Our Goals
The African American Opioid Coalition (AAOC) of the African American Health Network is a coalition of Black leaders representing organizations with a role to play to prevent drug harm in Dane County’s Black community. AAOC goals are: to improve the overall wellness of Black families; to educate about impacts of opioid addiction in the African American community; and to have a place at the table (not on the menu!) to inform policies and practices affecting Black families.
AAOC: know the facts
50%
50% of prescription opioids misused by African Americans obtained from a friend or relative.
3X
Overdose death rate 3x higher among Dane County’s Black residents than White
575% Higher
Increase in cocaine and opioid mortality in Black people versus 184% increase in White people.
Leaders
Charlestine “Charlie” Daniel
Founder
Affectionately called Ms. Charlie in the village. She is the Director and Founder of the African American Opioid Coalition and the program coordinator for falls prevention at Safe Communities Madison-Dane County.
She has been an advocate and ally to underrepresented groups for over 35 years. She retired from the Wisconsin Technical College System as the education director for Minority Students Participation and Displaced Homemakers. She has been the recipient of many awards in the village, including. YWCA Women of Distinction, NAACP, Community Shares Sally Sunde award, City of Madison James C. Wright award, and the Dane County Martin Luther King, Jr. award to name a few.
She is the past president of Access Community Health Centers, a member of the African American Health Network, Wisconsin Women of Color Network and the Madison Metropolitan Links, Inc. She studied at Jackson State College, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and the University of London.
Candace M. McDowell
Secretary
Candace retired with Emerita status after serving 22 years as the Assistant Dean/Director of the Multicultural Student Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
She has been volunteering and serving the community in various capacities since her retirement including her service as member and secretary for the African American Opioid Coalition.
She recently began working part time as a Project Coordinator for the African American Health Network and Vaccine Educator for UW Health.
Carola Gaines
Co-Chair
Carola is the Community Liaison Manager/Sr. Advocate, for Quartz Health Solutions.
She has worked for Quartz and UW Health for 27 years, serving Medicaid families in advocating and creating programs that support their health and assist in removing barriers to receive quality health care. Her goals are to coordinate and provide a heightened level of support to Quartz BC+ providers and BC+ membership, by implementing innovative programs to improve access to care and striving to decrease health inequities.
Carola serves on several community Boards and committees. She is Co-Chair of AAHN, Co-Chair African American Health Network, Board Chair of the Rainbow Project, Board member the Foundation for Black Women Wellness, Secretary, One City School, Chair of Safe Sleep African-American Faith base initiative and member of Dane County Health Council and several other committees. She has received numerous awards and is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.
Jewel Adams
Co-Chair
Hi, my name is Jewel Adams. My pronouns are she/her.
I have been in recovery since 08-24-2004. In addition to my work as AAOC co-chair, I am a Peer Support Specialist and Doula at Safe Communities and Community Power Building Lead at Freedom, Inc. My passion is helping others and my hobby is dancing.
My favorite part about my job is knowing I can make a difference in another person’s life when I show up for them!
Resources for Black families
- The Opioid Crisis and the Black/African American Population: An Urgent Issue -Highlighting outreach and engagement strategies for prevention, treatment, and recovery interventions, and illustrates the importance of ongoing community voice and leadership in addressing the opioid crisis.
- Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Data Spotlight – Blacks Experiencing Fast-Rising Rates of Overdose Deaths Involving Synthetic Opioids Other Than Methadone
- 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: African Americans – Data specific to African Americans based on the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) Annual Report.
- African Americans and Mental Health (American Psychiatric Association)
- African Americans Have Limited Access to Mental and Behavioral Health Care (American Psychological Association)
- African American Health (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Black and African American Communities and Mental Health
AAOC Programs
Medication lock boxes
SAFELY STORE MEDICINE
If a family member is prescribed medicines, it’s critical to keep those medicines locked up and out of reach. Safely locking up prescription medicines is an important first step to keeping family members safe. The AAOC has distributed over 500 lock boxes to community members at festivals, MedDrop Sundays and other event
MedDrop sundays
CHURCH-HOSTED
Three times each year, AAOC members, in partnership with local law enforcement, host medication collection events and distribute lock boxes to congregants after Sunday services. Thanks to the following churches for hosting MedDrop Sundays: Mt. Zion Baptist Church, Second Baptist, St. Paul AME, SS Morris AME, End Times Ministries International, Christ the Solid Rock
Recovery Support
AAOC members contribute time, resources and funding to help. They connect community members with bus passes and clothing allowances to assist with job searches, rental assistance and referrals to culturally-competent mental health and substance use disorder treatment.
Annual Black Recovery Rally
Held each September, AAOC’s Black Recovery Rally features stories of recovery and resilience. Harm reduction strategies and resources are delivered by people with lived experience from Dane County’s African American community at this inspiring event.
AAOC Partnerships
AAOC is part of the African American Health Network and also collaborates with multiple community partners.
MedDrop Locations
Peer Support Specialist
Call their 24-7 Helpline at (608) 228-1278
Overdose Aid Kit (OAK box)
Free doses of naloxone and other harm reduction resources