MANSFIELD, OH — The Richland County Youth Substance Use Coalition (RCYSUC) currently has three different committees working together to reduce youth substance use in Mansfield, OH. One of those committees is the Prescription Drug Misuse Prevention Committee. This committee educates on the risks of prescription drug misuse, encourages the safe use/storage of medications, and provides free resources to dispose of unused/expired medications.
The committee has collaborated with local businesses and organizations to distribute free Deterra medication disposal pouches. “If you don’t want to wait until prescription drug take back day or take your medications to a prescription drug drop box, try using a Deterra pouch from the safety of your own home,” said Gurpinder Deol, Health Educator at Richland Public Health.
“Deterra pouches are environmentally friendly and can be thrown in the trash after you use them. Whatever you do, I would encourage people to use one of the three methods above. Flushing medications down the sink/toilet or throwing medications in the trash are not safe ways to dispose of them,” Deol added.
A list of locations where you can get free Deterra medication disposal pouches is listed below:
| Name | Address / Contact Information |
|---|---|
| Richland Public Health | 555 Lexington Ave Mansfield, OH 44907 Call 419-774-4754 |
| Community Action for Capable Youth (CACY) | 1495 W Longview Ave #104 Mansfield, OH 44906 419-774-5683 |
| North End Community Improvement Collaborative (NECIC) | 134 N Main St Mansfield, OH 44902 419-522-1611 |
| Mansfield YMCA | 750 Scholl Rd Mansfield, OH 44907 419-522-3511 |
| Shelby YMCA | 111 W Smiley Rd Shelby, OH 44875 419-347-1312 |
| Third Street Family Health Services (all 9 locations) | All locations (http://thirdstreetfamily.org/) |
| Mansfield/Richland County Public Library (all 9 locations) | All locations (https://www.mrcpl.org/visit/locations/) |
| Starfish | https://www.facebook.com/starfishrichland 419-512-6877 |
| Area Agency on Aging | 2131 Park Ave W Ontario, OH 44906 419-524-4144 |
| Towne Pharmacy | 283 Cline Ave Mansfield, OH 44907 419-756-6032 |
| Hursh Drugs | 90 N Diamond St Mansfield, OH 44902 419-524-0521 |
| Black Belt Pro Fitness | 1099 W 4th St Ontario, OH 44906 |
A list of prescription drug drop boxes in Richland County is listed below:
| Location | Address & Phone Number | Hours | Accepted for Disposal | Not Accepted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genoa Pharmacy @ Catalyst | 741 Scholl Rd Mansfield, OH 44907 567-307-4600 | Mon-Fri 8am-5pm. Friday between 3pm-5pm you must call | Prescription drugs, over the counter medicines, vitamins | Sharps, cans, liquids |
| Meijer Pharmacy | 1355 N Lexington-Springmill Rd Mansfield, OH 44906 419-747-8310 | Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat 9am-9pm. Tue/Thur 7am-9pm. Sun 10am-6pm. | Prescription drugs, over the counter medicines, pet medicines | Thermometers, cans, inhalers, needles, lotions, liquids, hydrogen peroxide, iodine-containing medicines |
| Avita Ontario Hospital | 715 Richland Mall Ontario, OH 44906 567-307-7557 | 24 hours | Prescription drugs, prescription ointments, vitamins, prescription patches, pet medications, over the counter medicines | Needles, inhalers, thermometers, cans, lotions, liquids, hydrogen peroxide |
| Bucyrus Hospital | 629 N Sandusky Ave Bucyrus, OH 44820 419-562-4677 | 24 hours | Prescription drugs, prescription ointments, vitamins, prescription patches, pet medications, over the counter medicines | Needles, inhalers, thermometers, cans, lotions, liquids, hydrogen peroxide |
| CVS Pharmacy | 1049 W. 4th St Mansfield, OH 44906 419-529-6001 | Mon-Fri 8am-9pm. Sat 9am-6pm. Sun 10am-5pm. | Prescription drugs, over the counter medicines, liquid medicines under 4oz. in a zip lock bag | Needles, cans, inhalers, iodine or mercury containing medicines |
| Walmart Pharmacy | 2485 Possum Run Rd Mansfield, OH 44903 419-756-7177 | Mon + Wed-Sat 9am-7pm. Tue 6am-7pm. Sun 10am-6pm. | Prescription drugs, over the counter medicines, liquid medications in original bottle with lid | Needles, cans, inhalers, iodine or mercury containing medicines, hydrogen peroxide |
| First Call 211 | 36 W 3rd St Mansfield, OH 44902 419-522-4636 | Mon-Fri 9am-4pm. | Prescription drugs, prescription ointments, vitamins, prescription patches, pet medications, over the counter medicines | Needles, inhalers, thermometers, cans, lotions, liquids, hydrogen peroxide |
If other businesses and organizations would like to get involved and help distribute Deterra pouches, please contact Gurpinder Deol at 419-774-4754 or email gdeol@richlandhealth.org.
The Prescription Drug Misuse Prevention Committee has members located throughout Richland County. Members include Tammy Funk from Community Action for Capable Youth, James Owens from Dr. Jam’s Cuts, Sherry Branham from the Richland County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board, and Damien Beauford from 419 Barbershop. It also has consultants from TTJ Group guiding the committee.
RCYSUC consists of many local community partners all working towards the same mission: To empower Richland County youth, families and the community to reduce youth substance use through education, intervention and prevention
RCYSUC is always looking for new members, community partners, and especially youth to join and get involved. If you’d like to join a committee, the coalition, or simply would like to learn more, consider reaching out. Please call 419-774-4754 or visit the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/RCYSUC to learn more and engage with us.
The Coalition’s work is funded through a Drug-Free Communities grant which is administered by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy and is managed by Richland Public Health.