Metro Drug Coalition

08/19/2025

Lot's of speaking and outreach in the community this week!

💊 Jessica, one of our Regional Overdose Prevention Specialists, was a keynote speaker at Tennessee Commission on Children & Youth's International Overdose Awareness Day event.

👩‍🏫 Bethany, our prevention coordinator, also spoke at ETCCY's International Overdose Awareness Day event about young adults and the fentanyl crisis.

💊 Elle, our director of primary prevention, was another speaker at ETCCY's International Overdose Awareness Day event about prevention and youth.

👩‍🏫 Bethany, presented at the National Prevention Network Conference in D.C.

🟠 Elle spoke at the UTK Ignite Leader Dinner for incoming freshman about her journey and work at MDC.

🌱 Attended the National Prevention Network Conference in D.C.

📻 Back to School Interview on East Tennessee Report Star 102.1 Your #1 Hit Music Station

📹 Medication Safety interview with WVLT

⛑️ Mental Health First Aid training

🔆 Mission District Medical Outreach

08/16/2025

Help us reduce the shame and stigma associated with overdoses.

Join us for International Overdose Awareness Day to remember those we have lost to overdose and celebrate life.

📍Marble Hall @ Lakeshore Park
📆 August 29, 2025
⏰ 2- 7 PM

08/13/2025

We offer free medication lock boxes to keep your home safe!

Advocates warn parents to lock up prescription drugs as child poisoning deaths are up statewide >>> https://tinyurl.com/spufxmaw

08/12/2025

Overdoses can happen with all types of drugs; prescription, over the counter medications, and illicit drugs.

Overdose symptoms can look different depending on the on substance(s) taken. If you suspect someone may be overdosing, call 911 and help them get medical attention.

Learn more about what you can do to prevent overdoses.

08/09/2025

08/09/2025

Lot's of great things happening at Metro Drug!

🟣 Beading Bracelets for International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD)

🌃 National Night Out event at Morningside Courtyard

🤝 Help Not Handcuffs campaign for IOAD

💊 Meeting with Centric Behavioral Health to discuss programming for IOAD

🧑‍🏫 MDC end of internship presentation with Heidi

🔆 Mission District Medical Outreach

🏗️ IOAD committee meeting with ABE Concrete, LLC

08/08/2025

Join us in congratulating the most recent graduates of the Recovery Coach Academy! 🎓

08/07/2025

The school year is starting again, and we want to highlight Maria, our Youth Prevention Coordinator.

She provides classrooms and youth programs with the knowledge and skills to avoid substance misuse.

Sometimes she teaches specific drug and alcohol education; cannabis, vapes, alcohol, and medicine safety are commonly discussed substances.

At other times, she helps students develop healthy life skills, including coping skills, communication, honesty, and leadership.

She'll even educate adults, staff, and parents of youth about how to support and guide their youth to make healthy decisions.

If you work with kindergarteners, high school seniors, or anywhere in between, invite Maria to your classroom. You can reach her at mvalerio@metrodrug.org

08/05/2025

Join us this International Overdose Awareness Day as we celebrate life and remember those we've lost to overdose.

📆 August 29, 2025

⏰ 2:00-7:00 PM

📍Marble Hall at Lake Shore Park
6404 S. Northshore Dr.
Knoxville, TN

metrodrug.org/ioad2025/

08/01/2025

Check out August's Upcoming events!

Aug 13: Youth Mental Health First Aid Training metrodrug.org/mhfatrainings/
Aug 15: A Community Raised by Hope: Raising Awareness, Promoting Understanding, and Inspiring Positive Change metrodrug.org/events/drivenbyhope/
Aug 21: Adult Mental Health First Aid Training metrodrug.org/adult-mhfa/
Aug 26: Community Coalition Meeting metrodrug.org/events/august25coalitionmeeting/
Aug 28: Applying Trauma-Informed Principles in Substance Use Treatment Settings Training metrodrug.org/flourish/
Aug 29: International Overdose Awareness Day metrodrug.org/ioad2025/

Find details about events at metrodrug.org/calendar/

Hope to see you there!

07/30/2025

Xylazine test strips and wound care kits are both available at the Gateway's front desk. If you or someone you know needs some, please stop by! 530 W Fifth Ave

If you are looking for a way to support MDC's mission, consider donating items for wound care kits.

These kits help members of our community clean and care for their own wounds, preventing their wounds from getting worse and reducing the spread of diseases.

Our wound care kit wishlist is linked in the comments!

Advocates say this tool helps to empower people to make safer, more informed decisions.

07/29/2025

This week's recap!

🏫 Ridgeview Behavioral Health Services back to school event

🧘 Recovery Dharma at the Gateway

🧱 One of our angel moms, Miss Deb, seeing her son's memorial brick for the first time on the Gateway patio

💬 Attended CADCA Midyear Conference. Went to trainings, learned about what's working in prevention, and shared strategies.

🏫 Back to school event hosted by Wellpoint and the Emerald Youth Foundation

🔆 Mission District Medical Outreach

📹 WBIR Channel 10 filming a story about Xylazine

🧠 "You and Me, Together Vape-Free" presentation for rising 4th, 5th, and 6th graders at the YMCA

👉 ETAADAC meeting discussing trauma

🏃 Talked with KnoxWorx students about healthy coping mechanisms for stress