Talbot Goes Purple this week announced prescription medication collection from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. April 27, in St. Michaels, as part of National Drug Take-Back Day.

National Drug Take-Back Day is an annual collection event sponsored by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The DEA also sponsors a collection event each October; that event saw 300 tons of medications collected across more than 4,600 sites.

For this month’s event, Talbot County Sheriff’s deputies will collect unused prescription medications at the St. Michaels Volunteer Fire Department at 1001 South Talbot St. in St. Michaels.

Unused or expired prescription medications pose a serious public safety issue – proper disposal helps prevent misuse and abuse and helps save lives.

“The path to addiction in many cases starts with young people abusing prescriptions not prescribed to them, often from our own medicine cabinets,” said Talbot County Sheriff Joe Gamble. “It is very important that we properly dispose of our unused prescriptions. Please take advantage of this take-back day to keep your family and friends safe!”

Collection includes unwanted medications, vitamins, and supplements — vape pens, inhalers, sharps, and needles are NOT accepted. This program is anonymous – no questions asked, no identification required. The site also will include information on Talbot Goes Purple’s Operation Save a Life Program, which offers a free, wall-mounted opioid overdose response kit for local businesses, non-profits, and other organizations.

In addition to this year’s take-back day initiative, a permanent, year-round, 24-hour a day, 7-days a week disposal box is located at the Talbot County Sheriff’s Office at 28712 Glebe Road, at the south end of the Talbot County Business Center. Other disposal locations in the county include the Maryland State Police Barrack at 7503 Ocean Gateway in Easton (24-hour); St. Michaels Police Department at 100 Freemont St. in St. Michaels (24-hour); and Oxford Police Department at 101 Market St. (weekdays, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. excluding holidays).

For more information on National Take-Back Day visit www.takebackday.dea.gov.

An initiative from the Talbot County Sheriff’s Office and Tidewater Rotary, in partnership with Talbot County Public Schools, Saints Peter & Paul School and the Mid-Shore Community Foundation, Talbot Goes Purple empowers our youth and our community to ‘Go Purple’ as a sign of taking a stand against substance abuse.

More information about Talbot Goes Purple is available at www.talbotgoespurple.org. Find TGP on Facebook @TalbotGoesPurple or contact: [email protected].

Talbot Goes Purple is a component fund of the Mid-Shore Community Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization – donations to which are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.

The University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH), a member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System, observes National Donate Life Month in April, honoring organ donors and bringing awareness to saving or enhancing lives through organ, eye, and tissue donation. 

Activities were kicked-off on April 4 at the annual Donate Life flag-raising ceremony at the entrance of University of Maryland Shore Medical Center at Easton. After a prayer offered by the Rev. George Wheatley Sr., of Cambridge, Md., LuAnn Brady, UM SRH Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, discussed the meaning of organ donation and expressed gratitude to patients and families who have given the gift of life.

“These most sacred gifts change lives,” Brady said. “In Maryland, there are more than 2,000 people currently on the national transplant waiting list. One organ donor can save up to eight people and one tissue donor can heal the lives of up to 75 people.”

Karen Kennedy, Infinite Legacy’s Vice President of External Affairs and Education, expressed gratitude to donor families and to UM SRH, after which John Burke, father of an organ donor, shared his story of loss and hope when his son saved lives as an organ donor.

In partnership with Infinite Legacy, a non-profit organization that facilitates donation in area hospitals, UM SRH facilitated one organ donor in 2023, who donated six organs to five recipients, as well as 26 tissue donations, improving the lives of up to 2,000 patients. During the past 30 years, UM SRH has facilitated over 40 organ donations and over 150 tissue donations.

“Thanks to the generosity of donors and their families, and the dedication of health care and transplant professionals, thousands of lives are saved through organ and tissue donation,” said Chris Wright, Hospital Donation Coordinator, Infinite Legacy. “Our donor families are comforted in knowing that, even in death, their loved one is helping others.”

“At Shore Regional Health, we are committed to caring for patients from birth to death, and also for those who make the renewal of life possible for others,” said Ken Kozel, President and CEO, UM SRH. “We support and stand behind the families and loved ones of these patients who have selflessly donated life so that others may have a second chance at it.”

To register as an organ donor, visit a Maryland Vehicle Administration office or visit Infinite Legacy at infinitelegacy.org. 

About University of Maryland Shore Regional Health 

A member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH) is the principal provider of comprehensive health care services for more than 170,000 residents of five counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore: Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot. UM SRH consists of approximately 2,000 team members, including more than 600 health care providers on the Medical Staff, who work with community partners to advance the values that are foundational to our mission: Compassion, Discovery, Excellence, Diversity and Integrity. For more information, visit https://www.umms.org/shore. 

About the University of Maryland Medical System

The University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) is an academic private health system, focused on delivering compassionate, high-quality care and putting discovery and innovation into practice at the bedside. Partnering with the University of Maryland School of Medicine and University of Maryland, Baltimore who educate the state’s future health care professionals, UMMS is an integrated network of care, delivering 25 percent of all hospital care in urban, suburban, and rural communities across the state of Maryland. UMMS puts academic medicine within reach through primary and specialty care delivered at 11 hospitals, including the flagship University of Maryland Medical Center, the System’s anchor institution in downtown Baltimore, as well as through a network of University of Maryland Urgent Care centers and more than 150 other locations in 13 counties. For more information, visit www.umms.org.

Queen Anne’s County Emergency Services is proud to announce the upcoming Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training sessions, open to all members of the community regardless of age or ability. The training aims to equip participants with essential skills to effectively respond to disasters and emergencies, fostering resilience within the community.

All sessions must be attended as follows:

• Saturday, April 27: 1:00 PM – 6:00 PM
• Sunday, April 28: 1:00 PM – 6:00 PM
• Saturday, May 4: 1:00 PM – 6:00 PM
• Sunday, May 5: 1:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Whether you’re interested in helping yourself, your loved ones, or neighbors during times of crisis, CERT training offers invaluable knowledge and hands-on experience. Participants will learn essential response skills, including fire safety, light search and rescue, disaster psychology, and more.

“We welcome any age and ability to take our CERT course,” says Shae Parsley, Queen Anne’s County Emergency Services. “You do not have to be a Queen Anne’s County resident to attend this training. Anyone that has a desire to help themselves, their loved ones, and maybe even a neighbor in times of disaster is encouraged to sign up.”

CERT training adheres to nationally recognized guidelines, with materials adapted to address the specific hazards faced within Queen Anne’s County. In the event of a disaster when Emergency Services personnel may be delayed in response, CERT members serve as crucial first responders.

For questions or to register for the CERT training, please contact Shae Parsley at 410-758-4500 ext. 1451 or via email at [email protected]. To sign up, visit here.

Habitat for Humanity Choptank is one of 26 organizations on the Eastern Shore of Maryland to receive direct federal resources for projects as a result of efforts by U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin. 

On March 14, 2024, President Biden signed into law $32.5 million dollars in federal funding for the projects put forth by these organizations that Senator Van Hollen and Senator Cardin then championed at a federal level to benefit Shore residents in a variety of areas, including community development, historical and cultural initiatives, infrastructure, public safety, environment and education, and workforce development. Overall, the Senators included over $200 million in federal dollars directly for Maryland through the fiscal year 2024 government funding bills. “Access to affordable housing is essential to any family’s economic security. That’s why we worked to support Habitat for Humanity Choptank’s ongoing efforts to expand available housing options in this community – providing more Eastern Shore families with a brighter future,” said Senator Van Hollen.

As a result of those efforts, Habitat Choptank will receive an allocation of $450,000 to support a new neighborhood of 12 single-family homes on Camper Street in Cambridge, providing safe, affordable, and energy-efficient housing opportunities for local community members. This future funding will be allocated to support infrastructure costs for the new neighborhood, which include roads, water and sewer, storm water management, sidewalks and lighting. 

As a foundational component, safe, affordable and secure housing provides more than just shelter, but an opportunity to improve neighborhood stability, increase property values, and create opportunities for generational enrichment and growth for families.  “Safe, quality, affordable housing has a positive impact on so many other aspects of family and community health”, shared Chief Executive Officer JoAnn Hansen. “Time and time again, we’ve seen children do better in school, the health of seniors improve, and local businesses benefit from retaining employees who have access to safe, affordable and quality housing.”  

The efforts by Senators Van Hollen and Cardin to bring these resources to Maryland are a clear expression of their desire to support locally driven priorities and opportunities throughout the Eastern Shore. “Affordable housing has become unattainable for many middle and low-income families in Maryland and across the country. Building more affordable housing is critical in solving our housing crisis. Habitat for Humanity Choptank is helping to address our housing needs and putting homeownership within reach for so many Marylanders. With funding for this community-led project, fewer Cambridge families will face housing insecurity and more will have a place to call home,” said Senator Cardin. 

To learn more about Habitat Choptank and our homeownership and financial counseling programs, visit our website at habitatchoptank.org or call the office at 410-476-3204.

The above neighborhood rendering of the planned Camper Street neighborhood was prepared by Aaron Hansen, a student in the University of Maryland College Park’s Architecture, Planning & Preservation program.

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The Talbot County Health Department is hosting a health fair for the LGBTQ+ population in partnership with the Delmarva Pride Center on Saturday, March 23, 2024 from 10am-2pm.

The event, scheduled to take place at the Unitarian Church on Rt. 50 in Easton, will provide health screenings, testing and resources. Services will include: Hepatitis C and HIV testing, blood pressure screening, colon cancer screening, vision and hearing screening, blood glucose testing and more.

Lunch will be provided and participants will receive a $25 gift card for their completion of screening services. Additional services will be offered which includes Narcan training and information on a free smoking cessation program for Talbot County residents through the Health Department.

The Talbot County Health Department is working with Delmarva Pride to offer a variety of healthcare services to the LGBTQ+ community in Talbot County. Due to a lack of cultural competency in the healthcare system and stress brought on by harassment and discrimination, the LGBTQ+ population often experiences hurdles in achieving positive health outcomes. According to Stephanie Latham, coordinator of special programs of the Talbot County Health Department, “We hope that this event will be a starting point to improve health outcomes for this population.” The event comes at the end of the 22nd National LGBTQ+ Health Awareness Week.

Participants are encouraged to RSVP for the event by reaching out via email at [email protected]. Walk-ins are welcomed.

For more information, please contact the Talbot County Health Department at (410) 819-5689.

Anyone needing a new mental health provider or access to substance use disorder treatment can receive a free screening at a wellness event in Easton this month.

The community-wide event takes place from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 26 at Grace Street, a recovery community organization at 8262 Ocean Gateway, Suite 1, in Easton. Planting Seeds Behavioral Health, a new virtual mental health services provider, is offering the free screenings.

Navigating the healthcare system can be difficult; this month’s no-barrier, walk-in, free screening can help provide access to care for our community’s most vulnerable.

Nearly half of all Americans will have a behavioral health issue in their lifetime, yet more than 160 million Americans live in an area with mental health professional shortages. Almost the entire Delmarva Peninsula — from Cecil County down to Wicomico, is considered a shortage area, according to the Health Resources & Services Administration. Yet, behavioral health challenges persist, including substance use disorders, suicide, anxiety and depression, with data pointing to worsening mental health since the pandemic, particularly for young adults and people of color.

Jill Willis, CRNP-PMH, founder of Planting Seeds, is a board-certified psychiatric nurse practitioner who specializes in helping people with co-occurring disorders. Willis offers assessment, psychotherapy and medication management, including medications for opioid use disorder. Privacy in ensured for all who attend, for details contact Willis at jillwillis44@plantingseedsbh.com or 443-746-4116.

Planting Seeds accepts Medicaid and most private insurances. Learn more online at www.plantingseedsbh.com.

Anyone who cannot make the event can find local mental health and substance use support by dialing 988. This free, 24/7 lines connects to a counselor. For opioid-specific help, text MDHope to 898211.

Grace Street opened in Easton in August of 2023 as the sole recovery community organization (RCO) on the Mid-Shore. An RCO is a non-profit organization founded and led by people with direct lived experience with substance use challenges and recovery.

As an RCO, Grace Street provides peer-based and other recovery support services; operates the region’s only harm reduction vending machine that includes Narcan, Fentanyl and Xylazine test strips; offers free harm reduction materials and services, including wound care; conducts weekly street outreach; provides prevention and youth programming, resource connection and supports; provides life skills and workforce development, including peer recovery support training for certification; hosts support groups and fosters recovery-focused community education.

Grace Street is dedicated to saving lives and fostering healing for anyone affected by substance use disorder. This is done by mobilizing resources within and outside of the recovery community, to increase the prevalence and quality of long-term recovery from alcohol and other drug addiction.

Grace Street serves people across the Mid-Shore. Referrals are not necessary, and services are free. The center is open weekdays and Sundays, 4 – 9 pm. and Saturdays, 2 – 7 p.m. Daytime hours vary. Anyone interested in volunteering or partnering can contact Kate Dulin, program director, at 410-690-7353 or visit GraceStreetRecovery.org. Supporters may donate directly online at GraceStreetRecovery.org.

Chesapeake Charities, a community foundation based in Stevensville, received a one-year grant from Maryland’s Office of Overdose Response to establish the Grace Street RCO.

This project is supported by the Maryland’s Office of Overdose Response. The views presented here are those of the grantee organization and not necessarily those of the MOOR, its Executive Director, or its staff. 

For All Seasons’ Center for Learning has been holding trainings for its staff, focusing on populations who experience trauma such as human trafficking, veterans’ issues, and the stress of being a first responder. Most recently, the Center completed training around the topic of human trafficking. The training, “Polaris Human Trafficking 101,” covered how human trafficking happens, understanding human trafficking victims, and recognizing human trafficking in our communities, as well as featured stories of human trafficking survivors.

The Center for Learning also trained 100% of the For All Seasons team in cultural competency around service members, veterans, and their families. The “Trained Military Assistance Provider (TMAP)” training curriculum covered topics such as healthcare providers, helping children of veterans, and crisis response and suicide among military members and veterans. The course also featured service members and veterans telling their stories of military-related trauma and realizing they needed mental health help. One of the instructors was Dr. Shauna Springer, Senior Director of Suicide Prevention and Postvention Initiatives, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors.

The first responder training is taught by Jeff Thompson, Ph.D., an Adjunct Associate Research Scientist in the Psychiatry Department at Columbia University Medical Center/New York State Psychiatric Institute. Previously, as a detective with the NYPD, he developed the NYPD’s peer support training. His research includes hostage negotiation in terrorist incidents, suicide prevention, resilience, and the use of effective communication during crisis incidents. Additional guest speakers from other first responder agencies, as well as first responders, will share their own lived experiences with work-related mental health.

“At For All Seasons, we have a deep commitment to ensuring the cultural competence and expertise of our team. As a community behavioral health and rape crisis center, we are the trauma-certified safety net for our community. Trainings like these demonstrate the agency’s commitment to being ready to serve the needs of the community members who walk through our doors,” comments Lauren Weber, Vice President of Strategy and Development.

According to Lesa Lee, Chief Clinical Officer at For All Seasons, “The trainings give our staff a chance to learn about a work culture or life experiences of someone who may have experienced trauma – whether it is through being trafficked, military experience, or being a first responder.”

“I have a first responder who is a friend who explained that it’s like you have rocks that you put in your backpack and if you don’t start to unload some of those rocks or experiences then they pile up and become unmanageable. For All Seasons clinicians are becoming knowledgeable about ‘the rocks’ in people’s backpacks to better serve our client populations.”

“It is important to understand the culture that anyone comes from. Whether it is specific to race, socioeconomic status, the community they live in, or their jobs. If we see things only through the lens that we have then we miss opportunities to understand and help others,” she adds.

“At For All Seasons, we want to set our clinicians up to use the skills and strategies they know with all of our clients. These trainings allow us to dig in and do the difficult work with a new level of knowledge.”

These For All Seasons trainings are supported in part by grants. “Polaris Human Trafficking 101” is supported by the Regional Navigator Grant from the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services. “Trained Military Assistance Provider” (TMAP) training is supported by the Sheila E. Hixson Behavioral Health Services Grant. The first responders training is supported by the Maryland Agricultural Education and Rural Development Assistance Fund (MAERDAF) from the Rural Maryland Council.

For further information on the Center for Learning’s trainings, contact Lauren Weber, Vice President of Strategy and Development at [email protected].