Heroin use continues to be a problem for our area. The Indiana Youth Institute says that a 2016 survey from the Indiana Prevention Resource Center shows heroin use among students in its southeast Indiana region, which includes Bartholomew County, peaks during the junior year of high school. According to the survey, 0.4-percent of Indiana high-school juniors try heroin, compared to 0.3-percent in the Southeast Region.

In response to the problem, the Indiana Youth Institute and the Bartholomew County Council for Youth Development are hosting a “Youth Worker Café” to discuss the issue. It will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday, at YES Cinema in Columbus.

The forum, as well as a lunch, are free, but reservations are required. You can register at www.iyi.org/ywc or email Outreach Manager Debbie Jones at [email protected].