To all Ohio County residents:
Saturday, August 7th, 2010
The day to get rid of your stash!
It's time to get rid of your unused, unwanted and expired medicine.
More details coming soon...!
This event is organized by the Ohio County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition and the Wheeling Police Department.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Friday, June 25, 2010
International Day Against Drug Abuse (June 26)
Today, as most of us know, marks the one-year anniversary of Michael Jackson's death. The "King of Pop" was well known around the world not only for his talents, but also for his infamous battles with with drug dependence and addiction. Incidentally, tomorrow (Saturday, June 26th) is the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. For many years, countries around the world have participated in the June 26 observance of the International Day Against Drug Use. Established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1987, this day serves as a reminder of the goals agreed to by Member States of creating an international society free of drug abuse.
Whether or not you are a fan of Michael Jackson's music, no one can deny the tragedy of his singer's untimely death and the painful loss to Jackson's family, friends and fans. Unfortunately, the devastating consequences of substance abuse not only hit the celebrity world, but are becoming more of a reality for everyday folks in our communities. The difference is often that access to early intervention, treatment and recovery options for those facing drug dependence or addiction is often expensive and inaccessible for those most in need. Although drug abuse has taken a serious toll on communities around the world, there is hope in substance abuse prevention.
Community coalitions across the country are working to change local conditions which perpetuate alcohol abuse, marijuana use, prescription drug abuse and other concerns. By focusing on evidence-based prevention strategies, such as supporting underage drinking compliance checks, increasing access to treatment and recovery support through drug courts or raising awareness of the harm of sharing prescription drugs, coalitions CAN make a difference.
Preventing substance abuse before it begins is the best way to strengthen our communities and invest in our youth. Research has shown not only which prevention interventions work, but also that prevention is cost-effective. Now, communities and states are using data-driven decision-making as they decide which evidence-based programs, practices, and policies work best to keep their citizens healthy. Prevention begins at home- get involved with your local prevention coalition today!
Whether or not you are a fan of Michael Jackson's music, no one can deny the tragedy of his singer's untimely death and the painful loss to Jackson's family, friends and fans. Unfortunately, the devastating consequences of substance abuse not only hit the celebrity world, but are becoming more of a reality for everyday folks in our communities. The difference is often that access to early intervention, treatment and recovery options for those facing drug dependence or addiction is often expensive and inaccessible for those most in need. Although drug abuse has taken a serious toll on communities around the world, there is hope in substance abuse prevention.
Community coalitions across the country are working to change local conditions which perpetuate alcohol abuse, marijuana use, prescription drug abuse and other concerns. By focusing on evidence-based prevention strategies, such as supporting underage drinking compliance checks, increasing access to treatment and recovery support through drug courts or raising awareness of the harm of sharing prescription drugs, coalitions CAN make a difference.
Preventing substance abuse before it begins is the best way to strengthen our communities and invest in our youth. Research has shown not only which prevention interventions work, but also that prevention is cost-effective. Now, communities and states are using data-driven decision-making as they decide which evidence-based programs, practices, and policies work best to keep their citizens healthy. Prevention begins at home- get involved with your local prevention coalition today!
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Tobacco tax would bring in $117 million in new revenue, reduce youth smoking
CHARLESTON, W.Va., June 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A new poll released today shows that 63 percent of West Virginia voters support raising the tobacco tax by $1 per pack to help address budget shortfalls and reduce youth smoking.
This support comes from a broad-based coalition of voters, including 61 percent of Republicans, 65 percent of Democrats, and 62 percent of Independents. In addition, voters from around the state and across every demographic group strongly support the tobacco tax increase.
"Now is the time for legislators to listen to the large majority of West Virginia voters who want to raise the tobacco tax instead of cutting critical programs. These results show that, regardless of party, voters across West Virginia understand raising the tobacco tax is a smart way to address budget shortfalls and debt while protecting our kids from tobacco," said Chuck Hamsher of the American Heart Association. "Raising the tobacco tax is a win, win for West Virginia."
The survey of 500 registered West Virginia voters was released by the Coalition for a Tobacco Free West Virginia, which includes the American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, American Lung Association, and the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.
West Virginia voters also express a preference for candidates who support the tobacco tax. By a margin of 55 percent to 33 percent, voters opt for a candidate who supports the tax over one who opposes it. The preference for candidates who support the tobacco tax holds for Democrats, independents, and Republicans.
"Clearly, West Virginia voters view the tobacco tax as different than other taxes," commented Mark Mellman whose firm conducted the poll. "Far from punishing policy-makers who support the tobacco tax, they are more likely to reward them."
West Virginia voters strongly prefer the tobacco tax over other options for addressing the state's budget woes. When presented with a list of options for closing the budget gap 58% percent support increasing the tobacco tax for this purpose, while a majority opposed other options such as increasing state sales, income, or gasoline taxes, and reducing funding for health care, education, or nursing home care. Increasing the alcohol tax was the only other proposal to garner majority support.
A recent report by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and other public health organizations found that a $1 increase in West Virginia's tobacco tax would raise $117 million in new annual revenue for the state, despite the declines in smoking it would help bring about. The tax increase would also prevent 19,100 West Virginia kids from smoking, save 9,500 state residents from premature, smoking-caused deaths and save $458 million in tobacco-related health care costs (for more information, go to www.tobaccofreekids.org/winwinwin). These health benefits would be even greater if some portion of the tax is used to fund tobacco prevention and cessation programs, which are underfunded in West Virginia. Three-fourths of voters in the poll support funding prevention efforts at the level recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
West Virginia's current cigarette tax is 55 cents per pack, which ranks 44th in the nation and is well below the national average of $1.44 per pack.
The survey was conducted by the polling firm The Mellman Group. The statewide poll has a random sample of 500 registered West Virginia voters and was conducted May 8 to May 11, 2010. The poll has a margin of error of +/- 4.4 percentage points.
This support comes from a broad-based coalition of voters, including 61 percent of Republicans, 65 percent of Democrats, and 62 percent of Independents. In addition, voters from around the state and across every demographic group strongly support the tobacco tax increase.
"Now is the time for legislators to listen to the large majority of West Virginia voters who want to raise the tobacco tax instead of cutting critical programs. These results show that, regardless of party, voters across West Virginia understand raising the tobacco tax is a smart way to address budget shortfalls and debt while protecting our kids from tobacco," said Chuck Hamsher of the American Heart Association. "Raising the tobacco tax is a win, win for West Virginia."
The survey of 500 registered West Virginia voters was released by the Coalition for a Tobacco Free West Virginia, which includes the American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, American Lung Association, and the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.
West Virginia voters also express a preference for candidates who support the tobacco tax. By a margin of 55 percent to 33 percent, voters opt for a candidate who supports the tax over one who opposes it. The preference for candidates who support the tobacco tax holds for Democrats, independents, and Republicans.
"Clearly, West Virginia voters view the tobacco tax as different than other taxes," commented Mark Mellman whose firm conducted the poll. "Far from punishing policy-makers who support the tobacco tax, they are more likely to reward them."
West Virginia voters strongly prefer the tobacco tax over other options for addressing the state's budget woes. When presented with a list of options for closing the budget gap 58% percent support increasing the tobacco tax for this purpose, while a majority opposed other options such as increasing state sales, income, or gasoline taxes, and reducing funding for health care, education, or nursing home care. Increasing the alcohol tax was the only other proposal to garner majority support.
A recent report by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and other public health organizations found that a $1 increase in West Virginia's tobacco tax would raise $117 million in new annual revenue for the state, despite the declines in smoking it would help bring about. The tax increase would also prevent 19,100 West Virginia kids from smoking, save 9,500 state residents from premature, smoking-caused deaths and save $458 million in tobacco-related health care costs (for more information, go to www.tobaccofreekids.org/winwinwin). These health benefits would be even greater if some portion of the tax is used to fund tobacco prevention and cessation programs, which are underfunded in West Virginia. Three-fourths of voters in the poll support funding prevention efforts at the level recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
West Virginia's current cigarette tax is 55 cents per pack, which ranks 44th in the nation and is well below the national average of $1.44 per pack.
The survey was conducted by the polling firm The Mellman Group. The statewide poll has a random sample of 500 registered West Virginia voters and was conducted May 8 to May 11, 2010. The poll has a margin of error of +/- 4.4 percentage points.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Take Care WV Campaign (WTOV9 News Story)
Take Care WV Campaign Launched to Address RX Abuse in WV
Check out Friday's WTOV9 news story featuring Ohio County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition member Sgt. Don Miller and Community Educator Heather Markonich:
W.Va. Campaign Takes Aim At Prescription Drug Abuse Among Youth - News Story - WTOV Steubenville (Friday, June 4, 2010)
Everyone knows drugs are dangerous. But did you know that sharing prescription drugs can be just as dangerous and deadly too? Sharing prescription drugs is also illegal.
Data indicate social access (sharing) is a major contributor to the misuse of prescription drugs. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, most prescription drug abusers obtain their drugs from family and friends. In WV, 64% of nonmedical users of pain relievers reported getting the most recently used drug from a friend or relative for free, and another 7.6% reported buying them from a friend or relative.
How can YOU prevent RX abuse?
-Please don’t share prescription drugs. Only take RX medication as advised by your doctor.
-Learn more and view/listen to/download the PSAs by visiting www.takecarewv.org. Share links to the website via email and social networking sites.
-Participate in your county’s forum/discussions about RX abuse. County prevention contacts are available at www.PrevNET.org.
-Encourage your local media/businesses/schools/civic groups to run the PSAs as much as possible on their stations/websites, in their publications/newsletters, etc.
Check out Friday's WTOV9 news story featuring Ohio County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition member Sgt. Don Miller and Community Educator Heather Markonich:
W.Va. Campaign Takes Aim At Prescription Drug Abuse Among Youth - News Story - WTOV Steubenville (Friday, June 4, 2010)
Everyone knows drugs are dangerous. But did you know that sharing prescription drugs can be just as dangerous and deadly too? Sharing prescription drugs is also illegal.
Data indicate social access (sharing) is a major contributor to the misuse of prescription drugs. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, most prescription drug abusers obtain their drugs from family and friends. In WV, 64% of nonmedical users of pain relievers reported getting the most recently used drug from a friend or relative for free, and another 7.6% reported buying them from a friend or relative.
How can YOU prevent RX abuse?
-Please don’t share prescription drugs. Only take RX medication as advised by your doctor.
-Learn more and view/listen to/download the PSAs by visiting www.takecarewv.org. Share links to the website via email and social networking sites.
-Participate in your county’s forum/discussions about RX abuse. County prevention contacts are available at www.PrevNET.org.
-Encourage your local media/businesses/schools/civic groups to run the PSAs as much as possible on their stations/websites, in their publications/newsletters, etc.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
June... So Soon? Coalition Updates!
Hopefully you are enjoying the warm summer weather as graduation parties, picnics and other outdoor celebrations abound. Now that school is almost over, our Community Educator's work implementing prevention education in the schools is at an end and she will start training to become more familiar with the staff roles for Drug Free Communities (DFC) Grant as the coalition’s Strategic Prevention Framework-State Incentive Grant (SPF-SIG) which currently funds prevention education will end this September. We have been working hard in the coalition office to take on some much-needed “housekeeping” as we organize over 3 years of files, order promotional items for outreach, and last but not least…. the truly exciting joys of grant reporting. We look forward to having a clean and organized office so that we can get out and focus on increasing our community collaboration to prevent & reduce substance abuse!
As always, we try to keep you in the loop with coalition activities throughout the month of June and the rest of the summer. Hopefully the warm weather will inspire us to get out and do some much needed assessment to inform our prevention efforts in Ohio County! We are very excited about organizing a Prescription (Rx) Drug Take-Back event with Wheeling Police Department- more details soon! We can plan out the logistics in UPS (Underage Prevention Subgroup) and the media advocacy in SMarT (Social Marketing Taskforce). In the meantime, mark your calendars with the following important coalition and community event dates:
UPCOMING EVENTS:
- Saturday June 5: Wheeling Chili Cook-Off at Heritage Port in Wheeling (12pm-5pm)
- Monday, June 7: Social Marketing Taskforce (SMarT) meets at YSS at 12:30pm to develop our coalition media plan, discuss Take Care WV media campaign
- Wednesday, June 9: Leadership Team meets at YSS at 12:30pm to act as steering committee & strengthen shared coalition leadership efforts
- Wednesday, June 16: Underage Prevention Subgroup (UPS) meets at YSS at 12:30pm to re-visit/update taskforce charter & plan for community assessment
- Saturday, June 19: YSS Steak Fry (6pm-midnight)- come out & support this fundraiser (tickets are $20) for YSS’s annual Celebrate Youth 2010 festival
- Friday, June 25: International Day Against Drug Abuse
- June 25 – June 27: Ohio Valley Black Heritage Festival at Heritage Port in Wheeling
- Wednesday, July 21: **OCSAPC Quarterly Meeting at YSS at 12:30pm** (lunch provided- please RSVP for food count!): Evaluation of our March 2010 Rx Drug Summit, Special Rx Take-Back presentation by the WV Rivers Coalition
- July 23 – July 25: Italian Festival at Heritage Port in Wheeling
- Aug. 1-Aug. 6: National Coalition Academy (Week 3) in Des Moines, Iowa (**Contact Julia to participate in this valuable training opportunity!**)
- Tuesday, August 3: National Night Out Against Crime in Wheeling
- Thursday, August 12: Celebrate Youth 2010 (YSS) at Wheeling Park (11am-5pm): FREE food, wristbands for the park & entertainment for youth & families!
For more updated event information, visit the City of Wheeling Events Calendar. Also see the latest edition of OV Parent Community Calendar for a list of fun things to do this summer. We hope that you can make time to get involved, or (if you are already an active coalition member) STAY involved with community-based prevention strategies. Your help is needed and does make a difference to youth and families in Ohio County. Thank you for all you do to focus on preventing substance abuse in our community.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Obama Drug Strategy Stresses Evidence-Based Prevention
Obama Drug Strategy Stresses Evidence-Based Prevention
The newly released national drug strategy focuses on keeping science-based prevention as a key component of the effort to address substance abuse in the United States. Our coalition (along with over 700 community anti-drug coalitions across the country) uses a nationally recognized "Strategic Prevention Framework" (SPF) to carry out our prevention activities in Ohio County. The main components of the SPF are:
- Assessment: using local data to determine our community's assets and needs
- Capacity Building: improving our coalition's ability to collaborate & carry out prevention efforts
- Planning: selecting evidence-based strategies to match our assessed needs
- Implementation: putting our strategies into action
- Evaluation: documenting outcomes of our actions
- Sustainability: ensuring that our work will continue, with our without grant funding!
- Cultural Competence: incorporating appropriate ethnic/cultural considerations based on our community's demographics
Want to learn more about what's happening nationally? You can read the 2010 White House Drug Policy here: http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/strategy/
Thursday, May 20, 2010
WV: Highest Hepatitis Rate In The US
Wednesday May 19, 2010
State has most cases of hepatitis
Official says sharing needles, other equipment for drug use is biggest factor in W.Va's high rate
by Tom Bragg
Daily Mail staff
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- West Virginia has long been at or near the top of the list among the 50 states in cases of heart disease per 100,000 residents, but now it is saddled with another unwanted distinction.
It has the highest incidence of hepatitis B per 100,000 residents, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control.
The Mountain State had 4.5 cases of acute hepatitis B for every 100,000 residents in 2007, the most recent year for which statistics are available. Oklahoma was second on the list with 4.2 incidences per 100,000.
Vicki Hogan, hepatitis B epidemiologist for the state health bureau, said the West Virginia counties with the highest rates of hepatitis in 2009 were Berkeley, Mercer, Logan, Cabell and Kanawha.
Loretta Haddy, director of the Office of Epidemiology and Prevention Services for the W.Va. Bureau for Public Health, said the sharing of needles and other equipment for drug use is the biggest factor in West Virginia's high rate.
"That's what is indicated on the reports we have received on hepatitis B, and that's all we really have to go on," Haddy said. "With the culture and population of injecting drug users in those counties, we can identify risk behavior like that and try to intervene and target those populations and minimize transmission and get out educational messages."
Hepatitis B is an illness caused by a virus that infects the liver. It causes liver inflammation, jaundice and vomiting, though it is rarely fatal. Occasionally, cirrhosis and liver cancer can result.
Statewide, the number of reported cases of hepatitis B rose from 69 in 2005 to 84 in 2009. In addition to sharing needles, the risk factors for hepatitis include having unprotected sex, especially men with other men, having many sex partners, or having had another sexually transmitted disease.
Hogan said the numbers the bureau receives are from self-reported incidents of hepatitis, and that some people are probably reluctant to talk about their sexual history and history of drug use with a physician.
"When a physician interviews the patient, they are asking them certain questions to get their history and the patients are providing the answers," Hogan said. "Some patients are not going to talk about their behaviors and history.
"Any person who is identified as positive for hepatitis B that comes through and we find out about, we can offer testing and vaccines through their local health department."
Sandra Graham, coordinator of the Adult Viral Hepatitis Program for the bureau, said vaccines are available for hepatitis B and that the virus can survive outside of the body for up to seven days.
"To date, we have 30 health departments that offer free vaccines, two jails and two substance abuse centers," Graham said. "Along with the vaccines, the nurses at these venues provide preventative educations, such as not sharing toothbrushes or razors, to help prevent them from transmitting the virus to others."
Graham said the number of vaccines administered at these venues rose 37 percent from 2008 to 2009 with 2,513 doses of the vaccine administered last year.
May is Hepatitis Awareness Month, and as part of that the state Office of Epidemiology and Preventative Services will host the W.Va. Viral Hepatitis Summit on Thursday at the Ramada Plaza Hotel in South Charleston.
Graham said the goal of the summit is to raise awareness of the hepatitis problem in West Virginia and to help prevent possible new cases of the virus.
State has most cases of hepatitis
Official says sharing needles, other equipment for drug use is biggest factor in W.Va's high rate
by Tom Bragg
Daily Mail staff
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- West Virginia has long been at or near the top of the list among the 50 states in cases of heart disease per 100,000 residents, but now it is saddled with another unwanted distinction.
It has the highest incidence of hepatitis B per 100,000 residents, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control.
The Mountain State had 4.5 cases of acute hepatitis B for every 100,000 residents in 2007, the most recent year for which statistics are available. Oklahoma was second on the list with 4.2 incidences per 100,000.
Vicki Hogan, hepatitis B epidemiologist for the state health bureau, said the West Virginia counties with the highest rates of hepatitis in 2009 were Berkeley, Mercer, Logan, Cabell and Kanawha.
Loretta Haddy, director of the Office of Epidemiology and Prevention Services for the W.Va. Bureau for Public Health, said the sharing of needles and other equipment for drug use is the biggest factor in West Virginia's high rate.
"That's what is indicated on the reports we have received on hepatitis B, and that's all we really have to go on," Haddy said. "With the culture and population of injecting drug users in those counties, we can identify risk behavior like that and try to intervene and target those populations and minimize transmission and get out educational messages."
Hepatitis B is an illness caused by a virus that infects the liver. It causes liver inflammation, jaundice and vomiting, though it is rarely fatal. Occasionally, cirrhosis and liver cancer can result.
Statewide, the number of reported cases of hepatitis B rose from 69 in 2005 to 84 in 2009. In addition to sharing needles, the risk factors for hepatitis include having unprotected sex, especially men with other men, having many sex partners, or having had another sexually transmitted disease.
Hogan said the numbers the bureau receives are from self-reported incidents of hepatitis, and that some people are probably reluctant to talk about their sexual history and history of drug use with a physician.
"When a physician interviews the patient, they are asking them certain questions to get their history and the patients are providing the answers," Hogan said. "Some patients are not going to talk about their behaviors and history.
"Any person who is identified as positive for hepatitis B that comes through and we find out about, we can offer testing and vaccines through their local health department."
Sandra Graham, coordinator of the Adult Viral Hepatitis Program for the bureau, said vaccines are available for hepatitis B and that the virus can survive outside of the body for up to seven days.
"To date, we have 30 health departments that offer free vaccines, two jails and two substance abuse centers," Graham said. "Along with the vaccines, the nurses at these venues provide preventative educations, such as not sharing toothbrushes or razors, to help prevent them from transmitting the virus to others."
Graham said the number of vaccines administered at these venues rose 37 percent from 2008 to 2009 with 2,513 doses of the vaccine administered last year.
May is Hepatitis Awareness Month, and as part of that the state Office of Epidemiology and Preventative Services will host the W.Va. Viral Hepatitis Summit on Thursday at the Ramada Plaza Hotel in South Charleston.
Graham said the goal of the summit is to raise awareness of the hepatitis problem in West Virginia and to help prevent possible new cases of the virus.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
"Take Care WV" To Prevent Rx Abuse
Everyone knows drugs are dangerous. But did you know that sharing prescription drugs can be just as dangerous and deadly too? Sharing prescription drugs is also illegal.
Data indicates social access (sharing) is a major contributor to the misuse of prescription drugs. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, most prescription drug abusers obtain their drugs from family and friends. In WV, 64% of non-medical users of pain relievers reported getting the most recently used drug from a friend or relative for free, and another 7.6% reported buying them from a friend or relative.
Please don't share prescription drugs. Only take prescriptions as advised by your doctor.
The WV Partnership to Promote Community Well-Being and the WV Prevention Resource Center are launching Take Care WV – a social marketing campaign to spread the word that sharing prescription drugs is illegal, and it can be just as dangerous and deadly as illicit drugs.
How can you help support this campaign and reduce the misuse of prescription drugs in our state?
1. Please visit www.takecarewv.org to view/listen to campaign messages, read facts and statistics about RX drug misuse/abuse, and learn about proper RX storage and disposal.
2. Participate in your county’s discussions about Rx abuse. Community Forums/Discussions on Rx abuse are being scheduled across the state this summer. Dates will soon be posted on the WV Prevention Training & Events Calendar available at www.PrevNET.org. Contact information for your County Prevention Partnership is available at PrevNet as well as www.takecarewv.org.
3. Encourage your local coalitions/media/businesses/schools/civic groups to air/print the PSAs as much as possible. All the PSAs can be downloaded at www.takecarewv.org.
Some specific ideas for distributing the campaign messages include:
- Email/talk to all your professional and personal contacts about this campaign. Feel free to forward this message as is, but also consider adding your own personal touch.
- Print some of the PSAs as flyers and distribute/post them in your community. Ask your doctor, dentist, child care provider, church, employer, etc. to post flyers in their waiting areas, exam rooms, lunch rooms or bathrooms.
- Facebook/Twitter the following message: Take Care WV: Please don’t share prescription drugs. Learn more at www.takecarewv.org
- Include the print PSAs in newsletters, church bulletins, meeting packets, mailings, etc.
- Talk to your local pharmacist about the campaign. Ask if they’ll post some of the flyers, and tell them later this summer we plan to have RX bags (with the campaign logo/message) for all WV pharmacies to use for a limited time. We’re working on corporate permission for the chains right now.
Thanks in advance for your support of Take Care WV. Please feel free to contact Michelle Burnside at (304) 552-7982 if you have any questions/comments/ideas.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Happy Spring! Coalition Updates
Congrats Coalition Co-Chairs!
At the quarterly OCSAPC meeting on April 14th, the coalition voted Betsy Bethel-McFarland and Jim McGoldrick in as our new Coalition Co-Chairs. Thanks to Betsy and Jim for graciously accepting these positions as a great step towards a more community-driven coalition. We will be meeting soon to develop a leadership team to guide the strategic planning process that makes for effective science-based prevention efforts.
Coalition Training & Capacity-Building
Our coalition is participating in a couple of trainings to build our capacity to make community level change right here in Ohio County: Service to Science (STS) and the National Coalition Academy (NCA). Our coalition was nominated and then selected to participate in STS in early April to gain important evaluation tools and support. The National Coalition Academy is a year-long innovative training program that combines three-weeks of classroom training, distance learning and Web support to teach our community what it needs to know and to do in order to sustain a highly effective anti-drug coalition.
Thanks to Cheryl Maltese for traveling to Bloomington, MN to participate in the STS training; she has helped to kick-start some practical coalition evaluation tools- making sure that we are staying on track with prevention strategies. Thanks to Jim McGoldrick and Grant Coleman for traveling to Des Moines, IA and participating in this great training opportunity! There is a space open for any coalition member who would like an all-expense paid trip to Iowa with me the week of August 1-6, 2010 to participate in the third and final week of this very valuable training. Contact Julia if you’re interested!
MAY DATES! MAY DATES!
- Wednesday, May 12: Sustainability Taskforce Meeting (12:30pm at YSS- SNACKS PROVIDED). AGENDA: Planning beyond the DFC grant!
- Monday, May 17: Social Marketing Taskforce Meeting (12:30pm at YSS- SNACKS PROVIDED). AGENDA: Developing our coalition media plan!
- Thursday, May 20: “Moving People Into Action” Workshop (10am-3pm at Grand Vue Park, LUNCH PROVIDED- RSVP BY MAY 17). AGENDA: This hands-on workshop, taught by leadership expert Peter Hille, will set people on the path toward greater community involvement. Workshop sponsored by Marshall County Anti-Drug Coalition.
- Friday, May 28: "Tiny Tot Trot" FREE family event sponsored by OV Parent Magazine (Registration begins at 5pm outside WesBanco Arena in downtown Wheeling)
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Alcohol Abuse: A Serious Concern in Ohio County
Press Release Contact: Terri Garrett, Coalition Member/Ohio County Rotary/Wheeling Human Rights Commission, (304)234-3609, garretthrc@yahoo.com
Did you know that April is Alcohol Awareness Month? Alcohol abuse is a serious problem among youth in Ohio County. As an example, 72% of Ohio County students from the 11th grade reported using alcohol within the past year. Other examples of alcohol abuse in our community include college students who binge drink at local bars, pregnant women who drink and put their babies at risk for fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), professionals who drink after a long day’s work, and senior citizens who drink out of loneliness. Do you know of anyone who fits in these categories?
Alcohol abuse affects many people in our community and across the country in various ways. Alcohol can have negative health effects on our bodies, especially on our children during critical years of growth and development. In fact, youth who start drinking before the age of 15 are 5 times more likely to develop a substance abuse problem as adults. Drunk drivers endanger our safety and our children’s safety. Last year, 119 people were charged with a DUI (Driving Under the Influence) in the City of Wheeling alone. Alcohol dependency and addiction limits one’s ability to cope with everyday life stressors, especially during these difficult economic times. Unfortunately, treatment and recovery (though important) present a lifelong challenge for people who have alcohol dependency and addiction.
If we as a community can work together to promote prevention strategies such as social marketing campaigns (look for “Choose A Clear Mind” billboards this month), prevention education with schools and social organizations (e.g. DARE and “Choose a Clear Mind” curriculums in Ohio County middle and elementary schools), and training (responsible beverage server practices for area managers, law enforcement officials and community members in TIPS-Training Intervention ProcedureS going on this month), then we can raise community awareness and eventually change our community’s social norms.
The Ohio County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition (OCSAPC) continues to work on preventing underage drinking and alcohol abuse in our community. We invite all concerned community members to our Parents Promote Prevention planning meeting to be held at Bridge Street Middle School at 5pm. Dinner will be provided- please contact Julia Charvat at (304) 233-2045 ext. 305 if you would like to attend!
Did you know that April is Alcohol Awareness Month? Alcohol abuse is a serious problem among youth in Ohio County. As an example, 72% of Ohio County students from the 11th grade reported using alcohol within the past year. Other examples of alcohol abuse in our community include college students who binge drink at local bars, pregnant women who drink and put their babies at risk for fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), professionals who drink after a long day’s work, and senior citizens who drink out of loneliness. Do you know of anyone who fits in these categories?
Alcohol abuse affects many people in our community and across the country in various ways. Alcohol can have negative health effects on our bodies, especially on our children during critical years of growth and development. In fact, youth who start drinking before the age of 15 are 5 times more likely to develop a substance abuse problem as adults. Drunk drivers endanger our safety and our children’s safety. Last year, 119 people were charged with a DUI (Driving Under the Influence) in the City of Wheeling alone. Alcohol dependency and addiction limits one’s ability to cope with everyday life stressors, especially during these difficult economic times. Unfortunately, treatment and recovery (though important) present a lifelong challenge for people who have alcohol dependency and addiction.
If we as a community can work together to promote prevention strategies such as social marketing campaigns (look for “Choose A Clear Mind” billboards this month), prevention education with schools and social organizations (e.g. DARE and “Choose a Clear Mind” curriculums in Ohio County middle and elementary schools), and training (responsible beverage server practices for area managers, law enforcement officials and community members in TIPS-Training Intervention ProcedureS going on this month), then we can raise community awareness and eventually change our community’s social norms.
The Ohio County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition (OCSAPC) continues to work on preventing underage drinking and alcohol abuse in our community. We invite all concerned community members to our Parents Promote Prevention planning meeting to be held at Bridge Street Middle School at 5pm. Dinner will be provided- please contact Julia Charvat at (304) 233-2045 ext. 305 if you would like to attend!
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