Coalition Seeking Members To Fight Youth Substance Abuse

Community leaders and business members are being sought to join the .

Susan Kostner, social worker, recently visited a Lake Zurich Rotary Club meeting, asking local leaders for their support for the year-old program. The Coalition is in the process of collecting and reviewing local data and will then create a plan to address youth substance abuse.

"We need the whole community," said Kostner.

Police Chief Patrick Finlon said the Coalition is represented by local school districts, villages, police departments and faith-based groups. He said while heroin-related deaths were the impetus to form the Coalition, it's alcohol and cannabis that youths are getting the most access to.

Kostner added that one of the first things the Coalition did was offer a prescription drug drop-off center at the .

"It's not that we have all of this going on in Lake Zurich. It's a good community, but it does happen," said Kostner.

The Ela Coalition Against Youth Substance Abuse has scheduled a number of meetings. The following meetings will take place from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at the Lake Zurich Police Department: Aug. 29, Oct. 17, Nov. 28, Dec. 12, Feb. 13, March 19 and May 21.

The following meetings will take place from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the police department: Jan. 17 and April 17. A strategic planning meeting will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Sept. 20 at the .

For more information, call Ela Township at (847) 540-8380.