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Nonprofit hosts drug prevention event for youth in Oldham County

“To inspire hope in a culture that seems hopeless in the face of a drug epidemic in our community,” Bree Hind said. Today, six years later, Bree Hind, who began experimenting with drugs as a teenager, is sober. She told her story Saturday at the youth drug prevention nonprofit Operation Parent event. “I was desperate to make a change. So I went into treatment for 60 days, and in that time I learned there is a way out,” Hind said. “Our mission statement is to love and support parents by providing them with real-world information, connection and hope,” said Jean Schumm, founder of Operation Parent. The nonprofit fulfills its mission by educating both parents and children about real-world issues. The attorney general said events like this one, which emphasize hands-on work with children and education, are important. He wants to hold more such events to further curb Kentucky's opioid epidemic. “The risk is so great that we have to be creative; we have to go where the kids are,” said Attorney General Russell Coleman. Just this week, Coleman got the green light from Kentucky's Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission to spend $3.6 million on drug prevention campaigns for youth. The funds come from legal settlements with pharmaceutical companies that former Attorney General Daniel Cameron, who was also in attendance at the event, helped secure. “We know the opioid epidemic has plagued our communities for far too long, and now, thanks to Russel's leadership and what I've been able to do during my tenure, we're preparing to turn the tide,” Cameron said. The Oldham County Fiscal Court donated $20,000 of its opioid settlement money to Saturday's event, and for that, the dozens of parents who showed up are grateful. “It has to be a partnership. It can't just be schools. It can't just be the government, it has to be the churches, the institutions, the organizations,” Lisa Doelker said. Overdose deaths in Kentucky declined for the second year in a row in 2023. In 2022, 2,135 Kentucky residents died of an overdose, the first decline since 2018.

OLDHAM COUNTY, Kentucky —

“To bring hope to a culture that seems hopeless when there is a drug epidemic in our community,” said Bree Hind.

Now, six years later, Bree Hind, who experimented with drugs as a teenager, is sober. She told her story Saturday at Operation Parent, a nonprofit youth drug prevention event.

“I was desperate for change. So I went to treatment for 60 days and during that time I learned there was a way out,” Hind said.

“Our mission is to love and support parents by providing them with real-world information, connections and hope,” said Jean Schumm, founder of Operation Parent.

The nonprofit organization fulfills its mission by educating parents and children about real-world issues.

The attorney general said events like this one, which focus on hands-on engagement with children and education, are important and he wants to hold more such events to further curb the opioid epidemic in Kentucky.

“The risk is so great that we have to be creative; we have to go where the children are,” said Attorney General Russell Coleman.

Just this week, Coleman received the green light from Kentucky's Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission to spend $3.6 million on drug prevention campaigns for youth.

The funds come from legal settlements with pharmaceutical companies that were helped to be concluded by former Attorney General Daniel Cameron, who was also present at the event.

“We know the opioid epidemic has plagued our communities for far too long, and now, thanks to Russell's leadership and what I have been able to accomplish during my tenure, we are ready to turn the tide,” Cameron said.

The Oldham County Fiscal Court donated $20,000 from its settlement in the opioid case to Saturday's event, and for that, the dozens of parents who came were grateful.

“It has to be a partnership. It can't just be schools. It can't just be the government, it has to be the churches, the institutions, the organizations,” said Lisa Doelker.

Overdose deaths in Kentucky declined for the second year in a row in 2023. In 2022, 2,135 Kentucky residents died of an overdose, marking the first decline since 2018.

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