CHCW, Safe Yakima, and Yakima Health District Partner to Expand Safe Medication Disposal in Yakima Valley

March 29th 2019 Yakima media event kicks off launch of new drug take-back kiosk and take back envelope pilot program

YAKIMA, WA –Community Health of Central Washington (CHCW), is pleased to announce that it has partnered with Safe Yakima Valley and Yakima Health District to provide a safe location for medication disposal. Thanks to this new partnership, Yakima Valley has access to a new, year-round safe medication disposal kiosk at Central Washington Family Medicine’s clinic at 1806 W. Lincoln Ave in Yakima.

 

 

Medication Disposal Kiosk

The new permanent safe medication disposal kiosk, allows consumers to safely and conveniently dispose of unwanted, unused or expired prescriptions, including controlled substances such as opioids, non-controlled and over-the-counter medicines, year-round at no cost. The kiosk is available during regular pharmacy hours and offers a safe, convenient way to ensure medications are not accidentally used or intentionally misused by someone else. Hours are Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

MedSafe’s Take Away Medication Recovery System Envelopes

In addition, CHCW is launching a take back medication recovery pilot program at their Highland and Naches clinics using MedSafe’s Take Away Medication Recovery System Envelopes, the clinics will be able to facilitate the proper disposal of unused or expired medications, and they will accept both controlled substances and non-controlled medications. Once sealed and mailed, the envelopes are sent to an approved medication incinerator, where a licensed law enforcement official oversees the safge and environmentally-friendly disposal process. The envelopes are fully compliant with the DEA’s recently issued Secure and Responsible Drug Disposal Act of 2010 (“Disposal Act”). .

Special Guests: Attendees include Britni Green, Pharmacy Director, and Trevor Barritt, PR & Marketing Manager of CHCW; Judge Kelley Olwell, Board President of Safe Yakima Valley of DOH; Verlynn Best, President/CEO of Yakima Chamber of Commerce; Lizbeth Maceda Community Coalition Project Coordinator of Highland Community Coalition; and Andre Fresco and Lilian Bravo of Yakima Health District.

The kiosks are funded by a joint effort equally provided by CHCW and Safe Yakima/Yakima Health District.

“We are proud to work with organizations from throughout the community to make it even easier for people to dispose of their unwanted medications and kickoff disposal kiosks for our Yakima community and a take back envelope program for communities of Highland/Cowiche/Tieton through our Naches and Highland Clinics,” says Mike Maples, MD, CEO, Community Health of Central WA.  “In an effort to improve safety among our communities the additional service will increase public safety and decrease crime.”
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