Municipal Alliance Discusses Importance of Early Childhood Substance Abuse Intervention

Armed with a fuzzy, red and black yarn ball, Elementary School Assistance Counselor intern Heather Wombough explained to Lacey Township Municipal Alliance members at their meeting Monday night, how she gets her youngsters to creatively and safely express their emotions.

“If they hear mom and dad fighting, they can keep the yarn ball under their pillow -- it’s something for them to love and take care of,” said Wombough, who is working on her Masters of Science degree in Mental Health Counseling at Monmouth University. “Or if they’re angry, they can throw the ball without breaking anything or hurting anyone.”

Since September, Wombough has been the lone counselor for Lacey Township’s three elementary schools, seeing at-risk children in groups. Some of those children have parents who are drug abusers or alcoholics and have never had anyone to talk to about their problems at home. At the end of June, Wombough’s internship ends and so does the position.

Municipal Alliance Coordinator Heather Scanlon invited Wombough to speak to the group as they get ready to present the township Board of Education with a letter asking them to fund the elementary Student Assistance Counselor position for next school year.

“We hope to have the letter to the Board before their next meeting in June,” said Scanlon. “If children are not identified at an early age, we’ll see problems later on.”

Having grown up in Lacey Township, Wombough said she didn’t know there were such problems in her home town. She said hers is the only school position that protects students with confidentiality, giving many kids what they desperately need -- someone to talk to where they can feel safe.

“I teach the three C’s -- they didn’t cause it, they can’t control it and they can cope with it,” she said. “I go over better ways to deal with their inside feelings, coping skills and the qualities to look for to be able to trust someone.”

Wombough explained that elementary school students are the most impressionable and that substance abuse can begin around age 12. She said if they don't get to the children before they turn to drugs, it might be too late.

Alliance members discussed ways to reach young people and their parents as early as possible. One idea was to start a task force made up of the Alliance, police, school officials and area clergy.

“We have an opportunity to have more of an impact and clout through a task force,” said Scanlon. “We’re all in this together.”