SAMA newsletter

I just got SAMA's February newsletter and it contains two good articles about Prescription Drug Awareness Day and the Secure Medicine Return Bill in Olympia.

Another blog

I was just at the CADCA website looking for information on an upcoming webinar, when I came across their National Coalition Institute's Blog. Not only does it contain useful information for coalitions but it lists links to other coalition and prevention-related websites (including this one).

What is "environmental" prevention?

A term that people involved with underage drinking and youth substance abuse prevention hear a lot these days is "environmental strategies". These types of strategies are aimed at changing the environment in which substance abuse can occur. It's more than a one-time program, it's changing the community in which we live. By altering the environment in our neighborhoods, we can impact behaviors and decisions regarding substance abuse.

Learn more for free and from the comfort of your own desk . . .

The Path to Community Change
A free webcast program
Thursday, March 26, 2009
10:00 - 11:00 Pacific Time

Learning Objectives:
1. Learn what an environmental strategy is and how to implement them.
2. See how applying environmental strategies can impact substance abuse.
3. Discover why it takes a group to implement true change.
4. Learn the seven strategies to affect community change.

Register by clicking here.

CADCA previously did some webinars on environmental strategies. Here are a few resources they provided:

PowerPoint on Environmental Strategies
A new publication about environmental strategies
"Roots of Environmental Strategies: A Public Health Model"
Example of a community implementing environmental strategies

Other coalitions in WA

Prevention Works in Seattle (formerly NE Seattle Coalition to Prevent Underage Drinking) is one of twelve coalitions in Washington funded by a SPF-SIG grant from the Division of Alcohol and Substance Abuse (DASA). DASA's February edition of "Focus" highlights the activities and accomplishments of a few coalitions in eastern Washington.

Asotin City Council Supports Youth Coalition (page 8) describes how the city council in this town in the southeast corner of the state voted to support the vision, mission, and goals of their local coalition.

The Science of the Positive: Social Norms Marketing (last page) describes how three coalition's are working with Jeff Linkenbach to create social norms marketing campaigns.

60 Minutes story about drinking age

This Sunday, February 22 at 7:00 p.m., 60 Minutes (CBS) will air a segment about "The Debate on Lowering the Drinking Age".

MADD has a good website about why the drinking age should stay 21.

In September, on behalf of the coalition, I submitted an opinion piece to The Seattle Times that was published in its online version.

If, as a country, we expand this debate about the drinking age, I encourage everyone who participates to be respectful of differing opinions and to ask ourselves what is best for our children and our communities. Remember that many prevention programs have been proved to reduce underage drinking rates, including among 18-21 year-olds and on college campuses.

Update: Social Emotional Learning Bill

I originally posted information about House Bill 1162-2009-10, providing for social emotional learning in public schools, on January 30.

A substitute version of the bill was voted out of the House Education Committee on February 10. The new version focuses on starting a Social Emotional Learning (SEL) account under the Secretary of State for funds to be deposited from both public and private entities. As they are available, the funds will be administered by the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to provide SEL resources to Washington's schools.

A public hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, February 25, 8:00 a.m.

Peter Block at CADCA Forum

One of the highlights of the 19th Annual CADCA Leadership Forum was listening to Peter Block's plenary session talk. He talked about creating public conversations that are not based on what is wrong with our communities and our youth, which focus on blame and deficiencies, but to focus on what is right with our communities and our youth and to build on those strengths. Community conversations that can create positive change should be about:

-- how citizens can take ownership of their communities;

-- what possibilities exist, focusing on the positive;

-- commitment to the community;

-- what gift each individual has to offer (it's not about the money). "Youth are gifts waiting to be delivered."

Check out www.technologyinprevention.blogspot.com -- LaDonna Coy has a good post about his presentation.

Peter Block's talk was preceded by an invigorating presentation by Karen M. Carpenter-Palumbo, Commissioner of the New York State Office of Alcohol and Substance Abuse Services. She spoke passionately about the need for agencies and organizations to work together on common issues -- "communities of solution".

General coalition meeting 2/23

The next general meeting of Prevention Works In Seattle (formerly NE Seattle Coalition to Prevent Underage Drinking) will take place

Monday, February 23,
12:45 - 2:15 p.m.,
Eckstein Middle School, P10

The agenda includes reviewing new data to update our community assessment and planning for increased "environmental" strategies for the Drug Free Communities grant.

All coalition meetings are open to everyone interested in reducing underage drinking and youth substance use/abuse.

Interested in participating in the coalition but can't make daytime meetings? Consider joining one of the coalition workgroups. Active workgroups include:

• Media Advocacy Workgroup
• Parenting Workgroup
• Drug Free Homes Parent Pledge Workgroup
• Funding & Sustainability Workgroup
• Enforcement & Consequences Roundtable.

Except for the Roundtable, all workgroups meet in the evening.

CADCA Leadership Forum

Last week, Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) hosted its 19th annual Leadership Forum in the Washington, DC area. Prevention Works In Seattle/NE Seattle Coalition to Prevent Underage Drinking sent nine Nathan Hale High School students and two coalition members/chaperones to the conference.

One of the most exciting and important parts of the forum is Capitol Hill Day, when coalitions meet with their federal representatives. The Seattle delegation, including the Hale students, met with Representative Jim McDermott and his Chief of Staff, Mike DeCesare. We spoke about the drug and alcohol issues affecting our communities and how Rep. McDermott can best support our work. Here's a photo of our Hale group with Rep. McDermott:

Among the topics we discussed is the need for continued federal funding of drug/alcohol prevention programs in Seattle. Many of our prevention programs, including coalitions, rely on funds from the Office of National Drug Control Policy and the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention.

The entire Washington State delegation (80+ of us!) met with Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, but I'll blog about that later.

Monitoring teenagers

One way for parents to prevent alcohol and drug use among their children is to know where they are and what they will be doing during unsupervised time. Research shows that teens with unsupervised time are three times more likely to use marijuana and other drugs. Unsupervised teens are also more likely to engage in risky behaviors such as underage drinking, sexual activity, and cigarette smoking than other teens.

SAVE THE DATE! Join parents in our community to learn more about monitoring skills . . .

Monday, March 23
7:00 - 8:30 p.m.
Eckstein Middle School

This free parenting forum will feature Dr. David Hawkins, developer of Guiding Good Choices, and time will be set aside for parents to discuss with other parents their concerns and solutions when it comes to monitoring teenage children.