To celebrate Black History Month, we are interviewing Beverly Austin, coalition member of the Northeast Texas Coalition Against Substance Abuse. Austin is the Project Director for the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program, Medically Assisted Treatment (RCORP-MAT). This program has formed a coalition consisting of four consortium...
by Rebecca Smith Thanksgiving kicks off the holiday season, there’s another day parents should keep in mind: the night before, sometimes referred to as “Blackout Wednesday” or “Drinksgiving.” The night before Thanksgiving is one of the busiest nights of the year for bars around the country, and...
Coalition Corner is an opportunity to highlight the good work that coalition members do every day and to hear their thoughts about coalition work. Stacia Runnels is the Executive Director of the Greater Marshall Chamber of Commerce. How long have you been a member of the...
by Joseph Byrum As a parent, you want your children to grow up to lead happy and healthy lives. This, of course, includes protecting them from drugs and alcohol. You can always encourage your kids to make positive life choices, but you’ll want to address the...
Coalition Corner is an opportunity to highlight the good work that coalition members do every day and to hear their thoughts about coalition work. Bobby Mangham is the FAYS Program Director at Community Healthcore. How long have you been a member of the Piney Woods Substance Abuse...
By Nathan Grounds April 20, or “Weed Day,” is the unofficial but widely accepted holiday for cannabis enthusiasts around the world. On this day, millions of “potheads” gather to “blaze up” or smoke marijuana together. But how did April 20 become the global weed-smoking holiday it...
by Joseph Byrum Coalition Corner is an opportunity to highlight the good work that coalition members do every day and to hear their thoughts about coalition work. Byron Butts is the Executive Director for the Twelve Way Foundation, a faith-based nonprofit dedicated to providing a sober living...
By Nathan Grounds March 17 is St. Patrick’s Day; a time filled with parades, shamrocks, green clothing, and plenty of alcohol. But how did this centuries-old holiday evolve from a day to commemorate the patron saint of Ireland to the biggest beer-drinking holiday in the United...
By Joseph Byrum How much do you know about electronic cigarettes? Before becoming coalition coordinator for the Piney Woods Substance Abuse Coalition last September, I didn’t know much about electronic cigarettes or how they can affect your health, particularly the health of adolescents. To be completely honest,...
Across the board, substance use is down in East Texas. Here at Next Step, we focus our work on preventing the use of four main substances most likely to be used by teens: alcohol, tobacco & vape, marijuana, and prescription drugs. The data we use comes...