Community leaders address drug problem
By Bob Robinson

GREENVILLE – Ten years ago three to five percent of all autopsies showed death was due to drugs, according to Darke County Coroner Dr. Tim Kathman. “Last year it was 31 percent… so far this year? All of them!”

This was just one set of statistics that “opened the eyes” of community and business leaders Feb. 28 at Wayne Healthcare. According to Sharon Deschambeau, director of the Darke County Chamber of Commerce, the meeting was set up by the Chamber to get community leaders on the same page regarding the multiple issues of drug abuse in Darke County.

“Some people didn’t know about a drug problem until they heard Chief Deputy (Mark) Whittaker at the Groundhog breakfast,” she said. “Until it lands on your doorstep it’s not an issue.”

Thirty-five people attended the meeting. There were several more who were invited but were out of town or otherwise unable to attend. One of them had a message for the group… “Let’s take back our county!”

Deschambeau invited five people to speak on the topic: Chief Deputy Whittaker, Darke County Sheriff’s Office; R. Kelly Ormsby III, Darke County Prosecutor; Kathman; Supt. Mike Gray, Darke County ESC; and State Representative Jim Buchy, House Dist. 84. They each got five minutes, after which a Round Table discussion took place. The meeting lasted about 90 minutes.

According to comments afterward from Ormsby, Whittaker and Deschambeau, the goal for the meeting was to educate, identify the problem, hear different views and establish a plan of action. Most of the time was spent in the first three areas; a meeting was set up in April to establish a plan of action.

This is a tough community issue… “about as tough as it gets.” Deschambeau said “we have opened the discussion.”

Whittaker said a lot of people are frustrated with the choices some make. They’re destructive… and they are exposing us to the aftermath of that choice. “We want this place to be a quality place for our kids to live and grow… safe streets, improve our core values.”

Kathman noted drug investigations required more resources at the scene as many times it is altered by bystanders. He added the Wayne Emergency Department deals with a lot of O.D.’s… mental health services need to be more available.”

Buchy noted the state website, starttalking.com, which is dealing with the problem on a statewide basis; also 12 different pieces of legislation to crack down on the use of different types of drugs, especially opioid prescriptions. A major one, HB 341, is designed to address doctor-shopping with a pharmacy Rx Reporting Database.

Ormsby said one of the focus points was prevention. The only way to eliminate the problem is to eliminate their customers. “It’s easier to stop it before it starts,” he said.

Published courtesy of The Early Bird