The Taylorville Kiwanis Club heard from the Taylorville Police Chief about the “Safe Passage” treatment program,  during the weekly meeting at the Taylorville Moose Lodge on Tuesday.

Dwayne Wheeler outlined the founding and history of the program that enables those who are drug or alcohol addicted, to come to any police station in Christian County, to get the help they need.

Wheeler told Kiwanis members the program originated in Massachusetts, with Dixon, Illinois police officials learning about it and founded the program there with the assistance of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.

Wheeler reached out to them when he heard about it, and founded the “Safe Passage” program in Taylorville.  He has since reached out to police departments thru-out the county, and is assisting those who show up at a local police station needing drug or alcohol treatment.

Wheeler gave a local example of a "Safe Passage" success story.

Wheeler told the Kiwanis Club that 2 co-directors, Debbie Price and Denise Evans, volunteered their time to get it off the ground, and are now paid thanks to grants from the Taylorville Memorial Hospital Foundation and the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority.

Over 550 people have been helped by the “Safe Passage” program since July First, 2019.

The Taylorville Kiwanis Club is part of a global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world one child and one community at a time.  Weekly meetings are held Tuesdays at noon at the Taylorville Moose Lodge.  For information on the club, go to taylorvillekiwanis.com.