Prominent speakers to address addiction at town hall meeting
WAYNESBURG – A slate of speakers with varying levels of expertise and experience in addressing and dealing with drug and alcohol addiction will headline Greene County’s third town hall meeting at 6 p.m. Oct. 26 in the county courthouse.
The event will examine the nexus between mental illness and substance abuse.
Leading off the discussion will be Dr. Michael Crabtree, a full professor of psychology at Washington and Jefferson College, who will speak to the possibility of mental illness and substance abuse as a co-occurring disorder.
Crabtree, who has been at W&J the last 44 years, is also a licensed psychologist practicing in the Washington County community for the last 35 years. His areas of expertise are forensic psychology, drug and alcohol abuse and anxiety and stress.
His work in the drug and alcohol field goes back 40 years. He conducted the first large-scale survey of drug and alcohol use in Washington and Greene counties in 1975 under the auspices of the predecessor for the drug and alcohol commission. He has conducted research projects focusing on addiction for school districts, for Gateway Rehabilitation Center and for community agencies.
Crabtree is a board member of Gateway Rehabilitation Center the largest drug and alcohol treatment facility in Western Pennsylvania. He has carried out clinical work at Greenbriar Treatment Center. He is also a board member of SPHS The Care Center and is presently leading a study of demographic and psychosocial factors related to narcotic overdose deaths.
Following Crabtree will be Dr. Morris Harper, a Greene County resident who will discuss medical treatment options and the importance of therapy components in treatment.
Harper graduated from Harvard Medical School and has been practicing medicine for many years with a focus on addiction medicine and HIV/AIDS specialist. He has led many addiction support groups and serves on multiple boards bringing awareness to opioid addiction.
He is a member of numerous professional organizations ranging from Correctional Care, Addiction, Telemedicine, and International Physicians. Harper is vice president of Comprehensive Telehealth Solutions and currently sits as chairman of the Community Foundation of Greene County.
The third speaker will be Thomas Schlosser who has a private counseling practice and is an adjunct professor at Waynesburg University.
He graduated from Waynesburg University with a master’s degree in counseling with a specialization in addictions. He is a nationally certified counselor and licensed professional counselor in Pennsylvania and will focus his talk on therapy and recovery.
Wrapping up the speaker portion of the town hall meeting will be Matt Pelton, a clinical aid and recovery coach for Adult & Teen Challenge of western Pennsylvania.
Pelton is a graduate of the program with a desire to help others “from the pit of addiction, a problem that I knew all too well,” he said.
“Today I am clean and sober for over two years and working towards my counseling degree,” he said.
The evening will conclude with an interactive session of questions from the audience.
The annual town hall meeting was first held in October 2015 to begin open discussions about the ongoing epidemic of drug and alcohol addiction impacting the county.
Christine Gardner, a member of the Coalition for a Brighter Greene, an organization that helped kick-start the town hall meeting concept, said the annual town hall meeting is made possible through the dedicated efforts of many individuals, groups, organizations, committees and county entities – who she refers to as “champions” of the cause.
These would include, but are not limited to, Greene County President Judge Farley Toothman and the county courts system, Steps Inside, the Coalition for a Brighter Greene, the Community Recovery Committee, George “Bly” Blystone, Lynn Bird, Jonathan Johnson, Pastor Richard Berkey and many more.
“The meetings would not be possible without all of those who have joined forces and resources and worked tirelessly to organize these events, and to line up the special guest speakers who focus on the topics that our communities want to know more about,” she said. “And recognition should also be given to those who have helped get the word out about these events and those who encourage other folks to come to the meetings and talk about, and learn about, the drug epidemic and what is being done, and can be done, at a grassroots level.
“We are all one voice,” she said. “These meetings are about saving one life, one family, at a time. What makes our county special is that we help our own, no matter what it takes. That is what these town hall meetings are about – unity.”
For more information about the town hall meeting, contact Gardner at 724-852-9488.