Shannon Childers
Gary L Herman
Shannon Childers, Alexander County’s Post-Overdose Response Team (PORT) Community Paramedic, had the opportunity to speak at the NC EMS Expo Conference on May 5 in Winston-Salem.
The title of his presentation was “Breaking All the Rurals: Lessons Learned from Coordinating a Post-Overdose Response Program in a Rural Community.”
“It was an honor and a privilege to represent my county and discuss the challenges of implementing a PORT program in a rural community,” Childers said. “Being able to speak at the NC EMS Expo Conference was truly an opportunity I have always desired, and one I thoroughly enjoyed.”
Over the past two and a half years, Childers has helped develop Alexander County’s Post-Overdose Response Team and Community Paramedic program, which focuses on connecting residents with resources and support following overdose incidents.
His presentation addressed the stigmas and beliefs surrounding addiction that often develop in rural communities. Childers also discussed how organizations serving Alexander County have collaborated to overcome these obstacles and create an ecosystem of support for men, women, and children who struggle with addiction and mental health challenges.
Childers said Alexander County has come a long way in the past couple of years. Organizations such as RHA, PORT, Daniel’s House Recovery, ARC, Shai Ministries, Second Chance Ministries, Cognitive Connections, and Hope Beyond Overdose have come together to discuss areas of need and ways to fill service gaps.
He also noted the importance of working alongside government agencies such as the Alexander County Sheriff’s Office, Taylorsville Police Department, Alexander County Schools, Alexander County EMS/Emergency Services, Probation, Alexander County Court, Social Services, and others.
Childers said the collaboration among organizations and agencies has been successful, with Alexander County seeing a decrease in opioid overdoses and an increase in individuals seeking treatment, similar to trends across the state.
“Everyone plays a role in overcoming addiction and substance use disorder in Alexander County,” Childers said. “With such an amazing team of support, I hope we can continue to fill these gaps in services and needs and offer help and hope for every citizen of Alexander County.”
NC EMS Expo is one of the most widely recognized EMS educational conferences in the country, offering attendees the opportunity to hear presentations from outstanding faculty from across North Carolina and the United States. The conference provides continuing education credit for topics of general interest, current advancements in pre-hospital emergency care, emergency and trauma medicine, and public health.
Learn more about the Alexander County PORT program at alexandercountync.gov/port or call 828-352-7824.