Category: News

Research indicates early secure attachment in children as a way to deter the development of addictive personalities. Photo credit: S. Carson.

Tennessee taxpayers spent more than $3 billion in 2013 on the problem of substance abuse, according to a recently released report from Allies for Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP). While both the public and private sector continue to allocate funding for drug-treatment programs, a growing body of research indicates a person’s childhood lays the foundation for their propensity to be an addict. Susan Hammonds-White, a Nashville-licensed therapist, says early childhood environment is a key factor. “Connection is the essence of all human relationships,” she says. “We’re social beings. Children that are raised in an environment that provides an enriched, secure opportunity for attuned connection develop brains that are safer.” Hammonds-White and others point to examples of people given prescription pain medicine for an injury, but never become addicted, while the same drug is sought after by addicts. The ASAP report found that while environmental-prevention strategies can be effective, only 17 percent of state funding is directed at prevention, with the rest being used for treatment. Experts recommend that society works to foster early secure attachment in children, which offers them stability and trust as they grow. That support can be found in the form of free parent support groups and other community agencies. Hammonds-White says it’s important to remember the “origin of addiction” for most people. “It’s an honorable attempt at self-care that has gone wrong,” she says. “People don’t start out to be addicted. They start out using a substance or a process in some part because it covers up something they don’t want to experience at the moment. “According to the report, for every $1.00 spent on prevention of substance abuse, the state saves a little less than $5.00 in treatment.

Pat Hendrix, interim director of nursing and allied health, and Drew Hooker, emergency medical services program director, are in the process of preparing for the accreditation of Motlow College’s new paramedic program. The process is expected to be completed by the summer of 2016.

Motlow College is currently preparing for the accreditation of its new paramedic program, according to Drew Hooker, emergency medical services (EMS) program director at the College.
In 2014, Motlow received approval from the Tennessee Board of Regents to offer an associate of applied science degree in Paramedic and an Emergency Medical Paramedic certificate of credit. The college began offering the program to its students in the 2014 fall semester.
The program has successfully completed the first two steps of accreditation, the Initial Self Study Review (ISSR) and the Letter of Review.
The ISSR included an internal audit of the paramedic program in order to align the program with accreditation standards. Motlow compiled documentation of how faculty reviews and evaluates their students as well as how they teach their students the material.
The Letter of Review is authorization that the ISSR has been completed and that the college is approved to graduate classes. However, accreditation is not complete until evaluators perform a site visit.
The site visit will occur following the graduation of the first class. The process should be completed during the summer of 2016.
The Committee of Educational Programs of the EMS Professions handles the accreditation and the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs is responsible for authorizing the program.
For more information about the EMS program at Motlow, contact Drew Hooker at 931-433-9342 or at dhooker@mscc.edu.

The Tullahoma Board of Mayor and Aldermen, in conjunction with the Coffee County Anti-Drug Coalition, is hosting a Drug-Free Community Summit. Tullahoma citizens are urged to participate.  The free summit is Monday, February 9th from 11:45am to 1:30pm at the Thoma Lecture Hall at Tullahoma High School.  Lunch is provided but seating is limited so please RSVP to 247-2542 or kclark@ccantidrug.org.
The purpose of the Summit is to develop a community plan for the prevention of drug abuse in Tullahoma.  Keynote speaker is Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services Commissioner Douglas Varney.
Tullahoma Mayor Lane Curlee said, “Many Tullahoma families have been touched by the tremendous toll of drug abuse.  We, as a community, need to pull together and address this issue.
The Following are some alarming drug abuse statistics for Tennessee:

• Tennessee has the 8^th highest drug overdose mortality rate in the U.S.
• Approximately 8% of Tennesseans report use of illegal drugs in the past month
• People who are married, employed, and have at least a high school education are three times more likely to abuse prescription drugs than others
• There were over 500,000,000 Hydrocodone, Xanax and Oxycodone pills prescribed to Tennesseans in 2011, or an average of 94 pills per Tennessean over the age of 12.
• Unintentional drug overdose is the number one cause of death in Tennessee, over motor vehicle accidents, homicides or suicides.
• Unhealthy habits and obesity have a spinoff effect that breeds constant pain, which can cause additions to pain medications
• The annual impact on productivity in Tennessee businesses due to drug abuse is $193,000,000.
• 47,600 drug abuse arrests occurred in Tennessee in 2010.
• 221,000 Tennesseans have used pain relievers in the past year for non-medical purposes.
•          50% of youth taken into DCS custody are a result of parental drug abuse

Invited are concerned citizens and representatives from Tullahoma businesses, criminal justice, medical, education, civic clubs, non-profits, government, media, recovery and treatment, and faith-based.

Veterans in Tennessee and across the country will gain access to improved mental health services, with the legislation aimed at preventing suicide among former service members. Photo credit: Sgt. Gustavo Olgiati/U.S. Army/Flickr.

The U.S. Senate has approved legislation that seeks to prevent veteran suicide through early intervention, expanded treatment and peer support. The “Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act” has already won unanimous approval in the U.S. House, with lawmakers looking for ways to reduce the suicide rate. Nationally, some 8,000 vets take their own lives each year. In Tennessee, the figure is around 200 a year and growing, says the state’s executive director of suicide prevention Scott Ridgway. “It’s very important legislation be considered to help support efforts, not only in the nation, but also in statewide approaches and so forth,” says Ridgway. The bill’s namesake, Clay Hunt, was a Marine veteran who struggled with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and committed suicide in 2011 at the age of 28. Sponsor of the Act in the U.S. House is Minnesota Congressman Tim Walz. He says it would require a review of all Veterans Administration programs and practices, along with the creation of a centralized source of information on all of its mental health services for veterans. The legislation also seeks to increase capacity by addressing the shortage of mental health professionals. “Doing some student loan repayments for some commitments to work at the VA for a couple of years by some of these mental health professionals and the folks who look at this think it’s going to make a difference,” Walz says. “At least it’s a start.” Walz spent 24 years in the Army National Guard and is the highest ranking enlisted soldier to ever serve in Congress.

Bradley Newton Weir

Coffee County Head Baseball Coach Brad Weir was arrested Tuesday morning by Manchester Police. Weir was charged with Statutory Rape by an authority figure. The arrest was conducted by police on the direction of District Attorney Craig Northcott.
An episode allegedly occurred on January 29, 2015 and apparently involved a 15-year-old female at Weir’s residence on Hills Chapel Rd in Manchester.
Coffee County Director of Schools Dr. LaDonna McFall says that Weir has been suspended from all employment without pay. She says the case is now in the hands of the authorities. Weir, who turned 44 today (Feb 4), was teaching Health and PE at the 9th grade Raider Academy along with his coaching duties at the high school. He was an assistant football coach with the high school in the fall. Weir was hired in May of last year after baseball coach Brent Whitlock resigned.
Assistant Coach John Spears has been named interim head coach.
The Manchester Police Department is continuing its investigation.

File Photo – Jon Spears

A Tullahoma man is being held in the Coffee County Jail under a $100,000 bond after his arrest on sexual battery charges.
According to a warrant obtained by Sgt. George Marsh, Leonicio Taperia Primero, 19, of Silver Street was arrested after he allegedly grabbed a female and pulled her into a bedroom at an apartment on Silver Street and fondled her and attempted to force her onto the bed. The victim screamed for help and was helped by another male in the residence.
When police arrived they found Primero hiding under a bed in the apartment. He was arrested for sexual assault.
Primero is to appear in Coffee County General Sessions Court March 5.

A Manchester man is being held in the Coffee County Jail after being arrested for being a fugitive from justice.
Johnathon Allen Potts, 36, of Mill Street Manchester is being held under a $250,000 bond on the charges stemming from Bartow County, Georgia.
According to a report by Officer George Dodson, Potts had been walking around in the store for about 30 minutes when he allegedly approached two female employees and told them he was “checking them out.”
When the officer asked for identification Potts told the officer that he did not have any ID. When the officer had the Coffee County Communication Center to check and see if there were any warrants for Potts they learned that he was wanted in Georgia.