Vancouver’s Prevent Coalition has initiated the development of a second phase of its Locks Saves Lives campaign, which encourages families in Clark, Skamania and Klickitat counties to keep their loved ones safe by storing their prescription medications in a locked location at home.
Whereas the campaign’s initial phase largely focused on the dissemination of medication lock boxes to parents, grandparents and guardians with youth grades 6-12 in the home, this new phase focuses on developing relationships with local single and multi-family residential builders, property managers and other real estate professionals who, after learning of Locks Save Lives, will agree to provide residents with a secure location to store medication by purchasing and installing one locking cabinet or drawer in each residence they build or manage.
“Encouraging safe medication storage and making it accessible by equipping every house and apartment with locking storage options benefits every person’s health and well-being,” said Kelley Groen-Sieckmann, community prevention project specialist for the Prevent Coalition.
To support the second phase of the campaign, the Coalition has formed an 19-member stakeholder committee. Composed of members representing home builders, property managers, real estate, healthcare and education, the committee is tasked with creating a series of resources that can be used to inform and promote Locks Save Lives in a sustainable fashion.
Stakeholder committee members include:
- Tracy Doriot, Doriot Construction
- Angela Riddle, West Van for Youth Coalition & Vancouver Housing Authority
- Kim Salvesen-Pauly, Windermere Real Estate Columbia River Gorge
- Craig Lyons, Milestone Property Management
- Aideet Pineda, Molina Healthcare
- LeeAnn O’Neil, Amerigroup, WA
- Marcy Sprecher, Rocksolid Teen Center & Prevent Together Battle Ground Prevention Alliance
- Jim Jensen, SWACH
- Kris Soske, La Center United
- Mercedes Zahler, La Center United
- Karen Douglass, One Prevention Alliance
- Anasha Gates, Coalition for Preventing Abuse in Klickitat County
- Katherine Zavala, Central Vancouver Coalition
- Jennifer Kirby, Prevent Together Battle Ground Prevention Alliance
- Margaret McCarthy, Unite! Washougal Community Coalition
- Vitali Turlac, Unite! Washougal Community Coalition
- Joy Lyons, ESD 112
- Nick Shanmac, ESD 112
- Kelley Groen-Sieckmann, Prevent Coalition
“There’s a real opportunity to impact lives with this campaign, and we’re really energized by the work that’s ahead of us,” said Tracy Doriot, chair of the stakeholder committee, owner of Doriot Construction and president of the Building Industry Association of Washington. “My company is proud to commit to installing cabinet locks to save lives; it’s a small investment with infinite returns.”
Funding for Locks Save Lives is provided by a State Opioid Response Grant from Washington State Health Care Authority. To learn more about the campaign, visit www.preventcoalition.org/lockssavelives.
About Prevent Coalition:
Supported by the fiscal agent ESD 112, Prevent Coalition is a community coalition formed in 2003 to increase collaboration, awareness, and reduce youth substance use in Southwest Washington. Prevent also implements initiatives for rural communities across Washington state. As a community mobilizer, we’re creating a culture promoting healthy choices; advocating for policies and regulations that protect, empower and nurture youth; and facilitating positive opportunities for youth to be involved and thrive. For more info, visit www.preventcoalition.org.
