WILMINGTON, MA – Wilmington showed up in large numbers to the Substance Abuse Awareness Talk (“Navigating the Trouble Waters of Substance Abuse) held at St. Thomas Church last Wednesday, October 28.
“This is the most incredible showing for a non-mandated parent meeting I’ve ever seen,” said Mike Higgins, one of the evening’s many speakers.
Wilmington Apple estimates attendance was around 500. It was standing room-only inside the church, with cars parked all the way down to the lot at the Knights of Columbus Hall. The start of the program was even delayed as folks continued to stream in.
Father Philip Early Welcomes Parents
Father Philip Early, Pastor of St. Thomas and St. Dorothy’s, began the evening by explaining the purpose of the event.
“We wanted to dispel the myths that drug addiction can’t happen to your family and that drug addiction only happens in problem families,” said Early.
He hoped the event would put a “local face” on the drug epidemic that’s affecting not only the town of Wilmington, but the state and country as well. He also hoped to bring awareness to the issue and share some of the resources available to individuals and families in need of assistance.
Early acknowledged several members of the audience, including Town Manager Jeff Hull; Selectmen Chair Mike Champoux; School Superintendent Mary DeLai; School Committee Chair Peggy Kane; David Robertson from State Rep. Jim Miceli’s Office; Senior Center Director Terri Marciello; and Wilmington Public Schools Nurse Leader Doreen Crowe. Shawsheen Tech Superintendent Timothy Broadrick was also in attendance.
“Their presence here indicates the seriousness of this issue,” noted Early.
Screening of Short Film, ‘If Only’
The audience was then shown a screening of the locally-produced short film, “If Only,” about a teen boy who develops a drug addiction and the fallout it causes. The boy’s mother places him in rehab. The boy’s best friend isn’t so lucky.
The film can be viewed below.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xd-veY2wrdQ
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Father Early gave two of his biggest takeaways from the film. First, he stressed that parents must be very careful with the prescription drugs in their homes, asking them to keep better track. Second, Early advised parents to know if there will be adult supervision at a party before allowing their children to attend.
Wilmington Mom Mary Giroux Discusses The Loss Of Her Son To Drugs
Lifelong Wilmington resident Mary Giroux, a parishioner at St. Thomas, told the heartbreaking story of her son Joshua and his ultimately deadly drug addiction.
“You don’t see it coming until it’s too late and you spend the rest of the time catching up,” cautioned Mary. “If children try a substance even once, they’re in danger of passing away, going to jail, or being in and out of detox for the rest of their lives.”
Mary discussed how she noticed a change in her son’s behavior in the 10th grade, when he no longer wanted to play sports. Josh would while barely graduate high school, receiving his diploma during the summer of his senior year. He lost his job as a plumber. He had some minor arrests. He moved from his mom’s to his dad’s to then getting his own place.
“It just kept getting worse,” recalled Mary. “We couldn’t force him to get clean, he was a grown man… He couldn’t kick it, no matter how much he tried.”
Josh would go on to spend 58 days in jail. Visiting him there felt like being in an “alternate universe,” said Mary. “This can’t be my kid, I taught him right and wrong!”
Upon release, Josh was given an electronic bracelet to monitor his movement. For three months, Josh stayed with his mom, who called it a ‘blessing” and was given the opportunity to get to know him again. Josh would replace and overdose on her couch, but was revived by narcan.
Josh would then be sent back to jail for violating his parole. His mother was able to find a bed for him at the Phoenix Health, the only rehab facility that would take their insurance. Josh thrived there during his six-month stay.
Josh, while on probation for two years, found it difficult to find work. He had to inform potential employers of his situation. He was not allowed to have a driver’s license. He got restless and began having self-esteem issues.
Two nights after Mary’s 50th birthday, Josh die of a heroin overdose.
“He was a great kid. He had a great sense of humor and a big heart,” said Mary. “He was not an addict his whole life, he was my son.”
“[Drug addiction] is devastating to the addict’s whole family,” according to Mary. “There is a piece missing in my family that will never be filled.”
“Don’t be anonymous,” said Giroux. “No parent that do this alone.”
Wilmington Police Chief Michael Begonis On The Police’s Response
Wilmington Police have responded to 41 overdoses, including 7 fatal overdoses, in town in the first 10 months of 2015. In 2014, police responded to 34 overdoses, including 3 fatal.
“This hurts [the Police Department] too. We feel the loss,” said Wilmington Police Chief Michael Begonis. “We get it. We’re fighting the fight. We care.”
Begonis spoke of a paradigm shift that happened in the Wilmington Police Department approximately 15 years ago. Police now try to help addicts.
“We’re not interested in arresting users. We’re interested in arresting dealers,” said Begonis.
Begonis’s biggest concern is the struggling family of addicts.
“This isn’t [merely] a police problem. This is a family problem…. There’s often no support for families and they’re left to fight on their own,” said Begonis. “We need to help addicts, but also reach out and provide services to their families. If the families are strong, it’s creates a better situation for their children.”
Begonsis takes a realistic approach to the problem.
“We can’t reach everyone,” cautioned Begonis, noting some are afraid to come to the police. “We [also] can’t stop the distribution. We do our best, but it’s coming from every angle and we’re drowning.”
According to Begonis, Wilmington has a responsibility to help drug addicts and their families.
“If we keep families and communities healthy, if we share in this, Wilmington will have better outcomes,” said Begonis. “The Police Department is moving forward and going to get better on this. We’re going to expose this. Residents shouldn’t feel embarrassed. We all share in this disease.”
Mike Higgins Discusses Trends
Mike Higgins, co-founder of the H.E.A.T. (Heroin Education Awareness Taskforce) Program in Woburn and Substance Abuse Agent for the Town of Billerica, discussed some of the trends in drug use he’s seeing locally.
“The DEA considers the Merrimack Valley #1 in terms of sales and use or heroin in the country,” said Higgins, pointing the finger at Lawrence.
“We cure this with education and securing placement,” said Higgins, who noted there are only 800 detox beds and 400 stepdown beds in the entire Commonwealth.
Higgins had high praise for Wilmington Officers Chris Dindo and John Bossi as “two outstanding drug detectives” who “really care about Wilmington kids.”
Higgins cautioned families that addicts are “the best liars on the face of the earth” and that “drugs don’t discriminate.”
“Anybody could be an addict,” warned Higgins.
Questions and Answers
“Everyone needs to stop judging and start helping,” said Mary Giroux, in response to one parent’s question about what can be done to help children understand the dangers of drugs.
Wilmington School Superintendent Mary DeLai asked parents to support the schools when administering discipline to their children over alcohol or drug infractions.
“I can’t tell you how many times in the past 18 months that parents have come in and said ‘C’mon, let him play. We’ve all done it. It’s no big deal’.”
DeLai also reported that a few Wilmington families in town sometimes rent homes and stock it with alcohol for their children to have prom night parties.
“I can’t tell you how disappointed I am when I heard all this,” said DeLai. “I beg you to stop this tradition.”
DeLai invited parents to a Parent Education Workshop on Tuesday, November 10 at 7pm in the Wilmington Middle School Auditorium. The workshop (“Combating Underage Substance Use and Abuse”) is sponsored by the Middlesex Partnership for Youth and the Middlesex County District Attorney.
When a parent asked why the DARE Program was ended in Wilmington, Police Chief Begonis explained that there was no good way to measure its success, plus the program’s curriculum changed. The school system and Police Department added an additional School Resource Officer in its place.
Wilmington School Nurse Leader Doreen Crowe noted that Wilmington is one of only 8 school districts in Massachusetts that conduct behavioral screening for substance abuse. Crowe also discussed the Wildcat Project and the pre-prom assembly that is required of all Wilmington prom-goers and their parents.
In response to a question, Superintendent DeLai told parents they can expect drug education to start being introduced in the 5th grade, possibly as soon as next school year.
Town Manager Jeff Hull’s brief remarks closed out the evening.
“The Town of Wilmington looking to identify ways to increase the level of attention to this issue,” noted Hull, who also cautioned parents that they need to mindful of some of the things they do socially (e.g., drink alcohol), as it sends a subtle message to kids.
Hull thanked the town’s Substance Abuse Committee for meeting for several months to help organize this event.
The event, which was scheduled to conclude at 8:30pm, lasted almost until 10pm. Many parents stayed for the entire evening.
Wilmington Community Television taped the event and it should soon make it available on television and online for on-demand viewing.
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