Brown County Coalition for Change

10/15/2026

10/06/2026

An opportunity to provide input to local health focused organizations on the health priorities that matter to you in our community!

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! 🗣️📣

Beyond Health, a group of health-focused agencies, organizations, and health systems, is gathering input about what future health priorities should be.

Join our upcoming virtual listening session if you live, work, or learn in Brown County!

📅Tuesday, October 20, from 6:30pm - 7:30pm.
💻Join by computer or smartphone: bit.ly/BeyondHealthListens
📞Dial in by telephone: +1 (323) 795-5155
🔢Meeting ID: 673 537 810 #

09/24/2026

🎉 WE MADE IT TO DAY 21! 🎉

Stand Against Stigma Challenge - Day 21 ☀️

For 21 days, we’ve learned, listened, and challenged the stigma surrounding substance use and recovery.

We’ve been reminded that:
💚 Words matter. Choose language that shows compassion, not judgment.
🩺 Substance use disorder is a health condition, not a moral failure.
📖 Stories matter. Every person has a story worth hearing.
🤝 Support matters. People deserve dignity, understanding, and hope.
🌱 Change starts with us. One conversation, one choice, and one act of compassion can make a difference.

Thank you for standing with us for these 21 days. Let’s keep the conversation going and continue choosing hope over stigma.

Want to revisit the 21-day challenge? Find all 21 resources and more here: https://bit.ly/4rlGbok

09/23/2026

Stand Against Stigma Challenge - Day 20 🌱✨🕊️

Behind every struggle with substance use is a person, a story, and a life worth supporting.

📖 Day 20 Resource: Mary N. — Chester County, PA | The Story Powered Initiative

Mary shares her personal journey with substance use, recovery, and the stigma she experienced along the way. Her story highlights the importance of compassion, connection, and understanding addiction as a health condition rather than a moral failing.

Read Mary’s story: https://bit.ly/4yHxHtX

09/22/2026

Stand and Against Stigma Challenge - Day 19 💚🙂

Language has the power to reinforce stigma or help create a more compassionate path toward support and recovery.

🎥 Day 19 Resource: Language Matters | Addiction Policy Forum

Today’s resource invites us to think about stigma, language, and the impact our words can have on people experiencing substance use and seeking support.

Take a moment to watch, reflect, and consider how you can use language that leads with dignity, compassion, and understanding.

Video link: https://bit.ly/4cMCult

09/21/2026

Stand Against Stigma Challenge - Day 18 ⚖️ 📖

Substance use is a public health issue—not a reason to shame, punish, or judge.

⚖️ 📖 Day 18 Resource: Prosecution, Drug Use & Public Health | Institute for Innovation in Prosecution

This resource explores how approaching substance use through a public health lens can help reduce stigma, support harm reduction, and create better pathways to
care and recovery.

Article link: https://bit.ly/4rggbdT

09/20/2026

Stand Against Stigma Challenge - Day 17 🩺

Substance use disorder is a health condition—not a moral failure.

🎥 Day 17 Resource: Dr. Carolyn Greer — “Shaming the Sick: Substance Use and Stigma” | TEDxFortWayne

Dr. Greer challenges the way we talk about substance use and reminds us that treating addiction like other chronic health conditions can help break down barriers to diagnosis, treatment, and recovery.

Watch Dr. Carolyn Greer: https://bit.ly/4h0zDqg

09/19/2026

Stand Against Stigma Challenge - Day 16 🏈

Addiction doesn’t just affect the person struggling—it impacts families, relationships, and entire communities.

🎥 Day 16 Resource: Bob W. — The Story Powered Initiative

Bob shares his story of losing his son Derek to addiction and how that experience led him to support others facing substance use and recovery.

His story reminds us that behind every statistic is a person, a family, and a story—and that stigma can keep people from reaching out for help.

Watch Bob’s Story: https://storypowered.org/bob-w-bucks-county-pa/

09/18/2026

Stand Against Stigma Challange - Day 15 ☂️

🎥 The Paradox of Trauma-Informed Care — Vicky Kelly | TEDxWilmington

Trauma-informed care is not about lowering expectations. It’s about changing how we understand behavior.

When someone has experienced trauma, their reactions may make sense in the context of what they’ve survived.

But here’s the paradox:
If we become so focused on protecting someone from discomfort, consequences, or challenge, we may unintentionally create limitation.

Watch Vicky Kelly: https://bit.ly/4xqnfWH

09/17/2026

Stand Against Stigma — Day 14 🌽🚜

In small and rural communities, issues like addiction, incarceration, mental health, poverty, and limited access to services can overlap in complicated ways.

🎥 Day 14 Resource: Jesse Krimes — “Voices from the Heartland: Safety, Justice, and Community in Small and Rural America”

Jesse Krimes shares a perspective shaped by his own experiences with the criminal justice system and the challenges of rebuilding a life afterward. His story reminds us that a person’s past does not have to define their future.

Watch Jesse's Story: https://bit.ly/3UREzGx