As part of a grant award, Oklahoma State University Community Wellness Programs (OSU-CWP) partnered with Sooner Success and the Creek County Substance Abuse Prevention Program (CCSAPP) to provide free medication lockboxes for local families as part of their healthy living and substance abuse prevention initiatives.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration SAMHSA) awards grants annually to reduce the harmful impacts of substance abuse and mental health issues experienced by individuals, families, and communities. Its grants provide funding for community prevention programs throughout the United States each year. SAMHSA previously awarded a grant to the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (ODMHSAS) Once ODMHSAS received grant funding from SAMHSA, it opened funding for multiple smaller grant requests from state and local agencies. Statewide, agencies applied to ODMHSAS for funding of their planned prevention programs and events. OSU-CWP applied for and received the funding for the lockbox giveaway in this manner.
Bristow resident Sarah Emrich works for OSU-CWP and with the SPF-PFS grants. According to Sarah, OSU-CWP typically works with schools, pharmacies, and municipalities regarding medication safety. Common issues addressed include providing information on how to properly and safely store and dispose of medications and ensuring that medication policies are up to date.
In fact, OSU-CWP previously partnered with Super-H Pharmacy to provide medication disposal kits to Creek County residents free of charge. Saturday’s lockbox giveaway partnership is another such community program.
Sarah explained how the partnership formed: OSU-CWP sought and secured the funding for the lockboxes from ODMHSAS, and Sooner Success and CCSAPP joined as planning partners. The planning partnership ensures that all demographics of the community are served and represented by the event. Although all demographics are eligible to receive a free lockbox, the giveaway is restricted to Creek County residents.
For anyone interested in receiving a free medication lockbox, the boxes will be available this Saturday, June 5th, during the Artisans’ and Gardeners’ Market in the parking lot between Tractor Supply and the old Mazzio’s building. The market operates from 7 a.m. through 11 a.m. Another free lockbox event is planned for late June or July in Sapulpa. If you would like additional information on this or future events or about OSU-CWP initiatives, please contact Sarah atthe email of sarah.m.emrich@okstate.edu.