Garrett County Drug-Free Communities Coalition Receives Grant to Combat Youth Substance Use
The Garrett County Health Department is making significant strides in its ongoing efforts to prevent youth substance use, thanks to a grant awarded to the Garrett County Drug-Free Communities Coalition. Now in its third year, this grant supports initiatives aimed at curbing opioid, methamphetamine, and prescription drug misuse among youth aged 12-18 in Garrett County and beyond.
Funded by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) through the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act Local Drug Crises grant program, this five-year grant provides $50,000 annually. The funding is instrumental in empowering local communities to tackle substance abuse issues head-on and promote healthier lifestyles among young people.
Sandy Miller, Director of the Substance Abuse Prevention Unit at the Garrett County Health Department and Project Director for the grant, emphasized the importance of reaching out to individuals in need of substance use treatment services. The grant supports a campaign titled “Reach Out Now,” which aims to raise awareness about available treatment and recovery services and encourage individuals to seek help.
Highlighting the theme for the February campaign, “The Path from Addiction to Recovery is a Journey,” Miller underscored the significance of community-wide messaging in facilitating individuals’ first steps towards recovery. Throughout the month, the Garrett County Community Health Outreach Team will be actively engaged in promoting treatment and recovery services across various communities in the county.
Individuals and organizations interested in accessing information or resources to share within their communities are encouraged to reach out to the Garrett County Health Department. Whether it’s for a worksite, church, business, or organization, the department is committed to providing assistance and support in combating youth substance use.
The grant program, a collaborative effort between ONDCP and the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, seeks to address the evolving challenges of youth substance use by empowering local coalitions. By applying evidence-based prevention strategies tailored to their communities’ needs, these coalitions play a pivotal role in reducing substance abuse among youth.
In conclusion, the ongoing efforts of the Garrett County Drug-Free Communities Coalition, supported by the ONDCP grant, underscore the community’s commitment to safeguarding the well-being of its youth. Through targeted initiatives and community-wide engagement, Garrett County continues to make strides in creating a healthier, drug-free environment for its residents. For more information about the grant or to get involved in prevention efforts, interested parties can contact the Garrett County Health Department.
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Jay Ferguson
Who I Am
My name is Jay Ferguson, and I am a lifelong resident of the Deep Creek Lake area. I am also co-owner of the real estate side of Taylor Made. I have been in the real estate business for 21+ years now and I LOVE what I do! I have to say, my career really took off when I co-founded the real estate side of Taylor Made in 2014. Its been an amazing experience, building a real estate company from the ground up and achieving so much so quickly! In August 2016, we purchased Long & Foster Real Estate Deep Creek, where I had started my career in 2000. In 2018, we on-boarded virtually every agent from Coldwell Banker Deep Creek Realty as they closed up shop and the real estate family grew even more! We now have over 40 sales agents and have expanded to West Virginia and Pennsylvania, as well. Taylor Made is the #1 vacation rental company at Deep Creek with over 475 vacation rental homes, and over one hundred thousand yearly visitors. Its amazing what we have accomplished using the principles of honesty, teamwork and customer service!
Personally, my wife Jessica and I enjoy traveling and especially spending time in the outdoors, hiking and exploring the many diverse areas that Garrett County is naturally blessed with. We have raised two wonderful children here, Kayleah (22) and Noah (13). In the summer, we love spending time on the water with friends & family and enjoying the lake life! We are both active in our church, our community & local school activities, and we fill our schedule with plenty of volunteer efforts. I currently serve on the board of directors for Habitat for Humanity. I am proud to say that I was named Deep Creek Time’s Favorite ‘Community Champion’ in 2019. I was also named Garrett County Realtor of the Year in 2018-19, as well.
I really enjoy promoting my hometown. I am very proud of the resort area that has developed over my lifetime and look forward to growing the area even more! Deep Creek Lake has been described as ‘The Lake Tahoe of the east', and I think that speaks volumes about the potential to own property here! Deep Creek Lake isn't really a town or city by itself; it's comprised of three towns: Oakland, Swanton & McHenry, Maryland. I am very passionate about my hometown and am impressed with how many people know about it as we travel around the country. Deep Creek Lake is an amazing place to visit and even better place to live! During the pandemic in 2020, our market exploded and more and more people left their primary residence in the city to live here permanently. With distance learning in schools and tele-commuting becoming the ‘norm’, many more people were drawn to the area to ‘live where they love to play’.
Why You Want Me Working for You: In addition to being an owner, I am consistently one of the top-producing agents in the entire area and the Associate Broker of record for Taylor-Made Deep Creek Vacations & Sales. I have 21+ years of experience and I am a problem solver. There aren’t many situations that I have not encountered and I have a strategy for almost every scenario that you may encounter. I
have extensively trained in all areas of real estate & emerging technologies, and also have trained as an appraiser, as well as served as a full-time Broker. I have a strong knowledge of the industry, as well as many trusted local contacts & affiliations that allow me to perform at a very high level and deliver results. I have a great deal of respect for my peers in this industry and have strong working relationships that I would love to put to work for you.
Call me to discuss your situation - I know I can be of great service to you & others you care about!
Honesty. Integrity. Results.
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