Joanne Mack Robertson

Thirty years ago, a group of concerned people from Yavapai Regional Medical Center (YRMC) and other organizations sat around a table to discuss the needs of Prescott’s most vulnerable population – its children. They explored ways they could offer support to parents so that they can give their children the best possible start in life. The grassroots effort took hold and the Family Resource Center (FRC) at Yavapai Regional Medical Center was born. The program has grown exponentially over the years, finding new ways to meet the changing needs of our families.
This year, the FRC celebrates its 30th anniversary and continues to make a difference in the lives of young families through three successful programs. Each of the programs is free of charge to families in our community.
First Steps
“Families giving birth back in 1989 needed support and education. They couldn’t Google questions like we can today,” said Family Resource Center Director David Barko. “Yavapai Regional Medical Center came forward with First Steps, which is still in existence today. Specially trained volunteers provide information to every family giving birth at YRMC. They discuss important topics like SIDS prevention and the signs of postpartum depression. We assess what each individual family might need and offer social and emotional support as well.”
One-week and three-month follow-up calls are also part of the family resources program.
Healthy Families
The early efforts of the Family Resource Center brought to light another critical need in Yavapai County – home visits for families to provide additional support and to learn more about early childhood and parenthood. Healthy Families, which is now a nationally recognized program operating in 38 states, was developed at YRMC. The focus of the program is strength and empowerment.
“Healthy Families is one of the top evidence-based home visit programs in the nation. It works,” said Barko. “We use the most up-to-date early childhood development knowledge to support our parents. They, in turn, support their children and give them the best start in life as they can. We know from research and science that the first three to five years of life are the most critical. Every experience, interaction, feeling and relationship a child has during these years literally affects the brain’s development. They set the stage for the rest of the child’s life – how they perceive everything, what kind of relationships they enter into, how they cope with stress, learn to trust, or not. The list goes on.”
Healthy Families visits occur once a week for the first six to 12 months, then every other week. Home visits can continue for as long as five years. The program is customized to meet the needs of each family. Medical health, safe sleep, developmental milestones, well checks, immunizations and childproofing the home are among the information shared with the families. A connection to community services is also part of the program.
Just as important, parents gain a listening ear and a mentor who can help them through tough times they may be experiencing. Healthy Families staff are trained in communication strategies that help remove the stigma associated with postpartum depression, anxiety, substance and alcohol abuse, financial or relationship issues and other life stressors.
The Healthy Families program also offers several holiday-themed social events each year where families can get together, make friends and celebrate what it means to be a family.
Car Seat Safety Program
Continuing to identify needs and find solutions, the Family Resource Center now offers car seat safety checks, conducted by nationally certified technicians. Partnering with other organizations, the safety checks are usually held at the Family Resource Center. They are also offered at community events and health expos throughout the year. As with the other programs through the FRC, the car seat safety checks are free of charge. Educating caregivers – or anyone who transports children – continues to be the priority. In 2018, approximately 90 percent of the seats and children that FRC saw arrived in an unsafe situation or configuration.
In 2018…
– The FRC First Steps volunteers visited all of the families who gave birth at YRMC.
– The Healthy Families program served 76 families, which includes 167 children.
– The Car Seat Safety program distributed 216 car seats and conducted 265 safety checks.
But the numbers only tell part of the story.
Barko notes that even the briefest connection can often lead to unexpected opportunities to help a family. He recalls a car seat check with a grandmother who wanted to make sure she was transporting her grandchildren safely.
“We ended up talking for an hour,” said Barko. “She opened up and shared with me that her daughter was pregnant and experiencing depression. I was able to reassure her and gave her some information so that she could connect with valuable community resources.”
Barko also tells about a mother with two children under the age of six. They were in the YRMC emergency room after a car accident and couldn’t return home because the car seats were destroyed. In addition to new car seats, the Family Resource Center was able to offer emotional support and resources for counseling to help the family cope after such a traumatic event.
At 30 years and counting, the Family Resource Center truly embodies YRMC’s mission.
“In some organizations, the mission is just a poster on the wall,” said Barko, “but at YRMC, those values are lived day to day. If I were to describe our team, the words that come to mind are empathy, heart and spirit. Our goal is that with every visit, every connection, we keep another child safe and help with their start in life.”
For more information on the Family Resource Center, contact David Barko at 928-771-5651 or dbarko@yrmc.org. QCBN

By Joanne Mack Robertson

Joanne Mack Robertson is freelance writer and video producer. She and her husband, Jeff, are the creative energy behind Big Picture Video Production in Prescott and Tucson.

Do you have expired or partially used prescription medications in your medicine chest, in the back of your kitchen cabinet or stashed in a drawer? Many people keep old pills for years with the best intentions. We want to get rid of them, but often don’t know how to dispose of them properly. We’re concerned about accidentally allowing the medications to get in the wrong hands or taint the environment and simply let them stack up for years.

“It’s important to quit taking expired medications and get rid of them safely as soon as you can,” said Yavapai County Community Health Services Opioid and Substance Abuse Health Educator Josh Goldman. “Expired meds tend to lose their potency, so in essence, you’ll no longer have the benefits of the medication you were prescribed in the first place. Some medications are even susceptible to bacterial growth.”

Medications that tend to lose their potency quickly include liquid antibiotics and compounded medications, which are medications made from a personalized formulation, ordered specifically for you by your doctor.

There is also the real risk of the unused drugs getting in the wrong hands. According to the Centers for Disease Control, approximately 60,000 children under the age of five are seen in emergency rooms each year for accidental medication overdose.

And it is never advisable to give unused prescription medications to a friend or family member. Saving a trip to the doctor or saving money is not worth the health risk.

So, what is the best way to get rid of old medications? Goldman says there are several easy and safe options:

Deterra Deactivation Pouches

Deterra Pouches are a relatively new option for safe drug disposal at home. These sealable pouches contain activated carbon, which renders the drug inert. Simply place your pills, patches or liquid medication in the pouch, fill with warm tap water and wait 30 seconds. Seal and gently shake the pouch and place it in the trash. Deterra Pouches are available for purchase at outlets such as Walmart and Amazon.

DisposeRx

Some pharmacies are now offering DisposeRx packets with every prescription free of charge, to facilitate at-home drug disposal. To use, pour the contents of the DisposeRx packet directly into the pill bottle, add warm water, seal and shake the bottle for 30 seconds. Remove the label from your pill bottle or black out the information with a marker. The bottle can now be safely discarded in the trash. DisposeRx is also available at the Yavapai County Community Health Services office at 1090 Commerce Drive in Prescott.

Another Option for Safe Disposal at Home

If you have no other option for home disposal, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommend putting expired medications in the trash after following these steps:

Remove the pills or liquid from the original container and mix them with dirt, used coffee grounds, kitty litter or sawdust.

Put the mixture in a Ziploc bag or similar, seal it tightly and put it in the regular trash.

Remove or black out the label on the original container with a marker and dispose of the container separately.

Remember that this method makes the drug undesirable, but will not render the drug inactive.

Drop Boxes

Local law enforcement agencies and some Yavapai College campuses offer free drug drop box locations throughout Yavapai County that will accept medications for safe disposal. Be aware that each location has different parameters regarding what types of medication they will accept. For instance, some drop boxes may not accept sharps, needles, aerosol cans or inhalers.

YRMC’s website has a complete list of Yavapai County drop box locations, contact information, requirements and what medications are accepted at each. To find “Yavapai County Medication Drop Off Locations,” go to YRMC.org, open the green “Support and Community” tab located on the menu at the top of the webpage and then go to “Medication Disposal.” The document will open for you to download and print.

In addition, pharmacies such as Walgreens Pharmacy at 2880 N. Centre Court in Prescott Valley offer drug disposal kiosks, similar to dropping mail into a mailbox.

Medicine Take-Back Events

Drug take-back events are held twice a year in Yavapai County, according to MatForce Executive Director Merilee Fowler. The effort continues to grow.

“The Dump the Drugs National Take Back Day takes place the last weekend of April and October,” said Fowler. “We partner with local law enforcement agencies and the Drug Enforcement Agency to provide easy, accessible drop off locations to the general public. Since 2008, we have collected more than 32,400 pounds of drugs for safe disposal.”

Is Flushing Safe?

According to the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ), prescription and non-prescription drugs can be found at trace levels in treated wastewater discharged from sewage treatment plants. We now know that some of these substances can be harmful to our environment. ADEQ recommends alternative means of disposal whenever possible.

However, the FDA regularly updates a list of prescription medications that have been approved for flushing down the toilet if no other option exists. The known risk of harm, including death, from these substances from accidental exposure outweighs potential risks from flushing them. The list includes medications such as fentanyl, oxycodone and morphine.

What About Medical Sharps?

“The best practice for sharps such as needles, syringes and lancets is to place them in a sturdy, puncture-proof container with a tight lid and tape it shut,” said Goldman. “You can purchase a specially designed container from a pharmacy, or you can use a heavy plastic or metal container that has a secure lid, such as a liquid laundry detergent bottle.”

According to ADEQ, do not use glass containers, and make sure the container is not overstuffed. Mark the container “Do Not Recycle” so that it goes to the landfill rather than a recycle center.

While your container is in the process of being filled for disposal, make sure you keep it sealed and out of the way of children and pets.

Getting rid of your old, unused medications can be safe and easy. Following these recommendations now can make your home safer in the long run by reducing the risk of accidental drug exposure. And you’ll be assured that you’re following the right precautions to keep our environment safe.

For more information on safe medication disposal, or to find out about the next Dump the Drugs National Take Back Day, contact MatForce at 928-708-0100. Yavapai County Community Health Services can be reached at 928-771-3122. QCBN

By Joanne Mack Robertson

Joanne Mack Robertson is freelance writer and video producer who writes for Yavapai Regional Medical Center. For more information about YRMC, visit yrmc.org.