InnerAct Alliance and StandUP Polk Recognize Supporters of Florida Prescription Drug Monitoring Program E-FORCSE

Polk County, FL – Prescription drug abuse is harmful to our community, however the encouraging news is that Florida has made many positive strides since 2010 to overcome the stigma of being known as the “Pill Mill Capital”. 

The Florida Prescription Drug Monitoring Program, known as E-FORCSE^® (Electronic-Florida Online Reporting of Controlled Substance Evaluation Program), was created by the 2009 Florida Legislature to encourage safer prescribing of controlled substances and to reduce drug abuse and diversion within the state. E-FORCSE is currently utilized by over 600 Polk County individuals and practices to help doctors and pharmacists view the prescription history of patients to determine whether misuse may be taking place.

InnerAct Alliance and the StandUP Polk Coalition for a Drug Free Community are helping to further promote this important initiative to prevent prescription drug misuse in our county by distributing copies of the E-FORCSE "Prescriber and Pharmacist Registration Quick Guide" to those in the healthcare community who are not already enrolled in the program and encouraging them to sign up.

We would like to recognize those who have recently agreed to utilize E-FORCSE in their practice:

Edge Pharmacy
Avantica Gondi , MBBS, M.D.
North Lakeland Pain & Trauma
Victoria Rabe-Tagala, M.D.
Alicia Saunders, M.D., Wellmed
Edward J. Williams, D.M.D., P.A.
Winn-Dixie Pharmacy (Ariana Street, Lakeland)

According to a 2014 Nova Southeastern University Study of Florida Physicians, "a majority of participants believe that the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) is a useful tool for monitoring patients' controlled substance histories."  Locally, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd has credited this program with assisting local law enforcement by reducing access to individuals who may possibly be doctor shopping.

For more information on the E-FORCSE and local support of this initiative, please contact InnerAct Alliance's Community Resource Manager, Michelle Shiver, at (863) 802-0777, or by email at: michelle.shiver@inneractalliance.org  

Polk County’s Only Red Ribbon Half Marathon, 5K & Kids Fun Run Saturday, November 8, 2014 at the Lake Mirror Promenade

Polk County’s Only Red Ribbon Half Marathon, 5K & Kids Fun Run

Saturday, November 8, 2014 at the Lake Mirror Promenade

Polk County, FL – Polk County’s 2^nd Annual Half Marathon, 5K & Fun Run on Saturday, November 8, 2014 is less than a month away!

Festivities for Red Ribbon Month kicked off on Friday, October 3, 2014 at the Red Ribbon Celebration held at LEGOLAND Florida’s interactive family theme park. About 2,000 people attended the fun family evening for just a $5.00 donation per ticket and enjoyed 6 areas of LEGOLAND, as well as a Vendor Carnival.

The Red Ribbon Half Marathon, 5K & Fun Run, presented by Title Sponsor Publix Super Markets, Inc., and event partners MidFlorida Credit Union and Badcock Home Furniture & More, is a Family Weekend where parents can compete in the Half Marathon or 5K, and children can participate in the Kids Fun Run. The scenic run course will take place along picturesque Lake Mirror and Lakeland’s beautiful downtown and Lake to Lake area.

Register on the event website at www.RedRibbonHalf.com! Registration is $100 for the Half Marathon and $35 for the 5K.  Start time on November 8^th for the Half Marathon is 7:00 a.m., and the 5K begins at 7:15 a.m. Check-in will begin at 6:00 a.m.

Registration for the Kids Fun Run for students in grades K-8 is FREE and includes a commemorative Run t-shirt for pre-registered participants, along with free refreshments! Registration check-in will take place at the Lake Mirror Auditorium, starting at 7:00 a.m. The Fun Run will start at 8:00 a.m. at Lake Mirror Promenade, 121 S. Lake Ave., in Lakeland, and follow a route that will loop around Lake Mirror and end back in the Promenade area. Awards will be given for first, second, and third place runners in gender categories, as well as to the top 3 elementary schools and top middle school with the largest percentage of participating students, based on school census number.

For additional details and event info, please contact InnerAct Alliance’s executive director, Angie Ellison, at (863) 802-0777. Info is also available at: www.redribbonhalf.com, on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/RedRibbonHalf and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RedRibbonRunSeries