Laura Kate Jennings-Brink is the Southwest Regional Hepatitis C Coordinator with the Virginia Department of Health. In our conversation, we discuss the alarming prevalence of Hepatitis C in the region, as well as the populations who are at highest risk, available treatment options and prevention methods. Resources mentioned in this episode: HepVu: Understanding Hepatitis C Where You Live - http://www.hepvu.org National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable - http://www.nvhr.org/ Book recommendation: Dopesick (Dealers, Doctors, and the Drug Company That Addicted America) - Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Dopesick-Dealers-Doctors-Company-Addicted/dp/0316551244 The Crime of the Century (HBO docuseries) official trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkU75sBdjdU Additional resources: HELP-4-HEP hotline (assists patients in finding care and support) - http://www.help4hep.org (877-435-7443) https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/content/uploads/sites/10/2016/06/Virginia-Hepatitis-C-Epidemiologic-Profile-2016.pdf (This is the data published by VDH central office in 2016 depicting Hep C data statewide.) Other suggested reading material: Fentanyl Inc. by Ben Westhoff Death in Mudlick by Eric Eyre

Dissect & Connect

Episode 49 - Mitigating the Impact of Hepatitis C in Southwest Virginia

Drs. Brandy Faulkner and Lucien Holness, both professors at Virginia Tech, share the history and significance of Juneteenth. We also discuss the current state of race relations in the United States.

Episode 48 - The History and Meaning of Juneteenth

 Dr. Mary Crozier has been in the field of substance abuse education, prevention, and intervention for over 40 years and currently serves as a consultant to Community Coalitions of Virginia. In our discussion, Dr. Crozier explains the importance of substance use prevention, as well as the value of strong, effective coalitions. We also have an extended discussion around the new legislation that will make adult use of marijuana legal in Virginia, effective July 1.   Resources mentioned in this episode: Community Coalitions of Virginia website - http://communitycoalitionsofva.com/ Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) website: http://www.cadca.org/   Community ToolBox website (University of Kansas): http://ctb.ku.edu/en   Center for Substance Abuse Prevention website: http://www.samhsa.gov/about-us/who-we-are/offices-centers/csap   Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) website: http://learnaboutsam.org/   

Episode 47 - Why Prevention and Community Coalitions Matter

Kristen Mallory spends most of her time in a wheelchair these days - a constant reminder of the accident that nearly claimed her life almost eight years ago. Kristen, who was 16 at the time, and her mother, Susan, were headed to their home in Chesterfield County, Virginia, the night of June 9, 2013 when their vehicle was struck by a drunk driver. Kristen was severely injured and continues to struggle with the physical and emotional pain caused by that incident. Despite the many challenges she’s now faced with, Kristen works every day to share her story to help prevent others from being harmed by drinking and driving. Along with her parents, Kristen has founded a non-profit to help spread awareness about the dangers of drinking and driving. The mission of Mallory’s Movement Against Drunk Driving is to reduce the number of individuals and families impacted by drunk driving through direct education efforts and by educating drivers, future/potential drivers, and passengers about the dangers of driving impaired, or being a passenger with an impaired driver. Additional resources: Mallory's Movement Against Drunk Driving website: http://www.mallorysmovement.org Mallory's Movement Against Drunk Driving on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/mallorysmovement Giles Youth-Adult Partnership Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/gilesyap Sponsor Information: Teen Connections - https://www.plannedparenthood.org/planned-parenthood-south-atlantic/education-programs/teen-connections Contact: Malinda Britt, PPSAT Community Health Educator Malinda.Britt@ppsat.org / (540) 315-2130

Episode 46 - Speaking Out Against Drunk Driving

Melissa McGinn, MSW, LCSW, is currently Director of Community Prevention Programs for Greater Richmond Stop Child Abuse Now or “SCAN”) and she also serves as State Coordinator for Virginia’s Trauma Informed Community Networks. In our discussion, we cover the upcoming observance of Resilience Week in Virginia (May 2 - 8), along with the state's growing number of Trauma Informed Communities. Melissa also shares a number of resources related to both trauma and resilience. Resources mentioned in this episode:Greater Richmond SCAN website: http://www.grscan.org​PACEs (Positive & Adverse Childhood Experiences): http://www.acesconnection.com​ (there is no "p" in the URL address) Book - "What Happened to You?: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing" by Bruce D. Perry, MD, PhD & Oprah Winfrey (Amazon link): https://www.amazon.com/What-Happened-...​ Sponsor Information:Teen Connections - https://www.plannedparenthood.org/pla...​ Contact: Malinda Britt, PPSAT Community Health Educator Malinda.Britt@ppsat.org / (540) 315-2130

Episode 45 - Resilience Week in Virginia & Trauma Informed Communities

Jill Anderson and Patrick Halpern of New River Valley Community Services discuss the agency's long-running history with the Crisis Intervention Team model, as well as the development of a new crisis center for persons experiencing behavioral health emergencies. Resources mentioned in this episode: New River Valley Community Services website - http://www.nrvcs.org Virginia Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Coalition website - http://www.virginiacit.org National Guidelines for Behavioral Health Crisis Care: A Best Practice Toolkit - http://www.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/national-guidelines-for-behavioral-health-crisis-care-02242020.pdf Sponsor information: Teen Connections - https://www.plannedparenthood.org/planned-parenthood-south-atlantic/education-programs/teen-connections Contact: Malinda Britt, PPSAT Community Health Educator Malinda.Britt@ppsat.org / (540) 315-2130

Episode 44 - Crisis Intervention Team & A New Crisis Center

Moe McClanahan, a retired police officer, is the Director of Training and Education with the Safe Surfin’ Foundation and a High-Tech Crime Specialist with the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C). In our discussion, we talk about some of the issues associated with use of the internet and social media apps that are popular with you - but maybe not as familiar for parents, grandparents or other caregivers. Resources mentioned in this episode: Safe Surfin' Foundation website - http://www.safesurfin.org​Safe Surfin' on Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/safesurfinfou...​Safe Surfin' on Instagram - http://www.instagram.com/safe.surfin​ Sponsor Information:Teen Connections - https://www.plannedparenthood.org/planned-parenthood-south-atlantic/education-programs/teen-connections Contact: Malinda Britt, PPSAT Community Health Educator Malinda.Britt@ppsat.org / (540) 315-2130

Episode 43 - Empowering Youth to Use Social Media Safely

 In this episode, we chat with Megan Sharkey, REACH (Recovery Education and Creative Healing) Program Director for VOCAL - a peer-run organization in Virginia that provides education and awareness, while advocating on behalf of persons in recovery.   In our conversation, Megan shares an overview of VOCAL's programs, along with some of her own recovery journey. We also discuss the impact that COVID-19 has had on behavioral health and recovery, as well as the pros and cons of social media. Resources mentioned in this episode: VOCAL's website: http://www.virginiavocal.org​Fire Stories: Further Thoughts on Radically Rethinking Mental Illness (Book): https://www.amazon.com/Fire-Stories-V...​ (Amazon link) NAMI Virginia website: http://www.namivirginia.org​Mental Health America of Virginia website: http://www.mhav.org​ Wildflower Alliance website: http://www.wildfloweralliance.org​ Sponsor Information: Teen Connections https://www.plannedparenthood.org/planned-parenthood-south-atlantic/education-programs/teen-connections Contact: Malinda Britt, PPSAT Community Health Educator Malinda.Britt@ppsat.org / (540) 315-2130 

Episode 42 - Speaking Up for Mental Health Recovery

We're joined by Dr. Elizabeth Reynolds and Dr. Scott Miller with the Virginia Dental Association (VDA) to discuss the importance of oral health. In our conversation, Drs. Reynolds and Miller also talk about the VDA's "Mission of Mercy" project that provides dental care to underserved communities, as well as the Appalachian Highlands Community Dental Center that Dr. Miller helped establish in 2020. Resources mentioned in this episode: Virginia Dental Association - http://www.vadental.org/for-our-patie... Mouth Healthy - http://www.mouthhealthy.org Appalachian Highlands Community Dental Center - http://www.appalachianhighlandsdental... Appalachian Highlands Community Dental Center (Facebook page) - http://www.facebook.com/appalachianhi... Sponsor Information: Teen Connections - https://www.plannedparenthood.org/pla... Contact: Malinda Britt, PPSAT Community Health Educator Malinda.Britt@ppsat.org / (540) 315-2130

Episode 41 - Focusing on Oral Health

Katherine Allen and Lisa Evanylo have both experienced the heartache of losing a child and the journey of grief and healing that follows. A little over a year ago, the two women decided to openly share their pain and launch a support group for other bereaved parents. The monthly group, which is now meeting via Zoom, now has participation from not only Virginia’s New River Valley but even other parts of the country. In our conversation, Katherine and Lisa both recall the events surrounding the deaths of their sons: Katherine’s son, Matt, by suicide; and Lisa’s son, Dylan, from a drug overdose. The two also offer tips on how to cope with grief and warn against what not to say to a parent who has lost a child. Resources mentioned in this episode: Parent Bereavement Support Group meetings are the 2nd Monday of each month at 6 p.m. For more information, call Katherine (540-230-8154) or Lisa (540-257-3612) Grief Recovery After Substance Passing (GRASP) Facebook page – http://www.facebook.com/groups/grasphelp Bereaved Parents of the USA – http://www.bereavedparentsusa.org Compassionate Friends – http://www.compassionatefriends.org Recommended Books: It's OK That You're Not OK: Meeting Grief and Loss in a Culture That Doesn't Understand by Megan Devine (Amazon link) - https://www.amazon.com/Its-That-Youre-Not-Understand/dp/1622039076/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2H3O66BL51JO&dchild=1&keywords=it%27s+okay+that+you%27re+not+okay&qid=1606594509&sprefix=It%27s+Okay+%2Caps%2C193&sr=8-2 Tear Soup: A Recipe for Healing after Loss by Pat Schwiebert (Amazon link) - https://www.amazon.com/Tear-Soup-Recipe-Healing-After/dp/0961519762/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=tear+soup&qid=1606594578&sr=8-2 The Courage to Grieve: The Classic Guide To Creative Living, Recovery, And Growth Through Grief by Judy Tatelbaum (Amazon link) - https://www.amazon.com/Courage-Grieve-Classic-Creative-Recovery/dp/0060911859/ref=sr_1_1dchild=1&keywords=The+Courage+to+Grieve&qid=1606594646&sr=8-1 My Son . . . My Son . . .: A Guide to Healing After Death, Loss, or Suicide by Iris Bolton (Amazon link) - https://www.amazon.com/My-Son-Guide-Healing-Suicide/dp/0961632607/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2R9O4Y30TDF3S&dchild=1&keywords=my+son%2C+my+son+by+iris+bolton&qid=1606594732&sprefix=My+Son%2C+My+Son+b%2Caps%2C181&sr=8-1 Sponsor Information: Teen Connections - https://www.plannedparenthood.org/planned-parenthood-south-atlantic/education-programs/teen-connections Contact: Malinda Britt, PPSAT Community Health Educator Malinda.Britt@ppsat.org (540) 315-2130

Episode 40 - Support for Grieving Parents

Annette Clark is Family Services Director with the Alzheimer’s Association, Central and Western Virginia Chapter. Annette joins us to give an overview of Alzheimer's and we discuss the common challenges of caregiving for someone living with the disease. Resources mentioned in this episode:Alzheimer's Association - Central & Western Virginia Chapter website: http://www.alz.org/cwva 24/7 Helpline: 1-800-272-3900 Sponsor Information: Teen Connections - https://www.plannedparenthood.org/planned-parenthood-south-atlantic/education-programs/teen-connections Contact: Malinda Britt, PPSAT Community Health Educator Malinda.Britt@ppsat.org / (540) 315-2130

Episode 39 - Alzheimer's & Caregiving

Aimee Strong is a Board Certified Adult-Geriatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner at UVA Health who works in the Lung Cancer Screening Program. In our conversation, Aimee explains the different types of lung cancer and the process involved with a routine screening. We also talk about the leading causes of lung cancer, including (but not limited to) smoking, and address some of the more common misconceptions about the disease. Resources mentioned in this episode: American Cancer Society website - http://www.cancer.org American Lung Association website - http://www.lung.org Go 2 Foundation for Lung Cancer website - http://www.go2foundation.org Sponsor Information: Teen Connections - https://www.plannedparenthood.org/planned-parenthood-south-atlantic/education-programs/teen-connections Contact: Malinda Britt, PPSAT Community Health Educator Malinda.Britt@ppsat.org / (540) 315-2130

Episode 38 - Lung Cancer Screening & Smoking Cessation

Dr. Jolene Henshaw is a general surgeon with LewisGale Regional Medical System - specializing in breast cancer procedures. In our conversation, Dr. Henshaw speaks to some of the advances in treatment and how those improvements have translated to better outcomes for patients. She also dispels some of the common misconceptions about breast cancer and underscores the importance of regular mammograms. Resources mentioned in this episode: http://www.breastcancer.org http://www.cancer.org (American Cancer Society website) http://ww5.komen.org (Susan G. Komen website) Sponsor Information: Teen Connections - http://www.plannedparenthood.org/planned-parenthood-south-atlantic/education-programs/teen-connections Contact: Malinda Britt, PPSAT Community Health Educator Malinda.Britt@ppsat.org / (540) 315-2130

Episode 37 - Treating Breast Cancer

Angela Scott is head of the Office of Peer Supports & Recovery for New River Valley Community Services. In our conversation, we discuss the important role persons with lived experience have in the continuum of care for persons with mental health and substance use disorders. We also talk about how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted peer supports on a local level, including operations at the 401 Peer Center. Resources mentioned in this episode:SAMHSA - http://www.samhsa.gov VOCAL - http://www.vocalvirginia.org Mental Health America - http://www.mhanational.org NAMI - http://www.nami.org National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) - http://www.nimh.nih.gov National Peer Support Network - http://www.peersforprogress.org Virginia Peer Recovery Specialist Network - http://www.virginiapeerspecialistnetwork.org Sponsor information: Teen Connections - https://www.plannedparenthood.org/planned-parenthood-south-atlantic/education-programs/teen-connections Contact: Malinda Britt, PPSAT Community Health Educator Malinda.Britt@ppsat.org / (540) 315-2130

Episode 36 - The Benefits of Peer Supports

Aaron Housh, CEO of Good Samaritan Hospice, joins us to discuss hospice and advanced illness care. He shares how his organization's operations have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and helps clarify some of the common misconceptions about end-of-life care. We also talk about the internal supports "Good Sam" has in place to care for the emotional well-being of their employees, as well as the different volunteer opportunities available for those who may be interested in assisting individuals and families who are dealing with progressive illness. Resources mentioned in this episode:Good Samaritan Hospice website - http://www.goodsam.care CaringInfo ( a program of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization) - http://www.nhpco.org Sponsor Information:Teen Connections - https://www.plannedparenthood.org/planned-parenthood-south-atlantic/education-programs/teen-connections Contact: Malinda Britt, PPSAT Community Health Educator Malinda.Britt@ppsat.org (540) 315-2130

Episode 35 - Hospice & End of Life Care

This is the official podcast of Montgomery County Prevention Partners where we explore various health and wellness issues and connect listeners to community resources. We especially focus on mental health and addiction, two population health issues that are having a major impact across the nation.

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