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Chesterfield SAFE says opioid‑abatement funds will expand substance‑use prevention in Colonial Heights schools
Summary
At the meeting, Lindsay Cunningham of Chesterfield SAFE told the board that SAFE received Opioid Abatement Authority funding to expand services into Colonial Heights, has distributed more than 2,000 prevention resources locally, and outlined events including a Red Ribbon Week program with a DEA presentation on Oct. 24.
Lindsay Cunningham, outreach coordinator for Chesterfield SAFE, told the Colonial Heights School Board that the nonprofit recently received funding from the Opioid Abatement Authority to expand prevention and treatment resources in Colonial Heights schools. "My name is Lindsay Cunningham. I'm the outreach coordinator at Chesterfield Safe," Cunningham said, and described a mix of school‑based programs, parent education, a PSA contest and community outreach the group plans to bring to the city.
Cunningham said the OAA identified Colonial Heights "as a city with the need for more substance use prevention and treatment resources," citing higher rates of emergency‑department visits for unintentional overdoses and higher student use of alcohol, cannabis and other substances. She said SAFE began work in July and has "already seen a lot of success," adding that the organization has "been able to distribute over 2,000 resources" in the Colonial Heights area, including drug‑disposal pouches and medication‑locking boxes available through libraries.
Among the school‑focused offerings Cunningham described are: a parent‑education event tailored to local trends; a 30‑minute screening of an updated "drug talk" video followed by a question‑and‑answer session focused on fentanyl and fake pills; and the "Hidden in Plain Sight" interactive demonstration originally developed by the DEA that presents a mock teen bedroom to teach parents about indicators of risky behavior. SAFE also runs a student PSA contest; Cunningham said the organization will include Colonial Heights entries in regional judging and air winners on partner media and SAFE social channels.
Cunningham outlined an Oct. 24 Red Ribbon Week event at Colonial Heights Middle School that will include a DEA agent presentation for sixth graders and equipment displays organized with the Army National Guard, local SWAT, fire and EMS; students will participate in a group pledge to be drug‑free and see a helicopter landing as part of the program.
School board members asked logistical and scheduling questions about the proposed parent and student activities. SAFE said it will return with more details as events are finalized and invited partnership from schools and families.
The presentation concluded with staff and board members noting the group’s early outreach work and the items SAFE has already distributed; SAFE will follow up with the superintendent and school staff as events are scheduled.
