>La Grande Observer | Union and Wallowa Counties' News Leader

Milton Creagh recently spoke to parents, students, teachers, business owners and community leaders in Union and Baker counties about drug and alcohol abuse and its devastating impact. Creagh, a forceful, dynamic, nationally recognized speaker on this topic, came to our community courtesy of organizers of the Drug Free Relay. His message was clear: we all must do more to recognize and address this problem locally and find ways to reach out with treatment and counseling to those affected.

Fortunately, some help is on the way.

Union, Wallowa and Baker counties will be sharing a five-year, $2.5 million grant to help treat alcohol and drug addiction in our communities. The federal funding comes through a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services program called "Promoting Safe and Stable Families."

Our three counties have a 50 percent higher incidence of children in Oregon's child protection system than the state average. And it is drug and alcohol abuse that leads to those higher rates of child abuse. Statewide, nearly 14 out of every 1,000 children need protection from abusive family members. Here in Northeast Oregon, the state has had to step in to protect an average of 21 children per 1,000.

With the decline in funding for the Oregon Health Plan over the last few years, fewer people have been able to seek OHP-funded drug and alcohol treatment. So clearly this funding is coming at a critical time.

An essential part of Creagh's message was the need for drug-free parenthood. You can't reach the children if their parents are using drugs. "If a kid goes home and sees his Mom smoking weed, or his Dad cooking meth, that kid grows up thinking it's normal behavior to use drugs," Creagh said. When Creagh asked students at area middle schools and high schools to raise their hands if their families had been affected by drug or alcohol use, more than 90 percent responded.

Beyond that, it's estimated that 77 percent of illegal drug users are employed in the work force. For employers, workplace safety issues, possible theft or embezzlement and lost productivity should motivate them to establish a drug-free workplace.

Another grant announced a few weeks ago will also have a huge, positive impact in Union County. A $490,000 grant from the Rural Domestic Violence Program's Office on Violence Against Women. Money from the grant will help fund victim's assistance advocates for Shelter From the Storm, a local domestic violence and sexual assault services organization. It also may provide funding for a part-time deputy district attorney, a part-time domestic violence detective and part-time probation officer for the Sheriff's office.

These two grants represent a serious investment of resources to address some serious problems in our community. We're thankful for the commitment of funds.