Tracking drug addiction in Pueblo County

Tracking drug addiction in Pueblo County

Efforts are increasing in Pueblo to fight a different pandemic, not COVID-19, but drug addiction.

News5's Natalie Chuck has the details on a new Pueblo County Health Department dashboard they're using to pinpoint the problem.

TONIGHT.IN OUR TOP STORY TONIGHT..EFFORTS ARE INCREASING IN PUEBLOTO FIGHT A DIFFERENTPANDEMIC...NOT COVID-19.

BUT DRUGADDICTION.NEWS FIVE'S NATALIE CHUCK JOINSUS NOW LIVE FROM THE PUEBLOCOUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT.

WITHDETAILS ON A NEW DASHBOARDTHEY'RE USING TO PINPOINT DRUGADDICTION.

NATALIE?HEY ROB...THIS NEW INTERACTIVE DASHBOARDWAS MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH A VERYSELECTIVE.

FEDERAL GRANT FROMTHE U.S.DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.IT'S OVER ON THE PUEBLO COUNTYHEALTH WEBSITE AND UPDATED EVERYMONTH.WITH A GOAL OF MAKING IT EASIERFOR LOCAL OUTREACH GROUPS.

TOHELP THOSE SUFFERING WITH DRUGADDICTION...,"I REMEMBER ASKING REPEATEDLY.AM I GOING TO BE ADDICTED?"ASHLEY PARSONS SAYS HER SPIRALINTO DRUG ADDICTION.

STARTED INA DOCTOR'S OFFICE."MY ADDICTION WENT FROM A LEGALPRESCRIPTION IN THE OFFICE, TOFINDING IT ON THE STREET, ANDTHEN ONE DAY THERE WAS NONE, SOI WENT TO HEROINE."NOW.

TWO YEARS CLEAN FROM DRUGS.PARSONS IS FULFILLING A PROMISETO HERSELF.."I WANTED TO USE MY STORY TOHELP OTHERS!" SHE'S NOW THEFOUNDER OF HOPES.

AN OUTREACHGROUP FOR ANYONE AND EVERYONESTRUGGLING WITH DRUG ADDICTION."I WOULD TAKE COOLERS OUT ALONGTRANSIENT PATHS AND PUT CLEANSUPPLIES THERE FOR PEOPLE ANDRESTOCK IT ONCE A WEEK.NOW IT'S A FULL BLOWN, I DOPUBLIC SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS, IOBVIOUSLY WORK WITH PEOPLE INHELPING GET THEM IN REHAB!" ANEW DASHBOARD BY THE COUNTY'SHEALTH DEPARTMENT.

IS AIMED ATMAKING PEOPLE LIKE PARSONSEFFORTS.

A LITTLE BIT EASIER."INDIVIDUAL PARTNERS WERE SAYINGHEY - THERE ARE PROBLEMS RELATEDTO SUBSTANCE USE, AND SUBSTANCETREATMENT, BUT WEDIDN'T REALLY HAVE ACOMPREHENSIVE PICTURE." THISDATABASE BREAKS DOWN ALMOSTANYTHING YOU WANT TO KNOW ABOUTDRUG USE IN PUEBLO.FROM AGE GROUPS.

TO WHICH DRUGSARE MOST COMMONLY FOUNDIN OVERDOSES."IT CAN HELP GIVE US.

GIVE US APATHWAY OF WHERE WE NEED TOTARGET OUR EFFORTS!

IF IT LOOKSLIKE ADDICTION'S TRENDING INTHIS DIRECTION, IT GIVES US THEABILITY TO KIND OF CUT IT OFFBEFORE IT GETS TOA CERTAIN POINT"AND WHILE THIS INVENTIVE WAY OFTACKLING DRUG ADDICTION ISEXCITING.PARSONS SAYS ONE OF THE BESTTOOLS TO FIGHT THE PROBLEM.

ISEMPATHY."SOMEBODY'S MOM OR DAD IS ATHOME CRYING ON A NIGHTLY BASISFOR THAT LOVED ONE.ARE YOU REALLY SO HEARTLESS TOTHINK THAT THEY DON'T DESERVELOVE, FOOD HELP?

INSTEAD OFBEING JUDGEMENTAL.OFFER HELP."AND PARSONS ALSO SAYS ONE OF THEMAIN THINGS WE CAN DO IS EDUCATEPEOPLE.SHE SAYS STIGMAS ARE ONE OF THEBIGGEST PROBLEMS WHEN IT COMESTO FIGHTING DRUG ADDICTION.WE'LL HAVE A LOT MOREINFORMATION ABOUT THE NEWDATABASE.

AND DIFFERENTRESOURCES FOR ANYONE STRUGGLINGON OUR WEBSITE.

KOAA DOT COM.