DOWNRIVER
The Downriver chapter of FAN is engaging in a fundraising partnership activity with Rotary. For more information, click on the flyers below.
The Downriver chapter of Families Against Narcotics was founded in 2017 in response to the ongoing epidemic abuse of prescription medication (opioids) and illegal narcotics that impact communities throughout the Downriver area.
The serious nature of this issue is highlighted by the fact that in 2016 alone, over 64,000 individuals died in the U.S. as a result of overdose from an opioid related cause. In comparison, during the 10 years our Country was involved in the Vietnam War, a total of over 58,000 U.S. lives were lost. Downriver FAN membership is comprised of individuals who have experienced first-hand the tragic consequences associated with addiction, along with numerous caring members of our community that represent public safety, government, medicine, business and religion.
The volunteer members of Downriver FAN are passionate about making a difference in our communities. We are dedicated to raising awareness and educating the public, especially students and their parents, about the dangers of prescription drug and narcotic abuse.
Downriver FAN will also provide to individuals in recovery, as well as their families and friends, a place to come together for support and to fight the stigma of addiction, to obtain resources to assist those in recovery, and through the shared experiences of others, knowledge that this disease can be overcome.
We invite all to join us at our monthly forum meetings where guest speakers will provide valuable information about the causes of and treatment of addiction, along with important personal stories from individuals who have suffered the impact of this disease.
MONTHLY MEETING
3rd Thursday of the Month
6:00-8:00pm
Turning Point Clubhouse
1605 Fort St.
Lincoln Park, MI 48146
All are welcome to attend.
(Children 10 and older please.)
CONTACT US:
313-757-5136
downriver@familiesagainstnarcotics.org
EXECUTIVE BOARD
Hon. Gregory A. Clifton
President
Judge Gregory Clifton is a member of the 25th District Court which serves the communities of Lincoln Park, Ecorse, and River Rouge. As a result of the ongoing abuse of opioids and illegal narcotics, Judge Clifton and other concerned citizens determined that it was necessary to start a Downriver chapter of Families Against Narcotics to assist individuals and families in the Downriver area who are suffering from the tragedy of addiction. Judge Clifton volunteered to become the first president of Downriver FAN to provide support for those in recovery, as well as to promote the education of students and their parents about the dangers of drug abuse.
Hon. Geno Salomone
Vice President
Geno Salomone was first elected judge of the 23rd District Court in 2000. Prior to his election he was a practicing attorney, with emphasis in labor law and the public sector. He started the 23rd District Drug Treatment Court in 2002 and the Downriver Regional Sobriety Court in 2014. He has been a past president of the Wayne County District Judge’s Association. He is active in many community activities, including starting the Taylor Reading Corps, the Taylor Farmers’ Market and the Taylor Conservatory. Judge Salomone currently serves as president of the Michigan Association of Treatment Court Professionals.
Jill Blackson
Secretary
Jill Blackson is the Deputy Director of Community Care Services and is a Master Level Social Worker. Jill has worked with families, children, and adults with mental health and substance issues for over 25 years. She sits on the Beaumont Taylor Teen Health Center Advisory Board, the Beaumont Taylor Substance Abuse Task Force, and is the secretary for the Downriver Families Against Narcotics chapter. As a life-long Downriver resident, Jill has seen the devastation that this opioid epidemic has caused in these communities and looks forward to working with community partners and community residents to tackle this important issue.
Victoria Shackelford
Treasurer
Victoria Shackelford is a graduate of Eastern Michigan University and the University of Toledo's College of Law. She has been a practicing attorney for 15 years and is currently employed with the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office as an assistant prosecuting attorney. Victoria has been at the Prosecutor’s Office for five years and is currently assigned to the Homicide Unit. Prior to joining the office, she worked in private practice with a focus on criminal defense.
Victoria is an advocate for restorative justice, and prior to joining the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office, she was an original member of the 33rd District Court Sobriety Court. She worked tirelessly with judges, court administration, the probation department, and treatment providers to assist offenders suffering from substance abuse issues with rehabilitation and reintegration. Victoria was instrumental in grant writing for the program and also led informational seminars to program participants about license restoration.
Victoria is a board member of FAIR Michigan, an organization dedicated to LGBTQ rights and outreach in the state of Michigan. She is also a board member for the Assessor’s Board of Review in the City of Taylor.
BOARD MEMBERS
Thomas R. McKeown, MD, FACEP
Director
Dr. Thomas McKeown, MD, FACEP, is an Emergency Medicine Physician at Henry Ford Wyandotte Hospital. In addition he serves as medical director for 8 of the Downriver Fire Departments, and as quality director for the Department of Emergency Medicine and the hospital. He is an Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at Michigan State University and teaches medical students and residents in the emergency department. He went to medical school at Wayne State University, completed his residency at Henry Ford Hospital, and has lived in the Downriver area for many years. As a result of his work as an emergency medicine physician, he knows first-hand the effects of the opioid epidemic on the individuals, families, and community.
Simone Calvas
Director
Simone Calvas works for Beaumont Health, is a substance abuse prevention counselor, and community organizer for four coalitions Downriver: Taylor Substance Abuse Prevention Taskforce, Lincoln Park Substance Abuse Prevention Taskforce, Ecorse Community Coalition, and Downriver Anti-Trafficking Coalition. Simone brings community leaders and neighborhoods together to build bridges through education and resources. "The youth are our priority, they are our future," she says. "We cannot let them be blindsided through this epidemic of substance use and abuse."
Michelle Calvillo
Director
Michelle Calvillo is a licensed masters level school social worker who currently serves at an alternative high school in the Downriver area. She has several years of experience in assisting at-risk youth and has over 20 years of volunteer experience with community partners in the Downriver area. She began serving on the board of directors for the Downriver chapter of Families Against Narcotics upon its inception in October of 2017 and is also the chairperson of the Downriver Anti-Trafficking Coalition. Michelle grew up in the Downriver area and is passionate about raising awareness and educating communities on vital issues such as human trafficking, substance use, trauma-informed practices, and resilience.
Susan Gomolak
Director
Susan Gomolak is originally from Dearborn and currently resides in Livonia. She graduated in 1984 from Michigan State University with a B.A. in Criminal Justice. While at MSU she completed a practicum with the Ingham County Probate Court—Juvenile Division, under the supervision of an intake court referee. Susan has volunteered at a women’s shelter and for the juvenile court. She also has experience working as a loss prevention manager for Macy’s Midwest Division and working as probation/parole officer.
Susan returned back home to Dearborn in 1989 to begin a 25-year law enforcement career with the Dearborn Police Department, retiring with the rank of sergeant in 2014. While with the police department, she was assigned to various areas, including supervising the Youth Bureau, Record Bureau, and Evidence and Property Units, as well as supervising patrol teams.
Currently, Susan works part-time for a local funeral home, where she has various responsibilities. She has seen first-hand what drugs can and have done to individuals, their families, and their communities, not only through her probation and law enforcement careers, but through her current employment as well. Susan welcomes the chance to assist Families Against Narcotics with their fight against this rampant and destructive disease.
Dr. Kamal Khalil
Director
Bio coming soon.
ADVISORY BOARD
Debbie Dingell
Congresswoman
Kym Worthy
Wayne County Prosecutor
Erika Geiss
State Representative
Darlene Owens
Director, Detroit Wayne Mental Health Authority
Thomas Karnes
Mayor, City of Lincoln Park
Dr. Michael L. Gamble, M.D.
Addiction Specialist
Hon. Jennifer Coleman Hesson
33rd District Court
Terry Dangerfield
Superintendent, Lincoln Park Schools
Farah Hassoun
Doctor of Pharmacy
Dr. Joseph A. George, M.D.
Addiction Specialist--Internal Medicine
Hoon-Yung Hopgood
State Senator
Jerry Sheppard
Trinity Transportation
Jim Perry
Executive Director, Downriver Community Conference