Seventeen years isn’t just a number — it’s a story of dedication, growth, and the countless ways Joan Webb Scornaienchi made a difference in Howard County while serving as the Executive Director of HC DrugFree. Here’s to the legacy she built and the inspiration she continues to share every day. Watch the slideshow below! After…
Columbia, MD — The Board of Directors of HC DrugFree is announcing a leadership transition. After 17 years of dedicated service as Executive Director, Joan Webb Scornaienchi will transition from the Executive Director role in August 2026 and will continue supporting the organization as an Advisor to the Board and Leadership Team. During her tenure,…
HC DrugFree’s Executive Director Joan Webb Scornaienchi has been selected to serve a three-year term on the National Advisory Council on Drug Abuse (NACDA). The NACDA advises the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), one of the institutes within the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The Council provides guidance on NIDA’s research priorities and reviews…
The 2025-26 HoCo Student Film Festival was held on May 1, 2026 from 7:00-8:30 pm at the Miller Library Congratulations to this year’s talented Film Fest winners! Play the winning film in the HC DrugFree Public Service Announcement category, One Pill Can Kill, created by Srivatsa Pusuluri, Roshan Gopi, Advaith Nair, and Guru Velivelli Counterfeit…
HC DrugFree is excited to announce the successful completion of our 2026 Spring Life Skills classes! Over the past several weeks, middle and high school students came together online to learn, practice, and build the tools they need to make safe, healthy decisions throughout the school year. The Life Skills sessions focused on practical skills…
On Saturday, April 25, 2026, HC DrugFree’s Medication Collection site gathered 1,215.5 lbs of unwanted and expired medications (43 bins) for proper disposal, contributing to an impressive national total of 642,410.4 lbs (321 tons) on the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA’s) National Drug Take Back Day. HC DrugFree also distributed 103 medication lock boxes to help families store medications securely and prevent misuse. Thank you to everyone…
The dates for the Fall 2026 Guiding Good Choices® classes for parents, guardians and grandparents are as follows: (To be announced). Registration is CLOSED!!! Register here. Please include any questions or comments on the registration form. Raising preteens and teens is tough. Wouldn’t it be great if adults could take a class that taught us…
More information about future Life Skills and other classes and events will be shared in our newsletter. Quick Links: FREE! Life Skills Training for Grades 6-9 (and slightly younger/older). Also, looking for High School Student Assistants! Classes taught by HoCo-raised college students. We will consider students younger than 6th grade, especially if they are the sibling/friends…
Counterfeit prescription pills are becoming an increasingly serious threat in our community. Many are laced with illegal fentanyl and other dangerous substances, and too often, people have no idea what’s inside. HC DrugFree is proud to align this year’s PSA category with national public awareness efforts, including the DEA’s One Pill Can Kill campaign, to…
On Saturday, October 25, 2025, HC DrugFree’s Medication Collection site gathered 1,125 lbs of unwanted and expired medications for proper disposal, contributing to an impressive national total of 571,054 lbs (286 tons) on the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA’s) National Drug Take Back Day. HC DrugFree also distributed 107 medication lock boxes to help families store medications securely and prevent misuse. Thank you to everyone who…
