The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Health

Panel sheds light on youth drug use in Pasco

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Speaking before a roomful of adults, a panel of teens offered their insights and observations about drug use among youths in Pasco County.

Marijuana use appears to be the biggest drug-related issue among youth across Pasco County, said the panelists, who are members of Safe Teens Against Drugs (STAND).

They said kids are increasingly turning to marijuana as a way to escape their personal problems.

From left: Maddie Horn, 12; Destiny Winter, 17; Jocelyn Meriwether, 14; Christos Loupis, 17; Austin Vaughan, 13; Ashley Dew, 19; Jeromy Vaughan, 14; and, Yahkaira Barbosa, 14. (Kevin Weiss)

“They’re not happy, they feel depressed, they have anxiety, so they smoke,” said panelist Destiny Winter. “They’re constantly trying to solve these problems by self-medicating instead of seeking help,” said the 17-year-old Anclote High student.

The group of youth leaders who make up STAND are determined to end youth substance abuse in Pasco County by educating teachers, police, business owners and other community members about their observations, and offering suggestions for solutions. The youth group is organized by the Pasco County Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP).

This is the fourth year that members of STAND have addressed members of numerous community stakeholder groups — in a forum arranged by ASAP — to talk about various health and safety issues facing Pasco youths.

Marijuana has become prevalent among teens because of peer pressure and relatively easy access to the substance, panelists told the audience.

And, the way it’s sensationalized in pop culture and social media hasn’t helped, either.

”It’s being influenced as cool, so they’re trying it out,” 14-year-old Land O’ Lakes High student Jocelyn Meriwether said.

“I believe it’s happening because of its popularization online by many celebrities, many singers or rappers that kids listen to,” added 14-year-old Gulf High student Jeromy Vaughan.

Moreover, the teens said the legalization of medical marijuana in Florida and throughout the country has contributed to the impression that it’s is OK to use, and a quick fix to cope with anxiety, boredom, sadness, depression and so on.

Winter pointed out that her peers aren’t adequately warned about marijuana’s side effects, such as withdrawals that can result from abusing the substance.

“They’re misled about how good it is for you,” said Winter, an Anclote varsity basketball player. “They’re told constantly about all these benefits from their peers and from social media, but they’re not told enough about what might not be good,” she said. “It’s just misinformation.”

The panelists also told those gathered at the Land O’ Lakes session that e-cigarettes and vaping, as well as vaping marijuana, are growing issues among teens.

They said it’s perceived as both cool to do and safer than smoking because it’s electronic and so prevalent in public spaces, such as parks and beaches.

Vaughan called vaping “the norm among this generation.”

“It’s become a very big problem,” the teen said. “Everyone believes it’s OK. Everyone does it. Everyone knows someone that does it, and still no one says anything about it.”

Added Winter: “I feel like many kids don’t understand the effects, they don’t understand we’re not quite sure yet what vaping is doing to our bodies and that there’s still research being done.”

Aside from drug use, 12-year-old Maddie Horn said youth violence is another issue in her community.

“A lot of kids are generally angry,” said Horn, “and it could come from things that are happening at home, and they don’t know how to cope with that.”

Besides talking about issues, STAND members offered some possible solutions.

They advocated for more mentorship programs, such as Big Brothers Big Sisters, as well as more free afterschool programs, in general.

“I think partially just having safe spaces (would be good), places where kids can go after school that might not be home,” Winter said. “A lot of kids, especially in the area that we live in, don’t live in homes that are very supportive or leading them in the right direction.

“Where I live, the rec center is the only free place I can go to hang out and feel safe, really,” she said.

More robust education programs and awareness campaigns on the negative side effects of drug use might be another step in the right direction, panelists agreed.

“I remember last year we had three school assemblies and not a single one was about health or anything,” Vaughan said. “Just informing people about what happens when you do this kind of stuff and how your brain is affected, and how monumental it is compared to someone that doesn’t do it.”

Other STAND panelists present were: Ashley Dew, 19; Yahkaira Barbosa, 14; Christos Loupis, 17; Moriah Morales, 15; and, Austin Vaughan, 13.

STAND’s mission is to:

  • Change youth perspectives of drugs
  • Reduce accessibility of drugs
  • Reduce marketing of drugs to young people
  • Create an environment where young people in recovery can thrive

To learn more about STAND, contact .

Published July 10, 2019

Health News 07/10/2019

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(Courtesy of Angelika Dennis)

Vitamin drop-offs aimed at fighting malnutrition
Rainbow Light, a supplement brand, and Vitamin Angels, a charity that provides lifesaving vitamins to mothers and children at risk of malnutrition, teamed up for the Shine Your Light campaign. The organizations visited Guiding Star Tampa in Lutz and the Immokalee Pregnancy Center, to drop off essential vitamins for women and their families. The teams also met with the clinicians and staff at each location. Rainbow Light is celebrating its 25th anniversary with its first-ever domestic vitamin drop-offs to help underserved communities across the United States.

Autism grants
Every year, the Florida Support Autism Programs Specialty License Plate generates funds that support nonprofit organizations providing direct services for individuals with autism and related disabilities in Florida.

According to a news release from the Autism Services Grants Council, in 2018, nearly $99,600 was awarded to nonprofit organizations throughout Florida, bringing to life projects across the state.

All nonprofit organizations with a current Internal Revenue Service designation as a 501c(3) exempt organization, and a current State of Florida Charitable Solicitation Registration number that are providing services to individuals with autism and related disabilities in Florida are eligible to apply.

For information and to submit a proposal, visit AutismLicensePlate.com/grant-application/.

The deadline is July 31.

Reduce the spread of infectious diseases
Hospital infections have become all too common and can be particularly hazardous for the elderly.

Although not a guarantee, here are a few simple steps to help diminish the risk of staph infections and other infections when a loved one, particularly an older loved one, is in the hospital.

  • Ask everyone who comes in contact with the patient to wash their hands before touching the patient. Bring your own bottle of hand sanitizer to put at the bedside. Hang a sign asking people to “Please wash hands before touching.”
  • Ask the physicians to clean their stethoscopes with anti-bacterial gel on the flat, round part before touching the patient. Bring a pack of anti-bacterial wipes to leave in the patient’s room.
  • Ask if antibiotics can be given before surgery to help prevent an infection.
  • Ask for a private room, if possible.
  • As a visitor, do not use the patient’s bathroom.
  • As a visitor, do not put a purse, briefcase or backpack on the floor or any surface of the hospital room. If you need to do so, place a clean towel between the item and the floor/surface.
  • Do not bring children to the hospital room, as they could spread germs or leave germs behind.
  • Wash your hands after touching the elevator buttons.

For more information, visit VeryWellHealth.com.

Pasco Sheriff launches unit to help mentally ill

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The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office is launching a new unit aimed to better serve the needs of people facing significant mental health issues.

The new unit — called the Mental Health and Threat Assessment Team (MHTAT) — will feature six deputies, two caseworkers, a clinical social worker, a sergeant and a lieutenant, who will collaborate with local behavioral health providers to provide tailored, long-term programs for citizens in need.

The Pasco Sheriff’s Office is launching a new unit to better serve the needs of local citizens facing significant mental health issues. The Mental Health and Threat Assessment Team (MHTAT) will collaborate with local behavioral health partners to provide long-term care and criminal diversion to the county’s Baker Act repeats. (File)

The team’s primary task is to keep tabs on the county’s Baker Act repeats — through a proactive approach that includes frequent visitations, welfare checks, expedited behavioral health resources and criminal justice diversion programs.

An individual struggling with addiction may be referred to outpatient substance abuse treatment, for instance. Or, someone undergoing financial struggles may be referred to Pasco County Human Services and the county’s homeless coalition.

The unit will have partnerships with BayCare Behavioral Health, Chrysalis Health, Novus Medical Detox Center, HCA Florida Hospitals, AdventHealth and others, “working towards a common goal in our community,” Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco said.

The program ultimately will put the agency “ahead of the curve” in crime prevention, the sheriff said.

“We see mental health and substance abuse are the two drivers of criminal justice issues in our county. That’s why we’re creating this unit,” Nocco said.

It’s also about crisis mitigation, said Lt. Toni Roach, who will head up the MHTAT unit.

“Everybody has a baseline, and when they start to dip below that baseline we can provide some intervention strategies, connect them with a case manager or whatever other behavioral health resources are in the community that could help them stabilize,” Roach said.

The unit is expected to be up and running by October. It will cost roughly $1.5 million annually.

About 11 percent of the sheriff’s calls for service in 2018 were mental-health related.

That included roughly 3,400 Baker Act reports and more than 2,100 calls involving suicides or suicide attempts.

Of those reports, 503 individuals had multiple interactions with the agency, including some who’ve been Baker Acted as many as four or five times, Nocco said.

The MHTAT will be concentrating on the population who have had multiple interactions with the county, Nocco said. The unit will help divert those people from having to call 911 and thereby free patrol deputies to respond more quickly to urgent or violent calls.

As an example, the sheriff pointed out that, last year alone, one individual with a history of mental illness called county dispatch 124 times.

But, through a personal visit from the sheriff’s office back in May, those calls have stopped, the sheriff said.  “A lot of times they just need to talk to somebody. They just need somebody to help them out.”

“It’s all about connection,” added Roach. “Interacting with anybody is just that communication piece, being able to sit down with somebody and have a conversation with people, to listen to what’s going on, what are their concerns, what are their barriers.”

And, it’s those types of soft skills that will be required for those selected to the 11-person unit.

“It takes a special person to want to be in this unit,” Nocco said. “You want somebody that has that compassion and care. Somebody who says, ‘I’m not just going to be here for an hour, I might be here two to three hours working with somebody.’”

In recent years, the sheriff’s office has placed an emphasis on training law enforcement personnel to respond better to people who are mentally ill.

The office has an eight-hour foundational course in mental health first aid and a 40-hour Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) program held quarterly in Shady Hills. About 50 percent of the agency’s patrol deputies are CIT certified.

Published July 03, 2019

Health News 07/03/2019

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Audiologist attends conference
Dr. Judith L. Reese, of JC Audiology in Lutz, attended a conference in St. Joseph, Michigan, for hearing professionals from around the country and Canada. Presentations were focused on improving hearing aid patients’ experiences with the ever-changing technological developments in hearing devices.

Dr. Judith L. Reese, left, with Dr. Gyl Kasewurm (Courtesy of Charlie Reese)

The guest speaker was Dr. Gyl Kasewurm, of Professional Hearing Services, who discussed industry developments and best practices related to new technology, as well as quality consumer education.

“Hearing devices nowadays are the most complicated and sophisticated consumer electronic item that a person can buy,” Dr. Reese said, in a release.

“The best way to ensure that devisces are working optimally for the consumer is to make the ideal match of individual need, specific hearing impairments, with the right technology and ongoing professional adjustments,” Reese said.

Dr. Reese opened her practice, the first female-owned private practice audiology company in the greater Tampa area, in 2005.

Volunteer to drive for cancer patients
The American Cancer Society Road to Recovery program provides patients in need with rides to treatment.

Drivers can donate their spare time to take patients to their cancer-related medical appointments.

Volunteer drivers must complete online training courses to prepare them for the role, and the American Cancer Society will screen each volunteer.

Requirements include: a good driving record; a current driver’s license; access to a safe and reliable vehicle; proof of adequate automobile insurance; schedule availability; and, regular desktop, laptop or tablet computer access.

For information on the transportation programs, visit Cancer.org/roadtorecovery, or call (800) 227-2345.

Hepatitis A can be prevented
According to the Florida Department of Health in Pasco County, Hepatitis A is a virus that is a vaccine-preventable form of infectious hepatitis.

Hepatitis A is contagious and can harm your liver.

Hepatitis A can be present for up to two weeks without symptoms, but during that time can be spread to others, usually when an uninfected person ingests food or water that has been contaminated with the feces of an infected person.

Symptoms usually start 2 weeks to 6 weeks after infection and last less than two months.

Common symptoms include stomach pain, nausea and vomiting, and yellow skin or eyes.

The best defense against Hepatitis A is to wash your hands and get vaccinated.

An information line is available to the public, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Call (844) 225-5364.

Teen’s mobile app aids in communication

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Fourteen-year-old Bradley Rothbaum has already created a mobile app that has attracted national recognition.

He didn’t have to go far for the source that inspired this achievement.

He developed the app in response to his own health dilemma.

Bradley Rothbaum, 14, developed the app Speak Up to help those with communication delays, after he experienced the same while in the hospital. As seen here, the app will be available for smartphones, as well as tablets, in the near future. (Brian Fernandes)

Bradley was diagnosed with cancer in March 2017.

The condition affected  the chewing muscles in his mouth, and within weeks he began treatment.

The radiation treatment caused him to develop sores in his mouth, which made it difficult to speak.

So, he began texting and writing on a white board to communicate — but found those methods to be inconvenient.

“One of my main frustrations during treatment was the inability to speak,” Bradley said. “I turned this frustration into the app, Speak Up.”

He started working on this program last fall.

The concept behind Speak Up is to help those who have difficulty speaking to better communicate their needs, especially inside a health care setting.

The program uses voice automation to verbally translate a typed message to the receiver.

The app is already equipped with a list of greetings, requests or comments that are preset and can be sent with a push of a button.

For messages not already stored on the app, a user can preset additional ones for convenience, as well.

“You’re still telling the app what to do, but instead of typing in everything, it’s already there for you,” the Land O’ Lakes youth explained.

Speak Up enables the user to type a custom-made message or text a regular message, with both options providing voice automation.

And, not only is it for smartphones, but can be downloaded onto tablets and laptops, too.

Bradley decided to enter his project into the Invention Convention at his school, Academy at the Lakes, on Collier Parkway in Land O’ Lakes.

Along with a fellow schoolmate, Bradley earned his way into the Florida Invention Convention. There he was among 150 students statewide, all displaying their various creations.

“I made it to the Florida state level and then there were only four of us that moved on to nationals,” he stated.

For the national level, Bradley got to travel to The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation in Dearborn, Michigan.

There, his work was showcased among those of more than 500 students from around the country.

He said he enjoyed the experience that resulted from much determination.

Like any invention, this one had its trials and errors, Bradley said.

However, what eased the process was receiving assistance from his friend in Ohio, as well as his dad, Howard.

As a physician who practices internal medicine, Howard comes across sick people on a regular basis.

Yet, when his own son became a patient needing help, it was a tough situation, he admitted.

“Everything I learned in medical school and beyond is what we had to use to navigate the whirlwind,” Howard said.

His admiration for his son has only grown through this experience, noting that Bradley is “probably the strongest person I’ve ever met.”

Bradley said that creating the app was a therapeutic experience for him because it took his mind off his health issues and redirected it toward helping others in need.

He is currently preparing to enter his first year of high school at Academy at the Lakes, and is in a much healthier condition, thanks to treatment.

He offers this message of hope to other sick kids: “Persevere and you can get through this.”

With a few more kinks to work out, Bradley has yet to officially launch Speak Up. Upon release, it will be available for download on Android phones and iPhones, as well as tablets.

Published June 26, 2019

Health News 06/26/2019

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Courtesy of Richelle Hoenes-Ahearn

Wrapping children in comfort
As an official Project Linus blanket-making site, 45 volunteers from AdventHealth Tampa hand-made 110 blankets to share with pediatric patients at the hospital. AdventHealth employees and members of the community, dubbed ‘blanketeers,’ stepped up to help provide comfort to children who are seriously ill or traumatized. Two of the volunteers were a mother and father whose 9-month-old daughter had received a blanket as a newborn.

 

Hospital achievements
The Medical Center of Trinity has been recognized with the following:

  • Initial Accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, for its internal medicine residency program. The program is accredited for 50 residents starting July 1. This is the hospital’s first step in developing a graduate medical education residency program and a logical progression as the hospital continues to expand into other residency specialties.
  • Healthgrades 2019 Patient Safety Excellence Award. During the study period, 2015 to 2017, the hospital demonstrated excellent performance in safety provided for patients in the Medicare population, as measured by 14 patient safety indicators defined by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Seniors benefit from CARES programs
Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Fasano’s five county locations highlighted CARES (Community Aging & Retirement Services) as its May charity of the month, and raised $7,700 for the organization.

In a release, Jemith Rosa, president and CEO of CARES, said, “The money they raised for CARES will help frail elderly people in Pasco County who are facing illness, hunger and isolation.”

CARES has “always been important to me,” Fasano added.

“CARES, and more importantly the people they serve, hold a special place in our hearts. The health care professionals who volunteer their time at the senior health clinic to help this aging and medically fragile population are to be applauded for their work.

“The people who make sure food is delivered on a daily basis to homebound seniors, and the caregivers who often give up other aspects of their life to care for their frail loved one, all make this organization unique in our community,” Fasano said.

For information about CARES and its programs, call Jemith Rosa at (727) 863-6868, or visit ElderAffairs.state.fl.us/.

AdventHealth gets A grade
AdventHealth West Florida Division has earned the highest marks possible for patient safety and quality in Tampa Bay.

The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit health care ratings organization, announced its safety ratings for more than 2,600 hospitals across the country.

Only about one-third of those hospitals received an “A” grade, including seven in the AdventHealth West Florida Division: AdventHealth Carrollwood, AdventHealth Lake Place, AdventHealth North Pinellas, AdventHealth Sebring, AdventHealth Tampa, AdventHealth Wesley Chapel and AdventHealth Zephyrhills.

Health News 06/19/2019

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(Courtesy of Kirsty Churchill)

Fashion show supports Hospice
Gulfside Hospice presented a Spring Charity Fashion Show and raised more than $13,000 to support hospice patients and families. The show featured spring and summer fashions presented by Dillard’s from The Shops at Wiregrass, and included a seated lunch, vendor expo and door prizes. Deiah Riley, of ABC action News, emceed the event. Most of the show’s models were staff and volunteers from the Gulfside organization. Dr. Lisa Barker, medical director for Gulfside Hospice, and her husband, Kipp, show off their outfits.

 

 

Nursing excellence
The Medical Center of Trinity recognized two nurses for the Excellence in Nursing Awards, established by HCA to honor outstanding nurses who demonstrate excellence in professional mentoring and compassionate care.

Beverly Hoenes, RN, charge nurse, received the Excellence in Nursing for Compassionate Care award.

Hoenes has served patients at the Medical Center of Trinity for 25 years. She is a strong patient advocate, with a focus on excellent patient care. Hoenes also provided mentorship for another registered nurse from another unit other than her own.

The Excellence in Nursing Professional Mentor Award was presented to Kimberly Cain, RN.

Cain provides excellent care for patients and mentoring new registered nurses at the same time. She received her certification as a medical surgical RN to further her knowledge.

Presidential awards
Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point announced that two if its volunteers are the recipients of the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award, from the office of the President of the United States.

To receive the award, an individual must have volunteered a minimum of 15 years and logged in more than 7,500 hours of service.

Dan Hammer and Elliot Lorenzi were both recognized with the award.

Hammer began volunteering in 2000 and has more than 45,000 hours of service. He currently volunteers in the hospital CSU and serves as volunteer chairperson for that department.

He is a past president of the Volunteer Association Board from 2004 through 2008.

In 2002, Hammer was selected as the Volunteer of the Year and, in 2008, he was presented with the Frist Volunteer Humanitarian Award.

Lorenzi has been volunteering since 2003 and has accumulated more than 37,000 hours of service.

He is currently serving as a courier, has been the courier’s team leader, and has been on a variety of volunteer committees, including bylaws, chairman of the awards committee, finance committee, chairman of the scholarship committee, and was the liaison for the Quality Council.

Lorenzi served as president of the Volunteer Association from 2012 through 2016, received a Star Award in 2006, the Volunteer of the Year in 2007, and the Frist Volunteer Humanitarian Award in 2010.

 

Hospital honors staff members

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The Medical Center of Trinity announced it has named Dr. Sudhir Agarwal, interventional cardiologist, as Physician of the Year, selected by the nurses of the hospital.

Dr. Agarwal is regarded as a passionate, open-minded physician with a deep respect for the patients.

The Nurse of the Year award, selected by the physicians of the hospital, was given to Shawna Mulherin, RN, BSN, CMS.

Mulherin’s nomination emphasized her caring attitude toward patients, and her ability to mentor and teach new nurses.

Carlo Rivera, RN, was awarded the New Nurse of the Year, selected by people on staff at hospital.

Rivera was recognized for his care, compassion and positive attitude shared with not only patients, but coworkers, too.

Dr. Sudhir Agarwal
Shawna Mulherin
Carlo Rivera

Health News 06/05/2019

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New CEO for AdventHealth
AdventHealth has named Denyse Bales-Chubb to the position of CEO for AdventHealth Tampa.

Bales-Chubb currently serves as CEO for AdventHealth Wesley Chapel, and will assume leadership of the Tampa hospital on July 1. She replaces Brian Adams, who is transitioning to senior vice president for new markets for AdventHealth Central Florida Division.

Denyse Bales-Chubbs

Bales-Chubb has served as CEO for AdventHealth Wesley Chapel since 2014.

During her tenure, the hospital has grown from 83 beds to 145 beds, and has expanded its services to include a multidisciplinary women’s center, neuro-spine surgical program, and wound care center.

The hospital opened AdventHealth Central Pasco ER; established a partnership with Moffitt Cancer Center to open an outpatient satellite center, and provide treatment, screenings and survivorship programs for local residents; and received numerous recognitions, locally and nationally.

Bales-Chubb earned a master’s degree in health care administration from Wichita State University, and bachelor degrees in medical technology and biology from Fort Hays State University.

She serves on the boards of the Pasco Economic Development Council, New Tampa Christian Academy and AdventHealth Zephyrhills.

Nursing units recognized
Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point has earned two 2018 Unit of Distinction Awards in an annual program that recognizes and rewards exemplary nursing units at HCA Healthcare facilities.

Approximately 1,200 HCA Healthcare nursing units participated in the 2018 program.

The Regional Medical units that earned distinction are:

  • Neuro/Spine & Orthopedics under the direction of Marjorie Freeman, Rn, BSN, CMSRN (certified medical/surgical registered nurse)
  • Trauma Stepdown Unit under the direction of Susan Cooper, MSN, BSN, RN-BC (registered nurse-board certified)

Recipients of the awards are considered to be in the top 5 percent of all HCA Healthcare medical-surgical, critical care, emergency services and surgical services nursing units.

Can human connection heal?

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Austin Eubanks remembered with clarity the tragic day that forever changed his life, and, ultimately claimed it.

His best friend was killed instantly in front of him.

Then Eubanks was shot twice, in the hand and knee.

Eubanks was just 17 years old when he experienced and survived the massacre inside the library of Columbine High School on April 20, 1999.

Columbine shooting survivor Austin Eubanks was the keynote speaker at the annual ‘Strengthening Our Communities Conference on Mental Health and Drug Prevention’ in Wesley Chapel. He passed away just days later at his home in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, at age 37. (Courtesy of AustinEubanks.com)

“I remember seeing my hand and knowing that I had been shot, but I couldn’t feel it,” Eubanks recalled. “I couldn’t connect to the emotion of it, or the physical pain of it, because I wasn’t present in my own body.”

That traumatic experience as a teen, as a survivor in the Columbine school shooting, was the catalyst to Eubanks’ painful journey through addiction and eventually into long-term recovery.

Eubanks put it like this: “I will never be the person I was on the morning of April 20, 1999. That boy did not walk out of the library that day. He was altered, forever.”

Eubanks shared his personal story as the keynote speaker at the annual “Strengthening Our Communities Conference on Mental Health and Drug Prevention,” held May 14 at Saddlebrook Resort in Wesley Chapel.

The conference, hosted by Pasco County Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP) and Baycare Behavioral Health, is designed to increase public awareness and inspire action on mental health and substance abuse disorders.

Just a few days after the conference, the speaker was found dead from a suspected drug overdose at his home in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. He was 37.

In a statement, his family said Eubanks “lost the battle with the very disease he fought so hard to help others face. Helping to build a community of support is what meant the most to Austin, and we plan to continue his work.”

ASAP also expressed its sympathy on Eubanks’ passing in a released statement: “We extend our thoughts and prayers to Austin’s family and friends. Although he has passed too early, his voice will echo in our memories and actions forever.”

Before his untimely death, Eubanks addressed a crowd of nearly 500 people, to discuss the intersection of trauma, mental illness and addiction.

‘An emotional robot’
Shortly after the school shooting, Eubanks was prescribed opiates, benzodiazepines and stimulants for his physical injuries. He soon found the drugs helped him in other ways.

“From the moment I was medicated, that emotion (from Columbine) completely shut off. It was like somebody turned off a faucet,” Eubanks explained.

Nearly 500 people attended the annual ‘Strengthening Our Communities Conference on Mental Health and Drug Prevention,’ hosted by Pasco County Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP) and Baycare Behavioral Health. Columbine school shooting survivor Austin Eubanks was the keynote speaker at the May 14 event, at Saddlebrook Resort in Wesley Chapel. (Kevin Weiss)

“I learned very quickly how to turn myself into an emotional robot, with the combination of those three substances. I thought that I had found the answer, I never had to feel anything. I was taught how to seek the fast road to relief.”

Years later, at the height of his addiction, Eubanks said he was using upwards of 400 milligrams of the painkiller OxyContin per day, plus a host of other recreational drugs.

His drug of choice, he admitted, was “just more.”

Emotional healing through human connection
After a decade more of undergoing a cycle of addiction and relapse, Eubanks said he finally received the help he needed, at a long-term treatment center in Denver that accepted him free of charge.

It’s there he found the prescription he needed most: authentic human connection.

The treatment center helped him navigate the stages of grief through meaningful, personal relationships with others with similar, lived experiences.

“With emotional pain, in order to heal it, you have to feel it. It is essential to recovery,” Eubanks said.

He added: “What is so essential for emotional healing for all of us, is relying on others from a place of vulnerability and authenticity and transparency.”

The environment also provided him with structure and accountability, too, he said.

Eubanks said, “I had to finally admit that I knew nothing, and I had to trust somebody else enough to believe that they did, and I did everything that they told me to for long enough to where it became a pattern.”

Eubanks explained that after Columbine he didn’t return to school for his senior year, instead relied on a private tutor from home in order to graduate. The decision isolated himself from others, leaving him to rely on substances to cope with his emotional pain.

“I withdrew from human connection entirely. If you can create a better petri dish for addiction, I don’t know what it is,” the speaker said.

“I missed out on a lot of the collaborative, connected healing that many of my classmates experienced in our senior year, because I withdrew from that community entirely.”

Prevention and rehabilitation reforms needed
Eubanks discussed his ideas to combat the nation’s addiction crisis, which he blamed partly on increased accessibility, acceptability and toxicity of various substances.

The speaker called for greater efforts in implementing more systems of prevention and rehabilitation to curtail the demand for drugs.

He challenged the medical community to do a better job of integrating physical health and mental health. He also challenged the education community to put more focus on nurturing emotional intelligence in early childhood education, to increase the ability to relate to other people.

Eubanks then called for greater accessibility to long-term treatment for those who cannot afford its services. He also said the criminal justice system needs to place more emphasis on rehabilitation programs, specifically, by providing inmates a therapeutic continuum of care and teaching them pro-social behaviors.

Said Eubanks, “Drugs are always going to exist. We cannot eradicate these issues by combating them on the supply side. We have to curtail the demand.”

In addition to Eubanks, the conference featured presentations from Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco; Gail Ryder, Baycare Health Systems vice president of behavioral health; and Roderick Cunningham, Drug Enforcement Agency outreach program manager.

There was also a series of breakout sessions that focused on substance abuse prevention and recovery efforts, among other topics.

Published May 29, 2019