UPCOMING EVENTS:
Student Intervention and Reintegration Program (SIRP)
Classes; April 27-30 & May 26-29:
Held after school at Gardiner Area High
School.
These classes are offered
to youth who want to learn how to make better choices concerning use of alcohol
and other drugs. Referrals are accepted
from students, parents, school officials, and others working with youth. For more information about the program, and
to register, call Marie Haywood at AdCare Educational Institute: 621-2549.
(http://www.neias.org/sirp.html)
Inhalant Abuse:
It's Right Under Your Nose; April 27th: Spectacular Event Center, Bangor;
April 29th, Trade Winds Inn, Rockland. Presented By: Rebecca
Miller, RN, Education Coordinator, Northern New England Poison Center. According to the 2008 Maine Youth Drug and
Alcohol Use Survey, 11% of Maine students, grades 6-12, reported that they have
abused inhalants. The goal of this training is to acquaint participants with
the nature and patterns of inhalant abuse and provide them with effective
prevention strategies, tools, messages and resources. http://www.neias.org/inhprev09.html
5th Annual Youth Anti-Tobacco Summit; Thursday &
Friday, April 30 & May 1:
Held at the Augusta Civic Center: A
skill building event and celebration for youth wanting to take action against
tobacco use-arguably, the most dangerous drug in America! weblink: http://myan.org/myan3/projects/summit/index.php
2nd Annual Medication and Hazardous Household
Waste Take-Back Day; Saturday, May 16: Augusta Public Works Department
(North Street): Sponsored by KVCOG.
Community pharmacies, and MaineGeneral Medical Center. Pre-register with your local town office for
a drop-off time. For more information http://www.kvcog.org/
.
Dennis Embry Is Coming to Maine! Thursday,
May 21: South Portland High School:
Dennis Embry, highly energetic
nationally acclaimed researcher and speaker, will offer parents and
professionals four simple, scientifically proven strategies to help our
children grow up happier and more healthy. For more information http://www.21reasons.org/events/dennisembryevent.html
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Our Towns
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Augusta
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Chelsea
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Farmingdale
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Fayette
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Gardiner
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Hallowell
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Litchfield
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Manchester
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Monmouth
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Mt. Vernon
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Pittston
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Randolph
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Readfield
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Richmond
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Vienna
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Wayne
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W. Gardiner
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Windsor
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Winthrop |
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HCCA
Board of Directors
Mary Francis Bartlett
Rebecca West Dick, Chair
Cindy T. Flye
Rob Gordon
Chuck Hays, Treasurer
Bill McKenna
William McPeck, Vice Chair
Kathi Wall
Jim Wood, Secretary
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Substance Abuse Prevention Update
for Southern Kennebec County
Enhancing the
quality of life in our communities is central to our purpose. Our
newsletter's goal is to provide you with resources to connect with others
and resources to improve lives. We hope you will find the information
presented here useful and informative.
This issue provides an update of some of the key substance abuse prevention
projects that are on-going in our area, and some up-coming events of interest
to people concerned about substance abuse issues.
For an overview of HCCA Substance Abuse Prevention projects and
programs, link to http://healthycommunitiesme.org/substanceabuse.html
All our newsletters are permission only. You are
receiving it because we have an established relationship with you. If you do
not want to receive future newsletters, please activate the
"SafeUnsubscribe" link at end of the newsletter.
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Want to Take Action That Will REALLY Make a
Difference? Here's How:
The Office of Substance
Abuse has just released a detailed analysis of the latest Maine Youth Alcohol and Drug Use Survey (MYDAUS). It says,
in Kennebec County:
- Students
who think that alcohol is easy to get are 4 times more likely to use alcohol
- Students
who don't think that they will be caught by the police for drinking
alcohol are 5 times more likely to
use alcohol
- Students
who don't think they'll be caught by their parents for drinking alcohol
are 5 times more likely to use
alcohol
The clear message to the community? Of all the things that we can do to address
this problem, these things are among the most important:
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Retailers: Keeping alcohol out of the hands of youth
(and those who will give alcohol to youth)
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Parents: Supporting-and insisting-that your teens make
healthy choices
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Schools: Consistently enforce alcohol and drug
policies
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Law Enforcement: Consistently enforce Maine's underage
drinking laws
Thanks to everyone who is already taking these actions
across our service area!
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Regional Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition Expands Its
Membership; Formalizes Its Mission
The Southern Kennebec Substance Abuse Workgroup (SAWG),
which convened to complete a 6-month capacity-building project last year, has
expanded its membership, adopted a mission statement, and created a regional
and local workplan. Twenty-six (26)
community leaders, representing 12 different sectors of the community signed
formal memorandums of agreement in February, in connection with the preparation
of an application for funding from the federal Office National Drug Control
Policy (ONDCP).
Going forward, this group will meet 4-6 times per year to
plan and take action to prevent substance abuse in southern Kennebec
County-focusing on alcohol, illicit drugs, prescription drugs, and
tobacco. Look for more information about
this group, as it is posted, on the HCCA website. |
Local Communities Plan Substance Abuse Prevention Actions
Local groups are developing comprehensive approaches to
youth substance abuse issues in two southern Kennebec County communities: Winthrop and the towns served by the
Maranacook School District. Each group,
separately, has focused on four goals:
- reducing access to alcohol and other drugs;
- increasing awareness
(among parents and youth) of the risks of use;
- increase the understanding
among youth that there will be consequences for use; and
- helping youth who
have made unhealthy choices learn the skills to make better choices.
Congratulations to the school leadership at
Winthrop and Maranacook for convening these conversations-and pushing forward
with specific, focused plans!
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Youth Voices Groups Speak Out In Many Ways This Winter
Youth substance abuse prevention advocates from Gardiner,
Augusta and Winthrop have been active the last few months. Youth groups have partnered with retailers on
Sticker Shock events, and reviewed the latest results from the Maine Youth Drug and Alcohol Survey (MYDAUS).
Thanks to all our youth groups for their hard work!
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Special Thanks
Joyce's Restaurant,Water St., Hallowell, for hosting
the April 6th Alcohol Seller/Server Training for bars and
restaurants in southern Kennebec County. Frank Lyons, from BC Consulting, provided
participants with important information about how to minimize the risks of
selling alcohol in today's world.
Youth and Family Services and 92 Moose: Youth and
Family Services staffer Lisa Larrabee and Julie Beaulieu at 92 Moose and B-98.5
organized a radio Public Service Announcement (PSA) campaign about underage
drinking, to be aired in May. A strong
group of youth and adults from our area who are passionate about this issue had
a chance to record THEIR message to the community. Their voices are being added to those of
other advocates from northern Kennebec County and Somerset County. Thanks to Lisa, Julie, and all those people
who have taped their message.
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Thank
you for your time and attention. Please contact us if we can be of assistance
in supporting your southern Kennebec County communities' quality of life!
We hope you found the information presented here useful and
informative. Please send comments and suggestions for improvement to the
contact information below.
Sincerely,
Joanne E.A. Joy, Director &
Neill Miner, Substance
Abuse Prevention Program Director
Healthy Communities of the Capital Area
Send comments to:
Karen Tucker, Project Coordinator
ktucker@mcd.org or 207
588-5012
All our newsletters are permission only. You are receiving this because
we have an established relationship with you. If you do not want to
receive future newsletters, please activate the "safeunsubscribe"link
at the end of the newsletter.
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