The BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Health Foundation is collaborating with the state's Department of Health and the Coffee County Anti-Drug Coalition to combat opioid abuse.
Here are seven insights:
1. The BlueCross Health Foundation is giving the Coffee County Anti-Drug Coalition a $1.3 million grant to expand the program to counties with more opioid-related deaths.
2. The grant money will go toward training and a public education advertising campaign.
3. The campaign dons the tagline: "Count, Lock and Drop your pills!"
4. Coffee County Anti-Drug Coalition's Christina Merion and Kristina Clark founded the "Count It! Lock It! Drop It!" program in 2011 as a community-drive approach to prescription drug misuse.
5. The program recommends community members:
• Count pills once every two weeks, checking for theft
• Lock and store pills in a secure place
• Take unused or expired medications to drop boxes
6. The program in Coffee County has already received 600 pounds of medications at its three drop boxes.
7. The "Count It! Lock It! Drop It!" program is active in 32 Tennessee counties.