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Save the Dates
April 28th - DEA National Rx Take Back
May 13th - 19th - Buckle Up NH Week
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Submit a request for your event to be added to the CATS calendar.
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CATS Staff
Sue Centner
Director
Paula Galvin, M.Ed.
Assistant Director
Kaitlyn Clarke,
Youth Coordinator
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Community Alliance for Teen Safety is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. Our mission is to promote safe habits for all youth by increasing awareness of high-risk behaviors, encouraging healthy choices, and fostering community alliances.
www.catsnh.org
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March 2012
What are synthetic drugs and what do they do? As the Partnership at Drug-free.org states in the introduction to its new informational kit for parents, "the drug scene is constantly changing, so it's important to know what to look for, what the street names are and what the effects of K2/Spice and 'bath salts' are in order to talk with your kids." This new kit is available on their web site.
Use of synthetic drugs can have serious health consequences. Some of these substances are legally sold in NH making it critically important to be aware of the risks. The DEA continues its effort to make synthetic drugs illegal but the labs that produce it can quickly change the formula thus making it legal again for sale. Please share this information with others to help reduce the chances a young person will experiment with synthetic drugs.
Best regards,
Sue Centner
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Don't Depend on Dumb Luck
Designate a Sober Driver Before the Party Begins!
- For many Americans, St. Patrick's Day (defined for traffic study purposes as 6 p.m. March 16 to 5:59 a.m. March 18) has become a popular night out to celebrate with friends and family.Unfortunately, due to the large volume of drunk drivers, the night out has also become very dangerous.
- In 2009, there were 103 crash fatalities on St. Patrick's Day.
- Of these fatalities, 37 percent involved alcohol-impaired drivers and/or motorcyclists with blood alcohol concentrations of .08 grams per deciliter or higher.
- Whether meeting a few friends at the local pub after work or attending the local parade or party, if you plan on drinking alcohol, please don't drive.
Following these easy steps, drivers can enjoy a safe and festive holiday without jeopardizing their lives and the lives of others who may be on the road.
- Plan a safe way home before the festivities begin and designate a sober driver.
- If you're impaired, use a taxi, call a sober friend or family member, or use public transportation so you are sure to get home safely.
- If you happen to see a drunk driver on the road, don't hesitate to contact your local law enforcement.
- And remember, if you know people who are about to drive or ride while impaired, take their keys and help them make other arrangements to get to where they are going safely.
Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
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Dietary Guidelines for Americans & MyPlate
Source: USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans are jointly issued and updated every 5 years by the Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). They provide authoritative advice for Americans ages 2 and older about consuming fewer calories, making informed food choices, and being physically active to attain and maintain a healthy weight, reduce risk of chronic disease, and promote overall health. MyPlate was introduced last year to replace the Food Pyramid icon.
MyPlate helps individuals use the Dietary Guidelines to:
- Make smart choices from every food group.
- Find balance between food and physical activity.
- Get the most nutrition out of calories.
- Stay within daily calorie needs.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans describe a healthy diet as one that:
- Emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products;
- Includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts; and
- Is low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars.
Visit chooseMyPlate.gov to learn more and to use the variety of resources. The site offers everything from healthy eating tips to food group recipes to personalized planners and tracking.
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CATS UpdatesSue Centner, with the assistance of SFC Andrew Lane and SGT Patrick McGinnis of the NH National Guard Counter-Drug Task Force, presented before the Derry Village Rotary on February 21st. The presentation highlighted the trends from the Making Good Choices survey. The MGC is an annual survey (since 2001) of perceptions, attitudes, and behavior related to substance use that is administered to all middle school students in Derry. The trend data indicates that prevention efforts can make a positive difference.
Rotary members in attendance were asked to share their perceptions about the prevalence of substance use by local youth. The Task Force, comprised of Army and Air National Guard members, works with community-based coalitions to provide support for its efforts and programs focused on drug prevention. It also offers a variety of educational prevention programs and presentations for youth.
2011 survey results indicate:
ALCOHOL * Drinking is down significantly over the past decade and the past year. * Other alcohol indicators are also down, especially the belief that it is easy for teens to access alcohol in the community (including at home). TOBACCO * Smoking is down significantly over the past decade and the past year. * Other tobacco indicators are also down, especially the belief that it is easy for teens to access tobacco in school and in the community (including at home). MARIJUANA * Marijuana use is also down over the past decade and past year, although the declines are not as strong as for alcohol and cigarettes. 
Look for CATS at the following community events: March 17th, Derry Farmers Market, 11:00 to 3:00 PM, West Running Brook School, Derry April 24th, Senior Health Fair, 9:30 to 1:00 PM, West Running Brook School, Derry
Don't forget to view the short video entitled "Have You Seen Alex?". The video was created by the regional youth prevention group Cool Kids Task Force to raise awareness of the dangers of underage drinking.
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211 NH
2-1-1 is an easy to remember telephone number
that connects callers, at no cost, to information about
critical health and human services available in their community.
2-1-1 NH is an initiative led by United Ways of
New Hampshire (UWNH), an organization that represents
the 7 United Ways across the state, in partnership with
Public Service of New Hampshire (PSNH), and the
State of New Hampshire.
Residents in New Hampshire can contact 2-1-1 NH toll-free by dialing 2-1-1 in state or 1-866-444-4211 from out of state.
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