History

The group formed in the spring of 2006 to support the parents of a teenage girl struggling with prescription pain medication addiction. The group, using the Communities That Care model, as developed by Washington State University, drew in representatives from the schools, the medical field, law enforcement, and concerned community members, and has been working to educate youth, adults and seniors, as well as targeting specific groups such as policy makers, business leaders, realtors, civic groups and representatives of the medical, education, and law enforcement fields, about the dangers of prescription pain medication abuse.

Structure

Rx4Life is currently a non-profit organization under the umbrella of the Southern Stevens County Health Care Association. The group has a board of five members that meets quarterly and a volunteer group the meets twice monthly. A part-time secretary is on the payroll, and when funds are available, the group maintains a contract for Director services.

Service Area

The immediate service area includes the Chewelah, Valley and Summit Valley School Districts in Stevens County, Washington. The group has also established regional and state-level partnerships.