Formed in 1991, Talbot Partnership for Alcohol & Other Drug Abuse Prevention is dedicated to mobilizing the community to address substance abuse issues by promoting early intervention programs and building a culture that favors a healthy, safe and substance abuse free community in Talbot County.
Current support for Talbot Partnership comes from grants from the Office of National Drug Control Policy, the State of Maryland, Talbot County Council, the towns of Easton and St. Michaels, individual Talbot County residents and more than 90 partner organizations.
Over the years, Partnership has created many prevention-related programs and activities such as Guiding Good Choices, Safe Homes, drug-free workplace training, Teen Court, Youth Coalition and First Night Talbot. Successful advocacy initiatives include a county-wide smoking ban, an overhaul of the county liquor code, reduction of liquor outlet density and a statewide Good Samaritan Law.
From its office at 8 Goldsborough Street in Easton, today’s Talbot Partnership focuses on distributing prevention-related information through the media and community organizations, obtaining grants to fund substance abuse prevention efforts through direct contact within the community, and providing mini-grants that underwrite activities in support of prevention messages and activities. A few examples are:
The Talbot Prevention Minute, which offers a minute of educational information at social and sports events, including direction on how to cultivate support for preventive education throughout the community.
Seed Money Grant Funding of up to $250 per award to communities and organizations that provide healthy, fun activities requiring financial support.
Talbot Partnership “Seal of Approval” establishments, which are venues that sell, or offer for sale, alcohol or tobacco (or vape juice, etc.) and have passed a stringent application process. They receive a Partnership-approved status letting the community know that they take their responsibilities seriously regarding safety and accountability regarding under age use or legal age misuse.
Talbot Partnership encourages businesses to serve responsibly for their patrons as well as for themselves. It endeavors to help families understand that the adolescent brain is not fully developed until the mid-twenties and that denying the use of substances to young people is a sign of love, not punishment.
Parents and other concerned individuals can find a wealth of useful information about community resources that support prevention and prevention strategies for parents and teens on the organization’s website, talbotpartnership.org.
Says Jayne Fitzgerald, who joined Talbot Partnership as executive director in October 2015, “Our biggest challenge at this point is quantifying the success of prevention measures. While current addiction-related funding favors treatment over prevention, our goal remains true to continue our prevention campaigns.”
Talbot Partnership’s Board of Directors includes Don Cook, Aric Rosenbach, Dave Short, Carl Pergler, Ivy Sherwood, Chris Callas, Jody Gunn, Fredia Wadley, Joe Gamble, Dave Stofa, Ted Book, Sandy Brown, Ann Roach and Dee Skinner.
Coming up: On August 31, Talbot Partnership and Mariah’s Mission Foundation will co-sponsor International Overdose Awareness Day,6- 8:30 pm, on the Talbot County YMCA Lawn, 202 Peach Blossom Lane, Easton. “This is great opportunity to come out and learn about the increasing incidence of overdose and overdose deaths, nationwide and here on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, as well as to meet and talk with representatives from community organizations and treatment providers involved in the prevention, treatment and recovery fields,” says Fitzgerald. “We hope to see a lot of families and individuals there.”
More information about the event may be obtained by contacting Fitzgerald, 410-819-8067 or emailing her, [email protected]
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