporter of behavioral health care access and substance abuse prevention in the state.

There are approximately 200 business partners onboard statewide, with close to 100 of those partners in Sussex County, Ms. Geisler said.

“It is not just about an awareness campaign. It is really about using that information so people to understand where they can treatment, where they can get support, where they can get help,” said Ms. Geisler.
She added the goal is prevention and getting “everybody on the same page when it comes to taking a stand substance abuse.”

Prevention is structured around education and one option is implementation of the Botvin LifeSkills Training developed by Dr. Gilbert J. Botvin, an internationally known expert on prevention and health behavior, in schools.

“Personally, I would like to see Botvin in all of our schools,” said Ms. Geisler.

She noted Dr. Botvin, a longtime Cornell University professor, was in Seaford last May for Botvin Day of Hope and a special salute to the coalition and Sussex County in the Go Purple movement.

“He recognized us nationally as the first organization and community to use youth to teach other youth how to stay clean and prevent using any kind of substance …,” Ms. Geisler said. “Sussex County is a pioneer in this arena.”

Read full article: Substance abuse awareness efforts expand statewide