Youth Voices Program:  Small Grants For Host Organizations:  The Youth Voices program is a proven strategy to:  

• identify, organize and support youth who choose not to use tobacco, alcohol or other drugs
• help them take action to prevent tobacco, alcohol, and other drug use

HCCA wants to expand the involvement of youth in tobacco, alcohol or other drug use prevention, and is offering small grants ($1800 each) to host organizations (Schools/After School Programs, Etc) that want to create new or sustain existing Youth Voices programs. 

Underage/Unsafe Drinking Work Group Successfully Formed: Kicked off by Presentation by Steve Rowe, AG

A group of about 30 people from across the HCCA service area have been meeting for the last five months to

• identify low-cost/no-cost practices that work to reduce underage drinking and binge drinking,
• stimulate planning for the implementation of at least one or two strategies that would, community by community, add significantly to current efforts. 

Small teams from four communities (Winthrop, Augusta, the Maranacook School District, and Monmouth) have begun work on specific follow-up projects.  In addition, HCCA has begun working on several local service area-wide* (cross-community) initiatives, to be implemented over the next several months.

The titans of the underage drinking public awareness world in central Maine, this season, are the members of the Winthrop Underage Drinking Workgroup.  This group formed in April for a time-limited effort to get the word out to parents and teens about the risks they face regarding under age drinking, and alternative actions to take. 

1. published articles in the local paper
2. distributed Parent Media Campaign bookmarks through 12 area businesses
3. arranged for PSAs and interviews through local radio and TV outlets
4. done face-to-face hand-outs at a local school event
5. obtained message support from Attorney General Steve Rowe;
6. and they had some fun doing it. 

Our hat is off to Co-chairs Megan Antonucci and Tina Gomberg, as well as all the members of this dynamic group.  For more information, contact: Megan Antonucci <meganton@roadrunner.com>
 

• Those most likely to know?  Single parent moms of teens who are using tobacco (about 61% of the time). 
• Least likely to know?  Fathers in two-parent households of teens who are using marijuana (about 31% of the time). 

1. learn about the program
2. serve as local mentors/coaches to convenience store managers who want to use the program. 

A small stipend plus travel reimbursement will be provided to community members who serve in this role.
 
2. Substance Abuse Coalition Members Being Recruited:  Southern Kennebec County needs a local service-area* wide coalition of organizations and individual community members who will:  

1. monitor the size and nature of substance abuse (including alcohol, drug and tobacco) in our area,
2. oversee and guide the implementation of program and services to reduce this problem, and
3. monitor policy issues and educate  for policy changes-locally and statewide--that can make a difference. 

Local volunteers are being recruited to serve one or two year terms on this group. 
  

*Local Service Area includes: Augusta, Chelsea, Farmingdale, Gardiner, Hallowell, Litchfield, Manchester, Monmouth, Mount Vernon, Pittston, Randolph, Readfield, Richmond, Vienna, Wayne, West Gardiner, Windsor and Winthrop