Project Live UP's monthly public meetings, weekly support groups, the skate park refurbishment, education programs, etc. came to a halt when society shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the Valley's anti-drug organization, like the recovery culture as a whole, has been adapting to the new normal.

            In many ways, the pandemic has worsened the situation for families dealing with substance use disorder (SUD) as in-person support, in schools, for example, is difficult. Organizations are scrambling to fill the gaps.

            Jill Adams, Project Live's Vice President and the Director of Adolescent Services, Onward Behavioral Health: Rehab After Work and The Light Program, told Project Live's Executive Committee, "We've been running partial hospital programming, intensive outpatient groups; we've been doing all of that remotely. If you guys want to offer additional support to people right now, you can have [support] groups running now." 

            And Project Live is doing just that with the resumption of the Recovery is Possible group meetings beginning this Thursday night (May 28) at 7 p.m. via Zoom. Those who wish to participate are urged to contact Project Live through Facebook Messenger, projectliveup@gmail.com or by calling 724-617-7203. The link to the meeting will not be made public in order to protect privacy.

            Marian Pike, one of Project Live's facilitators for the group, which usually meets in person on Thursday nights, has kept in contact with the participating members via phone calls over the last two months.

            Once Governor Tom Wolf eases restrictions on group gatherings, Project Live will have to abide by social distancing and cleaning measures put in place by The Open Link for its building, The Center, in East Greenville, the usual site of the Thursday meetings.

            Another possibility is outdoor meetings with appropriate social distancing measures in place, such as masks.

             Project Live has also been working in conjunction with Montgomery County, Family Services and SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services) to be part of a grant that will result in Project Live being advertised on local billboards, receiving promotional items and obtaining literature about substance abuse prevention.

            Will Pike, Project Live's point person in the discussions, explained that the main goal of the grant is to promote a new SAMHSA initiative at samhsa.gov.

            SAMHSA has developed an app that utilizes avatars to walk participants through a five-to-ten-minute parent/child conversation about drugs. The virtual dialogue is followed by a "debriefing" analyzing what worked and what didn't work. The app aims to provide parents with the best words and strategies to use for a productive conversation.

            "The purpose (of the advertising) is to drive people to the SAMHSA site, but mostly to this app," Pike said.

            Pike also commented on an online series promoted by the Upper Perkiomen School District on its website's Community Bulletin Board page. Be a Part of the Conversation (conversation.zone) is hosting virtual parent drug education sessions every Tuesday night at 7.

            Pike described the May 19 session dealing with cannabis as "incredible".

            For June 2nd's session, the title of the presentation is: "Have You Had the Conversation? How to talk with young children about substances."

            Project Live Secretary Erin Sweed told the Executive Committee that she is looking into the possibility of a virtual race for the group's second annual Citizens Assist 5K/5 Mile Run/Walk.

            Last fall, the inaugural event, held at Macoby Run Golf Course, netted Project Live, The Open Link and area police forces a combined $10,000. However, because of fears of a second wave of COVID-19 and uncertainty about social distancing parameters, Sweed, the race director, has been exploring other options.

            "We should probably, for this year, maybe move away from having an in-person race," Sweed said. She told the Project Live board that a virtual race could be held instead.

            Participants who register would receive shirts, bibs and participation medals through the mail. A timeframe for running the race would be established by Project Live. The virtual race relies on the honor system for recording results.

            "One of the biggest positives for this is that anybody can do it," Sweed noted.

            That might include people who couldn't bring strollers onto the golf course, people who want to walk or run with a dog, and people from out of the area.

            To replace Project Live's participation in Community Day, National Night Out and other canceled/postponed events, Project Live President Mary Rives Young is proposing a Luminaria Night for Pennsburg Square in December to bring attention to the fight against substance use disorder and to remember local victims of overdoses.

            Further discussions about the race, luminaria and other Project Live initiatives will take place in the near future.