Audio-Video Library

Keeping Your Home Rx Safe
October 19, 2022

More children are taken to the ER from accidental ingestion of medication than car accidents. Guest Host, Clare Kramer, is joined by Carlos Briano, Elizabeth Farrar, and WWE Star “JTG” to talk about keeping your home RX safe for kids. Locking up medications and keeping them out of sight is essential. You have to have conversations with your kids about safe medication use and who to trust giving you medicines, and you need to have this conversation often. Remind them to be safe.

Trauma and Substance Use

June 10, 2021

JoAnn Vanzant, director of UNITE Rural Health Opioid Program (RHOP), talks about trauma and addiction as part of the Kentucky River Health Consortium’s “Trauma Informed Community: Connecting Our Strengths” video series.

Fire Drill!: Camp UNITE 2021

June 17, 2021

Camp UNITE 2021: Hope Continues will be presented as a virtual experience July 27-30, 2021, but has been expanded to four days to provide many new and exciting elements.

Heroin: Drug of Sorrow

May 9, 2016

“Heroin: Drug of Sorrow” was produced in May 2016 by Hannah Gadd as part of her Girl Scout Gold Award. The video honors the memory of her uncle, who died of a heroin overdose, with the hope of helping other teens to make healthy choices concerning drug use.

Meth 101

January 14, 2021

This presentation on “Meth 101 and Polysubstance Use in Rural Communities” was given by Judge Kevin R. Mullins, Kentucky 47th Judicial District Court, during the Operation UNITE Rural Health Opioid Program (RHOP) Virtual Provider Education Summit: “Hope Continues.”

UNITE: Stronger Together

October 22, 2020

Operation UNITE primarily serves a 32-county region across southern and eastern Kentucky, but its leadership and influence extends statewide and serves as a model for the nation.

KY HELP Statewide Call Center

October 20, 2020

Kentuckians who contact the KY HELP Statewide Call Center with a substance use issue, whether it is for themselves or a loved one, receive caring, compassionate, and personalized assistance.

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Celebrating Recovery Connections

September 1, 2020

September is National Recovery Month. Lauren and Carter Hendrickson discuss the importance of recovery in this video produced for the 2021 Rx Drug Abuse & Heroin Summit.

Read their Story of Hope

Camp UNITE Dance Tutorial

July 9, 2020

Learn how to do the Camp Dance for the 2020 Virtual Camp UNITE, to be held July 21-23, 2020.

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“Walk For Recovery”

September 18, 2019

FRANKFORT – State officials, those in recovery, and recovery advocates – such as Operation UNITE – were part of more than 300 people who took part in a “Walk for Recovery” at our state Capitol on Monday, September 16, 2019.

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“Hope & Help”

September 1, 2019

Operation UNITE operates a statewide call center to help connect people in Kentucky with drug treatment and information about substance use disorders. The KY HELP Statewide Call Center is provided in conjunction with the Kentucky Justice & Public Safety Cabinet and the Kentucky Office of Drug Control Policy.

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Camp UNITE 2019

August 1, 2019

Camp UNITE 2019 was attended by 195 campers from 29 counties across southern and eastern Kentucky. Making camp possible were 216 youth and adult team leaders and volunteers. This year’s theme was “UNITE Strong: Stronger Together.” Each person has their own unique strengths and abilities. This theme reflects that working together can help identify and develop not only your strengths, but those of your peers. By combining these strengths we become more successful and have a source of support when facing life’s challenges.

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Addiction: The Allison Rose Story

July 9, 2019

Nearly a year ago, Allison Rose stood at the bench of Letcher County District Judge Kevin Mullins addicted and pregnant. It ended up being one of the best days of her life. She completed treatment at Karen’s Place Maternity Center and gave birth to a beautiful and healthy baby girl, Kayleigh Danni-Lynn Rose, on November 20, 2018. This is her story…

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Operation UNITE: Prescription for Hope

June 11, 2019

Narrated by Kentucky Fifth District Congressman Harold “Hal” Rogers, “Prescription For Hope” details the birth of Operation UNITE and the Rx Drug Abuse & Heroin Summit.

Rx Drug Abuse & Heroin Summit

June 1, 2019

Learn why the Rx Drug Abuse & Heroin Summit is the largest collaboration of professionals and advocates who have been impacted by Rx opioid abuse/diversion and heroin use.

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Camp UNITE 2018

August 1, 2019

The 12th annual Camp UNITE was conducted July 24-27, 2018, at the University of the Cumberlands. A record number of 229 campers from 28 counties, supported by 201 team leaders and adult volunteers, participated in this year’s camp. The theme for Camp UNITE 2018 was “UNITE Strong: A Voice of Hope.” This theme – emphasized with a video message from First Lady Melania Trump – reflects the ability of campers, Team Leaders, and adult volunteers to be an example for others in making positive, healthy choices – both during Camp and, especially, once they return to their homes and school environments.

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Camp UNITE 2017

August 1, 2017

The 11th annual Camp UNITE was held July 25-28, 2017 on the University of the Cumberlands campus in Williamsburg. This year’s theme was “UNITE STRONG: Heroes of H.O.P.E. (Helping Others by Positive Example).” Throughout the week, youth experienced many fun activities designed to develop leadership and communication skills, promote teamwork and problem solving, instill confidence and trust, and – perhaps most important – let youth know they do not have to face difficult situations alone.

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KET: Inside Opioid Addiction

Stopping Drug Use Before It Starts

July 14, 2017

Kentucky Educational Television’s (KET’s) Renee Shaw and her guests – including Kentucky 5th District Congressman Harold “Hal” Rogers, UNITE Deputy Director Tom Vicini, and Carter County UNITE Coalition Co-Chair Shelly Steiner – explore the issue of substance use prevention among adolescents on Health Three60. The program looks at the importance of messaging, positive youth development, mental health screening, community coalitions, parent education and more. This program, which includes interviews from the 2017 National Rx Drug Abuse & Heroin Summit, is part of KET’s ongoing Inside Opioid Addiction Initiative.

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Shoot Hoops Not Drugs

July 1, 2017

An overview of the Shoot Hoops Not Drugs basketball camps, prepared following the regional camps in 2017. Shoot Hoops camps provide school-age youth an opportunity to interact with positive role models, receive positive life-skill and self-esteem messages that emphasize the importance for them to stay drug-free, all while receiving basic basketball skills instruction.

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KET: Inside Opioid Addiction

Sharing Stories, Spreading Hope – Youth Counselors of Camp UNITE

May 3, 2017

As part of their continuing coverage of the devastating opioid epidemic in Kentucky, the KET field crew goes to Camp UNITE to learn about the kids affected by the disease of addiction. At the University of the Cumberlands, Camp UNITE campers and counselors learn to share their stories of loss and hope and find healing in the strength of each other. This is a look at some of those stories.

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KET: Inside Opioid Addiction

Journey To Recovery

February 20, 2017

Carl Varney and Matt Lacefield are among the thousands of Kentuckians who have struggled with opioid use disorder over the past quarter-century. There are few, if any, people in the commonwealth who have not been affected by the opioid crisis. Since the 1990s, the crisis has grown alongside a national epidemic that claimed over 30,000 lives in 2015. Among the hardest hit states, Kentucky has also been a national leader in finding solutions to curb the epidemic.

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KET

Inside Opioid Addiction Forum

February 20 2017

In conjunction with the Journey to Recovery documentary, KET hosted a town hall, the Inside Opioid Addiction Forum, which brought together policy makers, medical professionals, and advocates for recovery to discuss the opioid crisis in Kentucky. The program was hosted by KET’s Renee Shaw.

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SOAR IGNITE

October 6, 2016

Operation UNITE Deputy Director Tom Vicini presents an IGNITE discussion on using physical activity as a drug prevention tool during the opening reception of SOAR’s first Appalachian Health Hack-a-thon in Somerset, KY, on October 6, 2016.

 

Hooked On Fishing-Not On Drugs

May 25, 2016

Comments about the value of Operation UNITE’s youth initiatives, including the UNITE Service Corps (AmeriCorps) and UNITE Clubs, to help prevent substance abuse. Comments were recorded during a Hooked On Fishing-Not On Drugs (HOFNOD) program at the Fishy Business Pay Lake in Pike County on May 25, 2016.

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KET: Inside Opioid Addiction

UNITE Drug Effort Featured on KET

March 2016

From the 2016 National Rx Drug Abuse & Heroin Summit in Atlanta, Kentucky Educational Television’s Bill Goodman speaks with U.S. Congressman Harold “Hal” Rogers (R-KY 5th District) and Jackie Steele, Commonwealth’s Attorney for Kentucky’s 27th Judicial District and vice-chair of the Operation UNITE Board of Directors.

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KET: Inside Opioid Addiction

UNITE Shines in National Spotlight

March 2016

Kentucky Educational Television produced this hour-long program featuring excerpts from the fifth annual National Rx Drug Abuse & Heroin Summit, held in Atlanta March 28-31, 2016. The program includes remarks by President Barack Obama, U.S. Rep. Harold “Hal” Rogers (KY-5th), U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek H. Murthy, and an interview with Nancy Hale, President/CEO of Kentucky-based Operation UNITE.

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“Give Me A Reason”

August 13, 2014

Interviews that explain the reason behind UNITE’s “Give Me A Reason” initiative.

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StoryCorps Conversations

During the 5th Annual National Rx Drug Abuse & Heroin Summit held March 28-31, 2016, in Atlanta, Georgia, UNITE contracted with StoryCorps – America’s oral history project – to compile stories related to the country’s opioid epidemic. These interviews will ultimately be archived in the American Folklife Center of the Library of Congress.

Produced by Dan Collison with interviews recorded by StoryCorps at the National Rx Drug Abuse & Heroin Summit, March 28-31, 2016. To learn more about StoryCorps, visit their website at storycorps.org.

Rogers-Handy

“They were alleging that we had widespread abuse of Oxycontin. I didn’t believe it…”

Kentucky 5th District Congressman Harold “Hal” Rogers tells his friend Tom Handy why he founded Operation UNITE, a first of its kind effort at combating painkiller abuse in southern and eastern Kentucky. Handy is chairman of the UNITE Board of Directors.

White-Elswick

“At that time in my life, I can only describe that as I was a forest fire burning out of control…”

Tony White, Program Director of the Morehead Intervention Center of Pathways, Inc., discusses his journey from addiction to long-term recovery and the work he now does to help other people struggling with addiction with Shelly Elswick, who has a son in recovery from a heroin addiction.

Karen & Kristen Perry

“He had a heart of gold. If someone wanted something, he’d give you the shirt off his back…”

Karen Perry talks about losing her son, Richie, to a heroin overdose with her daughter-in-law, Kristen Perry. Karen Perry helped found the NOPE (Narcotics Overdose Prevention & Education) Task Force after Richie’s death.

Cook-Saunders

“These babies were carrying the flag of the substance abuse problem in the United States…”

Friends Kyle Cook and Carla Saunders, both neonatal nurse practitioners at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital, talk about their pioneering work specializing in neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) – newborns experiencing withdrawals related to their mothers’ substance use.

The following version of this StoryCorps interview aired on National Public Radio Saturday, September 16, 2017. To learn more or download script, click here.

Falkinburg-Volkow

“There was just so little understanding of addiction and alcoholism, and especially for youth and young people…”

Kimber Lee Falkinburg talks with Dr. Nora Volkow, Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, about her addiction and eventual recovery. Ms. Falkinburg is Director of Young People In Recovery, an organization that has chapters all across the country to support young people in or seeking recovery by empowering them to obtain stable employment, secure suitable housing, and continue and complete their educations.

Cooper-Rovero

“When you experience such tragedy and loss and you’re just trying to survive, you were my lifeboat…”

Amy Cooper and April Rovero, mothers who both lost sons to prescription drug abuse, talk about their friendship and the importance of advocacy work in helping them heal from their losses. We hear first from Ms. Cooper, now Outreach Coordinator for the National Coalition Against Prescription Drug Abuse, who contacted Ms. Rovero, Executive Director for the National Coalition Against Prescription Drug Abuse, after the death of her son, Jon.

“I Am UNITE”

January 24, 2014

Interviews with early “I Am UNITE” Scholarship recipients Hannah Eaton and Avery Bradshaw, along with now-UNITE President/CEO Nancy Hale and Kentucky 5th District Congressman Harold “Hal” Rogers, about the value and importance of these scholarships.

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Fire In The Mountains

October 18, 2012

Promotional event for an event to bring churches together to lift one voice up to Heaven in prayer for the drug problem. Simultaneous venues in Pikeville, KY at the Expo Center, Corbin, KY at the Old Civic Center, and Somerset, KY at the Somerset Christian School, give you an opportunity to join us in prayer! Come to one of these locations on November 18, 2012, at 3 pm!

 

 

Thank you Toyota!

January 18, 2012

Operation UNITE won a new Highlander thanks to Toyota’s “100 Cars for Good!” promotion thanks to support from thousands of supporters.

View UNITE’s Facebook video entry

Read story about victory

Read story about presentation

View photos from presentation

In Their Own Words

November 10, 2009

You know the victims. It has become their way of life. If you think you are immune, you’re not. This is the story of an entire generation suffering at the hands of addiction. To fully understand, we must listen. This is reality. Listen to personal stories from Billy, Hannah, Ashley, Chris and Crystal.

Fire In The Mountains

October 18, 2012

Promotional event for an event to bring churches together to lift one voice up to Heaven in prayer for the drug problem. Simultaneous venues in Pikeville, KY at the Expo Center, Corbin, KY at the Old Civic Center, and Somerset, KY at the Somerset Christian School, give you an opportunity to join us in prayer! Come to one of these locations on November 18, 2012, at 3 pm!

 

 

Declare Hope

October 2008

Believing that strong families are key to healthy, safe and thriving communities, the Focus on the Family organization partnered with Operation UNITE to launch a new initiative in southern and eastern Kentucky. To kick-off this partnership, two regional “Declare Hope” family strengthening summits were held – Friday, October 17, at Allen Baptist Church in Prestonsburg and Saturday, October 18, at Pulaski County High School in Somerset.