Health Department of Northwest Michigan (HDNW) has earned national and statewide recognition for its ongoing commitment to combating substance use among local youth. With support from HDNW’s two programs, RISE: Otsego Substance Free Coalition and SAFE in Northern Michigan, overseeing substance use prevention in Antrim, Charlevoix, Emmet and Otsego counties, HDNW is advancing healthy, substance-free lifestyles by engaging students from middle school through high school.

HDNW employees and RISE leaders, Susan Pulaski and Ellen Templeton, received national recognition for completing the Opioid Coalition Academy, developed by CADCA, a leading organization in youth substance use prevention. The program is designed for communities to reduce the impact of the opioid health crises at every level of care including prevention, harm reduction, and access to treatment. The Academy’s comprehensive training program is regarded as the gold standard in coalition training—further strengthening RISE’s impact in Otsego County.

“The Opioid Coalition Academy gave us valuable insight and tools into public health approaches, health equity, and coalition-building, ensuring our efforts to address the opioid epidemic in Otsego County are both effective and sustainable,” says Ellen Templeton, Project Coordinator for RISE.

In November, Pulaski was recognized at the state level by the Michigan Coalition to Reduce Underage Drinking (MCRUD) and was awarded the MCRUD State Champion Award for SAFE in Northern Michigan, which serves Antrim, Charlevoix, and Emmet counties. This honor is awarded to individuals committed to preventing underage drinking and alcohol-related issues, and who have made exceptional contributions.

“Susan has been the leader of SAFE in Northern Michigan for the past 17 years,” says Nichole Flickema, Project Coordinator, SAFE in Northern Michigan. “Under her guidance and dedication, SAFE has grown from a small group of passionate youth and community members, into a powerful change agent in our community, with over 130 youth and 25 community members. She has shown me the power of allowing youth to lead prevention initiatives, helping them take ownership of projects and grow to their full potential.”

Through dedication of HDNW employees like Pulaski and Templeton, RISE and SAFE continue to make lasting impacts on the fight against youth substance misuse in the region. Pulaski and Templeton’s recognition both nationally and statewide highlights the ongoing commitment of HDNW’s vision: Healthy People in Healthy Communities.

To learn more about RISE click here, to learn more about SAFE click here. For additional health related news, subscribe to our monthly newsletter by clicking here. To learn more about what HDNW offers, visit our website at nwhealth.org or call us locally at 800-432-4121.