A catalyst for HOPEhealth, outreach, prevention, and education

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TITLE
Parental Perceptions of Youth Behavior
Presented by Kara Showers, Coalition
Coordinator School Committee Meeting June 10,
2008

• A catalyst for HOPEhealth, outreach,
  prevention, and education

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About our Coalition

• Vision
• We envision a Melrose that is a safe, healthy,
  and resourceful communityone that embraces
  substance abuse prevention efforts and is united
  on the path to positive solutions.
• Mission
• The Coalition is dedicated to improving the
  quality of life for all in Melrose by fostering
  evidence-based substance abuse prevention
  strategies. Working collaboratively and
  providing resources, we take a leadership role in
  combating this problem by offering HOPE.
• We use SAMHSAs
• Strategic Prevention Framework

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• Our Coalition is not just a program!

• Prevention field is now.
• Evidence-based
• Focused on environmental strategies
• Comprehensive approach
• Collaboration with individuals and organizations
• Coalitions do focus on implementing programs but
  more importantly, on changing policies,
  practices, and systemswhy?
• They are what has been proven to alter
  behaviornote knowledge does not necessarily
  change behavior!

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• Coalitions Structure

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• Coalitions Grant Portfolio

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• Coalitions Goals

• Goal 1 Reduce substance abuse among youth and,
  over time, among adults by addressing the factors
  in a community that increase the risk of
  substance abuse and promoting the factors that
  minimize the risk of substance abuse.
• Goal 2 Establish and strengthen collaboration
  among communities, private nonprofit agencies,
  and federal state, local and tribal governments
  to support the efforts of community coalitions to
  prevent and reduce substance abuse among youth.

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• Recent areas of mobilization

• School Action Team-High School
• ATOD policy review/improve and development of
  faculty/staff protocol
• Student Assistance Team Formation
• Project Northland Class Action

FACE Youth Access campaign Hey parentskeep an
eye on the alcohol supply at your house!
Police Action! -Social Host Liability -Tip
Line -SRO collaboration
-Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to
Treatment SBIRT at MWH
Melrose ROCKS Hey alldispose of any unused
meds properly!
MADD Shoulder Tap Hey adultsdont buy alcohol
for kids under 21!
Guiding Good Choices program51 families
participated this year!
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• Presenting the full picture

• Local youth risk behavior data (from our YRBS)
• Local parent and faculty perception data (from
  the Pride survey)
• Key informant interviews with local doctors
• Youth input
• Melrose Police Dept data
• MWH and Action Ambulance data
• Community feedback

Together these data show that the PERCEPTION OF
DRUG USE IS REAL for Melrose youth
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High School Alcohol Use
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High School Binge Drinking
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High School Marijuana Use
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Middle School Alcohol and Marijuana Use
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Middle School Opiate Use
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High School Opiate Use
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Middle School-Perceived Harm
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High School-Perceived Harm
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Perception Gapnot my kid
Reality Check!
Generally speaking, parents vastly underestimate
use of alcohol and drugs!
Youth underestimate harm of frequent, heavy use
30-day use (youth data) Lifetime use (parent
data)
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Faculty/Staff Understanding of Drug Policy
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Faculty/Staff Policy Application
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Faculty/Staff Drug Knowledge
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Thank you! Kara M. Showers, MPH Melrose Health
Dept Email kshowers_at_cityofmelrose.org Tel (78
1) 979-4128
All are welcome to join us in our efforts! Next
Coalition meeting is June 13th _at_ 830am

• A catalyst for HOPEhealth, outreach,
  prevention, and education