August Coalition News

Each year we take time to recognize incredible volunteers from coalitions and community groups all across Southwest Washington for their contributions to our mission. Typically, we have a big potluck, picnic and community presentation of awards.

This year, we've adapted to COVID-19 and hosted the event online. Coordinators and partners from coalitions across the region collaborated to create video recordings of speeches recognizing volunteers for their hard work.

Click here to watch all the videos.

Outstanding volunteers of the year include:

• Laura Bales, KLASAC (Klickitat & Lyle Against Substance Abuse Coalition)
• Xavier Barker, KLASAC (Klickitat & Lyle Against Substance Abuse Coalition)
• Kennedy Flatt, La Center United
• Joni Hancock, La Center United
• Kyle Nelson, Prevent Coalition
  
• Leah Howard, Prevent Coalition

• Chief Umtuch Dream Team, Prevent Together: Battle Ground Prevention Alliance
• Rita Williams, Prevent Together: Battle Ground Prevention Alliance
• Angela Hancock, Unite! Washougal
  
• Jennifer Chesire, Unite! Washougal
• Fort Vancouver Key Club, West Van for Youth
  
• Vancouver Pizza Company, West Van for Youth
• Angela Riddle, West Van for Youth
• Alaina Green, West Van for Youth

We couldn't achieve our mission and goals without your countless volunteer hours and dedication to supporting our community. Thank you for all you do.

Parents are the biggest influence in a kid's life. Even though you may feel your kid pulling away, eager for more independence, deep down they still want you involved. A strong bond with your kid, especially during the teen years, helps reduce the chances of them engaging in unhealthy behavior and helps set the stage for preventing substance use.

Research has shown that kids are 50 percent less likely to use drugs when parents talk to them about the risks. While it can be a difficult conversation, it could change your kid’s life. Often the hardest part of talking to your kids about drugs is knowing how to start. Here are a few tips and conversation starters to help you break the ice:

1. Carve Out Time To Connect: Between work, activities, practices and schoolwork, finding quality time together can be challenging...
2. Listen More: It is often a parent’s role to start a conversation with their kids, especially as they get older into their teen and young adult years...
   
3. Make Yourself Available: Kids need frequent reminding that you are there for them...
   
4. Offer Love, Not Judgement: It is so easy to have an immediate and emotional reaction to something your kid says...
   
5. Start The Conversation: Parents are the biggest influence in a kid’s life and when it comes to substances, their parents are the most important influence...
   

CLICK HERE to access Full Article, Tips & Conversation Starters

Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) presents the following reports with latest research, info graphics, data and more on opioids, e-cigarettes, and marijuana (cannabis, weed, pot).

Click here to access Report 10: Opioids

Click here to access Report 11: E-Cigarettes

Click here to access Report 12: Marijuana

Click here to access the Rural Needs Assessment Report. Contact preventcoalition@esd112.org to learn more.

From March - June 2020 the Prevent Rural Network implemented a statewide needs assessment to learn about life in rural Washington, youth substance use, and community protections/strengths to build upon. This information will be used to develop prevention and education tools to support providers in rural areas.

The Needs Assessment consisted of 2 informal literature reviews, 4 listening sessions, 6 key informant interviews, 289 survey responses, an analysis of public health data, and an analysis of school records.

We will now meet on the last Tuesday of every month from 2-3:30 p.m.

Rural Network Meeting

Tuesday August 25

2-3:30 p.m.

Online conference call

Email preventcoalition@esd112.org for invite and link to join. Link and password will be emailed the day prior.

Topic: Reflect on the Needs Assessment results.

Click here to access July meeting minutes.

Questions?

Email preventcoalition@esd112.org or learn more and to subscribe for meeting reminders.

Full updates will be provided during meetings and in minutes. Highlights include:

• Website: Over the next year, we will begin developing an online prevention toolkit.If you have ideas for our website, please let us know.
• Sector Representatives: We welcome new members! If you're interested in connecting prior to your first meeting, attend one of our Office Hour meetings.
• Assessment: Click here to access the Needs Assessment Report. If you're interested in helping create an Executive Summary, please email us.
  
• Toolkit: This year, we will reflect on our data to begin developing an online prevention toolkit. We've got many ideas in store but ultimately will rely on the data to guide our decisions.
• Sub-Contract: The Epidemiology team has been granted access to statewide rural Healthy Youth Survey data and will develop a Needs Assessment Report Part 2 later this year.

For a full grant progress timeline visit www.preventcoalition.org/rural/our-work/.

Last year, we partnered with Way Enough Decision Coaching – Delena Meyer – to develop a facilitation introduction video to the Making the Connections online toolkit. Participants can watch the online video and instantly gain access to the toolkit registration.

It’s a three step process:

1. Watch the video online at https://www.youthnow.me/providers/making-connections/ or https://youtu.be/gYBdfG5JbcE
2. Read the User Agreement (no need to print or sign—this is just for review)
3. Proceed to registration. By filling out the sign-up box you are creating an online login for the toolkit and also promising us you read the user agreement and watched the training video. Both are important to understand the toolkit style and approach.

All of these instructions are found on the main Youth Now – Connection Toolkit page.

https://www.youthnow.me/providers/making-connections/. We would love to hear how you’re using the toolkit and any feedback you have.

Prevent Coalition events:

Coalition Coordinators Meeting (For Coalition staff in the SW Washington region)

Date coming soon.

Time coming soon.

Rural Office Hours (Register for guidance/Technical Assistance. No formal agenda)

Wednesday August 19

1-2 p.m.

Online virtual conference call.

Rural Network Meeting (Collaboration of rural volunteers and leaders across Washington)

Tuesday August 25

2-3:30 p.m.

Online virtual conference call.

Online Training: How to Facilitate Online

Wednesday September 2

10-11:30 a.m.

Free registration deadline August 28.

Click for full calendar of coalition and community events.

8/19 Webinar: Native American storytelling: Culture is prevention

Online from 11-12 p.m.

8/24 Webinar: Cannabis use in pregnancy and lactation

Online from 10 -11 a.m.

8/31 Webinar: Underage alcohol use: An overview of data and strategies

Online from 10-11 a.m.

We appreciate when you share this newsletter with a friend, colleague or youth leader. You may also pass our news link along: bit.ly/preventnews.

Email: preventcoalition@esd112.org
Website: www.PreventCoalition.org
Location: 2500 NE 65th Ave., Vancouver, WA, USA
Phone: 360-952-3457
Facebook: Facebook.com/PreventCoalition
Twitter: @preventcc112