Drug addiction is often a long and lonely road — whether you or a family member or friend are walking the path, the experience can be isolating. Especially in a charming town like Mount Pleasant, it’s easy to forget, unless you live it, that drug use infiltrates communities of every shape and size, regardless of economic status, race or age. Our town is no different.
Drug addiction is real, and it is here. Luckily, in a time when overdose numbers are on the rise nationwide, a first-of-its-kind partnership was built here in Mount Pleasant that resulted in reducing non-fatal overdoses in 2023 by close to half. This team of people spanning a variety of agencies is passionate about helping; they are armed with resources and support and are working around the clock to change lives for the better. “It takes a village” is more than just a proverb, it’s the solution.
WakeUp Carolina was started by local resident Nanci Steadman Shipman as part of a resolute promise to her teenage son, Creighton, who passed away from an overdose in 2016. The organization has been collaborating with the Mount Pleasant Police Department for years and has already made community impacts through things like a ‘take back box’ at Town Hall for prescriptions and medications and was the first in the state to make Narcan – used to reverse opioid overdoses — available to the community through a partnership between WakeUp Carolina, the Mount Pleasant Police Department and the Charleston Center.
But Shipman and others who continued to see the impacts of fatal and non-fatal overdoses knew there was more to be done in the ongoing battle. First responders were already using a Critical Information Management System (CIMS), a non-investigative platform that connects individuals to resources, so Shipman and the Mount Pleasant Police Department’s Captain Christopher Rosier worked to take that program a few steps forward.
“MPPD gained access last year to CIMS, and Rosier and I said this would be excellent for us to use in our partnership — to be able to follow up on overdoses in real time,” Shipman recalled. “Getting approval for this was an uphill battle because the program was historically something that only first responders used, but Rosier was persistent. Now, the partnership of CIMS and non-emergency responders is the first pilot program in the country.”
The unique partnership allows first responders the ability to share information to WakeUp Carolina about an overdose in real time, so that the process of arranging support systems begins on the scene.
For non-fatal overdoses, individuals are connected with those in recovery — males with males, and females with females — who have had similar experiences and are able to provide peer support. Harm reduction measures are also set in place, and structured resources are immediately available.
Experiencing a fatal or non-fatal overdose of a loved one is traumatic for those who witness it or are immediately affected. Families, or those deemed as family on the scene, are also provided support in real time.
The new partnership — fruits of an enthusiastic and collaborative effort between WakeUp Carolina, the Mount Pleasant Police Department and the Town of Mount Pleasant — saw a 40% decrease in non-fatal overdoses in 2023. While the numbers for 2024 are not complete at the time of this writing, overdose statistics have increased in many areas across the country this year, and the champions of this unique partnership are ready, no matter the change.
“We will continue to adapt our program to the needs of the community, and we are confident that our vision will continue to lead to positive outcomes,” stated MPPD Sgt. Stephen Kudron, MA.
Shipman added that the unwavering support from the Town of Mount Pleasant and the Mount Pleasant Police Department has been imperative in bringing our community together to support those who need a helping hand.
In addition to this newer partnership, WakeUp Carolina continues to make an impact in many ways. Free Narcan training is available on the second Wednesday of every month at Town Hall, and the organization makes test strips available for fentanyl and xylazine, as well as testing for HIV/HCV.
So, while addiction can seem like a lonely road, the Mount Pleasant community is collaborating and providing strong support so that these individuals do not feel alone in their struggle.
“This community held me and my family up, and in return, WakeUp Carolina continues to hold every single community member up as well. It’s a lonely walk, and you feel isolated and alone,” Shipman shared. “My hope is for others to have these opportunities for help. We come together as a community to remind people that they are not alone and to provide support.”
By Anne Toole
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