Iowa Partnership for Success Funds Planning

The SAFE Coalition is currently working on the Planning phase of the IPFS (Iowa Partnership for Success) Grant. This requires the completion of a key document, the Strategic Plan.

The Strategic Plan requires the coalition to consider the results of the assessment and capacity phases previously completed this year in Van Buren County.  Coalition members are working during coalition meetings to pinpoint how the community can best address the priorities of underage drinking and underage binge drinking in Van Buren County.  During this process the coalition will develop a logic model and action plan to address underage drinking and underage binge drinking in Van Buren County.  The logic model and action plan will include the strategies the coalition believes will result in a reduction of underage drinking and underage binge drinking in the county. 

The next steps for the IPFS Grant will be to implement the action plan and strategies in Van Buren County.  For more information on the Partnership for Success funds you may contact the coalition office at 319-293-6412 or via email at info@vbsafecoalition.com. 

How Are You Getting Home this New Year’s Eve? The SAFE Coalition Urges Drivers: Make a Sober Plan.

Drunk driving has become a national epidemic. Each year, drunk-driving crashes kill more than 

10,000 people in America. The SAFE Coalition is working with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) this holiday season, to reach out to all drivers with an important message about this deadly, preventable crime because Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving!

Let’s say you go to a New Year’s party, you stay a few hours and have a few drinks. When it’s time to go, you think to yourself, “I’m fine to drive. I’ve only had a few drinks, and I barely feel buzzed.” You get in your car and drive toward home.  This act places you at risk of facing the consequences of drunk driving.  Buzzed driving places you and others on the road in danger of a crash; or worse, death.   Designate a sober driver.

Unfortunately, this scenario is all too realistic. Many people wrongly believe there’s a magic number of drinks or hours that determine your blood alcohol concentration (BAC).  But it’s different for every person. Many factors go into the effect alcohol has on your body. Everywhere in our country, it’s illegal to drive with a BAC of .08 or higher. A major misconception is that you have to be stumbling around drunk to be over that limit. For many people, it doesn’t take much alcohol to be too impaired for driving. NHTSA and the SAFE Coalition are hoping to change the way people think about drinking and driving, and help everyone realize that there’s no safe amount of alcohol for any driver.

Drivers convicted of DUI have many excuses, but the reality they all have in common is this: they didn’t plan ahead.  Designating a sober driver ahead of time is the only fool-proof way to avoid the dangers of drunk driving. If you wait until you’ve been drinking to gauge your level of impairment, it’s already too late.  You might tell yourself and others that you’re “okay to drive” when you’re not. Even one drink can impair your judgment and reaction time enough to cause you to overestimate your own abilities as a driver.

So next time you’re going to drink, do us all a favor and make a plan. Some simple ideas: leave your keys at home or give them to a friend; designate a sober driver who isn’t drinking at all; tell others your intentions about driving and stick to the plan; and most importantly—once you’ve had anything to drink, do not drive. Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving, so make the choice: are you drinking tonight or are you driving?

Drunk driving is never the right choice, no matter what. Even if you didn’t plan ahead, there’s always another way home. You could call a friend or family member to pick you up; and if you’re worried about leaving your car somewhere overnight, think about the alternative: a DUI costs about $10,000.

Please remember to stay safe by driving sober or by designating a sober driver this New Year’s Eve.

You Choose: Drink OR Drive Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving

The holiday season is right around the corner. As Americans prepare for festivities with family and friends, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration wants to remind all drivers that it’s dangerous to drive after drinking. You have to choose your role before drinking begins: will you drink or will you drive? Remember, even if you only have a little bit to drink and think you’re “okay to drive,” you could still be over the legal limit, because Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving.

A lot of folks think they know their own limits. They think that if they’re just a little ‘buzzed,’ then they’re still good to drive. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Time and again, drivers who may have only had a couple of drinks put themselves and others at serious risk.  Driving with any alcohol in your system can be dangerous.

For some people, it doesn’t take much to reach the dangerous level. The SAFE Coalition really wants all Van Buren County drivers to understand that you don’t have to be falling-down drunk to be impaired to drive. That’s why the SAFE Coalition is working with NHTSA to spread the message: Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving.

This anti-drunk-driving campaign aims to inform all Americans about the dangers of driving after drinking—even after drinking just a little. Drunk driving is a terrible killer on our nation’s roads. In 2013, 10,076 people were killed in drunk driving crashes. This time of year is especially dangerous due to holiday celebrations and frequent parties. In December 2013 alone, there were 733 people killed in crashes involving at least one drunk driver or motorcycle operator. In 2013, a third (31%) of all crash fatalities in America involved drunk driving. 

So this holiday season, NHTSA urges you to plan ahead: designate a sober driver. If you plan on drinking at all, don’t plan on driving. Don’t assume that you’ll know whether you can safely drive or not at the end of the night.

Van Buren County drivers, please remember these tips to avoid a DUI and keep our roads safe:

·         Even one drink can impair your judgment and reaction time and increase the risk of getting arrested for driving drunk or having a crash.

·         If you will be drinking, do not plan on driving.  Plan ahead; designate a sober driver before the party begins.

·         When you know you’ll be drinking, leave your keys at home or give them to someone else.

·         If you have been drinking, do not drive—even a short distance. Call a sober friend or family member or stay where you are.

·         Walking while impaired can be just as dangerous as drunk driving. Designate a sober friend to walk you home.

·         If you see a drunk driver on the road, contact local law enforcement when it is safe to do so.

·         If you see someone you think is about to drive while impaired, take their keys and help them get home safely.

Remember, it is never okay to drive after drinking. Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving.

For more information, visit www.trafficsafetymarketing.gov.

Tips for Party Givers

The Van Buren County SAFE Coalition would like to encourage you to avoid making alcohol the main focus of social events this holiday season. Entertain guests with music, dancing, games, food, and lively conversation.  Did you know that one in three adults prefers a nonalcoholic beverage? Make sure to offer plenty of nonalcoholic choices such as sparkling water, fancy juice drinks, soft drinks, and bottled drinking water.  Also provide guests with nutritious and appealing foods to slow the effects of alcohol. High protein and carbohydrate foods like cheese and meats are especially good. They stay in the stomach much longer, which slows the rate at which the body absorbs alcohol. Avoid salty foods, which encourage people to drink more.

Require bartenders to measure the correct amount of liquor into drinks (no doubles), and instruct them not to serve anyone who appears to be impaired. Have the bartender check the ID of anyone who appears to be under the age of 30 (no ID, no alcohol).

Stop serving drinks at least 1 hour before the end of the event.  Instead, serve coffee, non-alcoholic beverages, and desserts at that time.

Your responsibility as a host is even more important when the party is over. Be prepared to offer your guests alternate forms of transportation, such as: Ask someone who was not drinking to drive a guest home; Call someone to come and drive them home; Offer your place to spend the night; If the person insists on driving despite his or her obvious intoxication, take the keys, ask for help from other guests, or temporarily disable the car; If all else fails, say you will call the police (and do so).

The following non-alcoholic drink recipes are a courtesy of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Join Together, a national resource center for communities working to reduce substance abuse.  Many of these unique drinks can add “flavor” to your party by giving your guests healthy, tasty alternatives to alcoholic beverages. Enjoy!

Citrus Collins

Fill a 10–12 oz. glass with ice cubes

2 oz. orange juice

1 oz. lemon juice

1 oz. flavored syrup

Fill with club soda. Garnish with an orange slice or a cherry.

Mai Tai

1/2 cup pineapple juice

1/4 cup orange juice

1/4 cup club soda

1 tbsp. cream of coconut

1 tbsp. grenadine syrup

In a shaker or tall glass, combine ingredients; shake or stir to blend.  Add crushed ice.

Lemon-Strawberry Punch

6 oz. frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed

1 pkg. frozen sliced strawberries

6 oz. frozen lemonade concentrate

1 quart carbonated water

1 quart ginger ale

Sliced bananas

Sliced oranges or lemons

Combine frozen lemonade, strawberries (half-thawed with juice), and orange juice. Place in a punchbowl with ice. Just before serving, add carbonated water and ginger ale. Garnish with thin slices of orange, lemon, or banana. Serves 20.

Holiday Delight

Blend the following ingredients in a mixer:

1/2 cup orange juice

1/4 cup frozen strawberries

1/4 cup cranapple juice

1/4 cup half-and-half

1/2 banana

Pour into a tall glass.

Viennese Coffee

Combine:

1/4 cup whipped cream

1 tbsp. powdered sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Beat until stiff.  Pour 3 cups of very strong coffee (decaffeinated is fine) into four cups. Float whipped cream mixture on top. Garnish with 1/2 tsp. grated orange peel. Use cinnamon sticks in each cup as servers.

SAFE Coalition Members Attend National Prevention Network Conference

The National Prevention Network (NPN) Conference was held November 17-19 in Seattle, Washington. The conference was two and a half days, complete with keynotes, breakouts, networking opportunities and a reception. The conference covered hot topics in the substance abuse prevention fields that include: Alcohol, Marijuana, Opioids and Prescription Drug Abuse, Workforce Development, and Substance Abuse Prevention and Collaboration with Related Fields.

Heidi Bainbridge at the
NPN Conference 

The conference hosted federal, state and local professionals from the substance abuse prevention field and related disciplines. By participating in the NPN Conference, the SAFE Coalition members had access to approximately 800 participants that included: prevention providers, school personnel, government agency representatives and directors, law enforcement personnel, policy makers, coalition leaders and members, counselors, health education specialists, social workers, and high school students.

The purpose of the conference was to highlight the latest research in the substance abuse prevention field. It provided a forum for prevention professionals, coalition leaders, researchers, and federal partners to share research, best practices and promising evaluation results for the purpose of integrating research into prevention practice.

The SAFE Coalition participants came home, revved up and ready to implement new ideas in prevention in Van Buren County, Iowa. For more information on the SAFE Coalition please contact them at 319-293-6412 or at info@vbsafecoalition.com

SAFE Coalition Member Attended Iowa Prevention Conference

This year the annual Iowa Prevention Conference was held in Des Moines on November 10^th.  The conference is a statewide forum focused on substance abuse prevention and problem gambling prevention, while offering recommendations for best practices. The goal of this conference was to establish a meaningful dialogue among substance abuse prevention and problem gambling professionals by focusing on strategies and tools that can facilitate the development of a strategic response to the various challenges in the field. This event was a collaborative effort between the Iowa Department of Public Health, contracted agencies and grantees, and other service providers and stakeholders who are committed to the educational advancement of prevention professionals.

The conference provided attendees with practical, timely and relevant skills and knowledge; offered sessions that promote critical thinking and build partnerships toward improved practices; provided attendees with opportunities to interact with national and regional leaders and practitioners; strengthened the identity as a field united in its commitment to quality prevention; and provided attendees with informative exhibits to access the latest technology, products and services.  The Iowa Prevention Conference was attended by substance abuse prevention specialists, health educators, problem gambling providers, nurses in a public or clinical setting, administrators, public health workers, civic leaders, and policy makers interested in substance abuse prevention and problem gambling. 

There was one coalition member who attended this conference this year.  During the conference they learned about how to reach the community with information on keeping youth substance abuse free, how substances effect the brain of developing youth, and how to work with law enforcement effectively to address underage drinking in the community.  For more information on the Prevention Conference or local prevention work being completed by the SAFE Coalition please contact the coalition at 319-293-6412 or info@vbsafecoalition.com

Great American Smokeout 2015

By Sydney Goemaat and Rose Rankin

The Great American Smokeout began in the 1970’s when smoking and secondhand smoke were recognized as being bad for you. In Randolph, Massachusetts, Arthur P. Mullaney asked people to give up cigarettes for a day and donate the money they would have spent on cigarettes to the high school scholarship funds. Today Great American Smokeout is where people encourage smokers to quit their addiction for at least a day. People also share information about the harms of smoking and secondhand smoke.

About 42 million Americans still smoke cigarettes, and tobacco use remains the single largest preventable cause of disease and premature death in the United States. As of 2013, there were also 12.4 million cigar smokers in the US, and over 2.3 million who smoke tobacco in pipes — other dangerous and addictive forms of tobacco. You are at higher risk for cancer when using any type of tobacco, including chewing tobacco.

The Van Buren County Youth Leadership Council (YLC) will be talking about the harms of tobacco during the Great American Smokeout on November 19, 2015. The YLC Members of Van Buren High School, will be doing some activities to show what tobacco use will do to your body.  One of the activities will be the Mystery Box in the hallway by the gym lobby at lunch. This is a box where you place your hand in without looking inside, and you must touch the items inside if you dare and identify them! There will be numerous posters posted in the Van Buren High School hallways and an announcement will be made about the harms of using tobacco products.

There will also be activities taking place at the middle school at Van Buren throughout the week to educate those students about the dangers of tobacco use.  Harmony High School and Jr. High will be doing posters, candle bags and popcorn bags with tobacco facts as well throughout the week.

If you are someone that is wanting to quit your addiction go to www.quitlineiowa.org or call 1-800-Quit-Now.  For more information on the Great American Smokeout or YLC please contact the SAFE Coalition at 319-293-6412 or info@vbsafecoalition.com.  

AMCC Announces 6th Annual National Day of Awareness and Disposal

The American Medicine Chest Challenge (AMCC) launched its 2015 initiative to raise awareness of Rx abuse and of the need to safely dispose of unused, unwanted, and expired medicine at the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) conference in Chicago. President Barak Obama addressed the 122nd Annual IACP Conference. 

The 6th Annual AMCC National Day of Awareness and Safe Disposal will be on November 14, 2015. All 50 states participate in AMCC along with Puerto Rico, Washington, D.C., and three Indian nations. Over 1,500 Rx permanent collection sites at local police departments and sheriff's offices throughout the United States are listed in AMCC’s national directory of Rx permanent collection sites. The directory along with other prescription drug abuse prevention information can be found at AmericanMedicineChest.com or by downloading the free app AMCC Rx Drop. 

AMCC is a community based public health initiative designed to raise awareness about the dangers of prescription drug abuse, and a nationwide day of disposal and awareness of unused, unwanted, and expired medicine across the country. AMCC encourages families to take the 5-Step American Medicine Chest Challenge which encourages families to:

(1) Take inventory of their prescription and over-the-counter medications 

(2) Secure their medicine
(3) Dispose of unused, unwanted, and expired medicine at a disposal site
(4) Take their medicine(s) exactly as prescribed
(5) Talk to their children about the dangers of prescription drug abuse.

"The American Medicine Chest Challenge can help save the lives of our children," explained Angelo M. Valente, CEO of AMCC. “On November 14th we encourage all Americans to take the 5-Step American Medicine Chest Challenge and find a location to safely dispose of your unused, unwanted and expired medicine,” concluded Valente. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has labeled prescription drug abuse an epidemic, reporting that the death toll from overdoses of prescription painkillers has more than tripled in the past decade and more than 40 people die every day from overdoses involving narcotic pain relievers. According to the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, 70% of people who abuse prescription pain relievers obtained them from friends or relatives, and there has been a 400% increase in substance abuse treatment admissions for people abusing prescription drugs. 

You do not have to wait for a Drug Take Back event to dispose of your prescription medication.  Lee Pharmacy in Keosauqua accepts the return of prescription medications (excluding controlled substances) during their regular business hours at their pharmacy counter.

For more information on prescription and over the counter medicine safety please contact the SAFE Coalition at 319-293-6412 or at info@vbsafecoalition.com.  

Memory, Speed of Thinking Gets Worse Over Time with Marijuana Use

AMERICAN ACADEMY OF NEUROLOGY

Memory, speed of thinking and other cognitive abilities get worse over time with marijuana use, according to a new study published in the March 14, 2006, issue of Neurology, the scientific journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

The study found that frequent marijuana users performed worse than non-users on tests of cognitive abilities, including divided attention (ability to pay attention to more than one stimulus at a time) and verbal fluency (number of words generated within a time limit). Those who had used marijuana for 10 years or more had more problems with their thinking abilities than those who had used marijuana for five to 10 years. All of the marijuana users were heavy users, which was defined as smoking four or more joints per week.

"We found that the longer people used marijuana, the more deterioration they had in these cognitive abilities, especially in the ability to learn and remember new information," said study author Lambros Messinis, PhD, of the Department of Neurology of the University Hospital of Patras in Patras, Greece. "In several areas, their abilities were significant enough to be considered impaired, with more impairment in the longer-term users than the shorter-term users."

The study involved people ages 17 to 49 taking part in a drug abuse treatment program in Athens, Greece. There were 20 long-term users, 20 shorter-term users and 24 control subjects who had used marijuana at least once in their lives but not more than 20 times and not in the past two years. Those who had used any other class of drugs, such as cocaine or stimulants, during the past year or for more than three months throughout their lives were not included in the study. Before the tests were performed, all participants had to abstain from marijuana for at least 24 hours.

The marijuana users performed worse in several cognitive domains, including delayed recall, recognition and executive functions of the brain. For example, on a test measuring the ability to make decisions, long-term users had 70 percent impaired performance, compared to 55 percent impaired performance for shorter-term users and 8 percent impaired performance for non-users. In a test where participants needed to remember a list of words that had been read to them earlier, the non-users remembered an average of 12 out of 15 words, the shorter-term users remembered an average of nine words and the long-term users remembered an average of seven words.

For more information on the effects of marijuana use please contact the VB SAFE Coalition at 319-293-6412 or info@vbsafecoalition.com.  For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit www.aan.com.

Van Buren County Community Health Needs Assessment

Van Buren County Hospital and Van Buren Public Health Need your help!

It is time to complete the Van Buren County Community Health Needs Assessment.  To accurately assess the community we need your feedback.  Please, take a few minutes to complete the survey if you are a Van Buren County Resident at this link: http://www.surveymonkey.com/r/vbchealth .

Thank you for your help!

On Halloween, and Every Day, Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving

This Halloween, the Van Buren County SAFE Coalition is reminding Halloween partiers that Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving. If your Halloween party involves alcohol then you have to make a plan to get home without getting behind the wheel.

If you want to stay safe this Halloween then make a plan to get home without driving if you’ve been drinking. Even one drink impairs judgement, so plan to get home by designating a sober driver. Buzzed driving is drunk driving, so think ahead to stay safe.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 43 percent of all people killed in motor vehicle crashes on Halloween night (6 p.m. October 31st – 5:59 a.m. November 1st) from 2009 to 2013 were in crashes involving a drunk driver. On Halloween Night alone 119 people lost their lives over that same period. Children out trick-or-treating and the parents accompanying them are also at risk as 19 percent of fatal pedestrian crashes on Halloween night (2009-2013) involved drunk drivers.  In many of Van Buren’s Villages this year parents and children will be out Trick or Treating on Saturday night.  So, please be aware of our community member’s safety during Halloween.

It is illegal everywhere in America to drive with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher. In 2013, 10,076 people were killed in drunk driving crashes. Even if you drive drunk and aren’t killed or seriously injured you could end up paying as much $10,000 for a DUI.

Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving, so follow these simple tips to stay safe:

• Plan a safe way to get home before you attend the party. Alcohol impairs judgement, as well as reaction time. If you’re drunk you’re more likely to choose to drive drunk.

• Designate a sober driver or a call a sober friend or family member to get home.

• Walking while impaired can be just as dangerous as drunk driving. Designate a sober friend to walk you home.

• If you see a drunk driver on the road, contact local law enforcement when it is safe to do so.

• If you see someone you think is about to drive while impaired, take their keys and help them get home safely.

For more information, please visit www.TrafficSafetyMarketing.gov or the SAFE Coalition at 319-293-6412 or info@vabsafecoalition.com 

Drug Free Communities Update - Extension Received

The Van Buren County SAFE Coalition has received funds from the Office of National Drug Control Policy for the last 10 years for the Drug Free Communities Project. This grant ended on September 30th, 2015. The Coalition applied for and received a no-cost extension for three months to spend out remaining money and complete a couple of projects that are still being worked on. The projects that the coalition will continue to work on are:

1.  Social Host work related to the state law
2. Continue work on the Codes of Conduct in Schools
3. Addressing Near Peers as providers of alcohol
4. Work with the local hospital on SBIRT and data collection

If you are interested in any of the above projects or getting involved with the SAFE Coalition the coalition is always eager to have additional voices at the table related to the topics that are being addressed. Meetings are held the third Tuesday of the month unless otherwise noted.

At the end of December, 2015, the coalition will no longer have Drug Free Communities Funds to support their projects. The coalition is being sustained via the Iowa Partnership for Success Funds as well as the Community Partnership for Success. To view the Drug Free Communities Extension Workplan you can find it by visiting the SAFE Coalition website at www.vbsafecoalition.com. For more information on the SAFE Coalition or funds that support the coalition you may contact the SAFE office at 319-293-6412 or via email at info@vbsafecoalition.com

Van Buren County Sherriff’s Reserve Drug Take Back Day

Unused medications in homes create a public health and safety concern, because they can be accidentally ingested, stolen, misused, and abused.  While the number of Americans who currently abuse prescription drugs dropped in 2013 to 6.5 million from 6.8 million in 2012, that is still more than double the number of those using heroin, cocaine, and hallucinogens like LSD and Ecstasy combined, according to the 2013 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.  In addition, 22,134 Americans died in 2011 from overdoses of prescription medications, including 16,651 from narcotic painkillers, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  The survey of users cited above also found that the majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet.

One important step we can take right now is to make sure we safely and securely dispose of unused, unneeded and expired medications.  On Saturday, September 26^th, the Van Buren County Sherriff’s Reserve Officers and Van Buren County SAFE Coalition sponsored a National Drug Take-Back Day at the Keosauqua Senior Center.  At the Take-Back Day 25 pounds of prescription medication were collected by the Van Buren County Sherriff’s Reserve Officers!  This was a part of the 742,771 pounds (371 tons) of prescription drugs collected across the nation. 

DEA began hosting National Prescription Drug Take-Back events five years ago because at that time the Controlled Substances Act made no legal provision for patients to rid themselves of unwanted controlled substance prescription drugs except to give them to law enforcement; it banned pharmacies and hospitals from accepting them.  Most people flushed their unused prescription drugs down the toilet, threw them in the trash, or kept them in the household medicine cabinet, resulting in contamination of the water supply and the theft and abuse of the prescription drugs.

DEA’s new disposal regulations were published in the Federal Register on September 9, 2014 and authorizes certain DEA registrants (manufacturers, distributors, reverse distributors, narcotic treatment programs, retail pharmacies, and hospitals/clinics with an on-site pharmacy) to modify their registration with the DEA to become authorized collectors.  All collectors may operate a collection receptacle at their registered location, and collectors without an on-site means of destruction may operate a mail-back program.  Retail pharmacies and hospitals/clinics with an on-site pharmacy may operate collection receptacles at long-term care facilities.  The public may find authorized collectors in their communities by calling the DEA Office of Diversion Control’s Registration Call Center at 1-800-882-9539.

Law enforcement continues to have autonomy with respect to how they collect controlled substance prescription drugs from ultimate users, including holding take-back events.  Any person or entity—DEA registrant or non-registrant—may partner with law enforcement to conduct take-back events.  Patients also may continue to utilize the guidelines for the disposal of pharmaceutical controlled substances listed by the Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency. Any method of patient disposal that was valid prior to these new regulations being implemented continues to be valid.

You do not have to wait for a local Drug Take Back event to dispose of your medication.  Lee Pharmacy in Keosauqua accepts the return of prescription and over the counter medications (excluding controlled substances at this time) during their regular hours at their pharmacy counter.

If you would like to know more about how to dispose of your Prescription Medications or Prescription Drug Abuse please find additional details at the following link: http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback/index.html or contact the SAFE Coalition office at 319-293-6412 or at info@vbsafecoalition.com.

Merchant Services in Van Buren County

The Van Buren County SAFE Coalition is active in working with businesses to ensure that they are aware of the Iowa law as it relates to the sale of alcohol. They provide a variety of resources and assistance to any businesses in Van Buren County, these resources include materials, trainings, and assistance with policy change. The coalition also works closely with the Iowa Alcoholic and Beverages division to ensure that all license regulations are being met by license holders.  Services are FREE and are provided at your convenience.

MERCHANT ALCOHOL TRAINING

·    FREE to All Businesses in Van Buren County

·    How to properly check an ID

·    Examples of fake and authentic forms of identification

·    Conveniently located– within the county or at your place of business

·    “Could” lower your dram insurance*

·    Information on semi-annual compliance checks

·    All Businesses and employees completing the merchant training will receive certificates of completion valid for two years.

*Each insurance provider has their own policies– you need to check with your insurance provider to determine the discount, if any.

Merchant trainings are scheduled for October and December, if you or others at your business have not been trained we encourage you to attend one of the upcoming training opportunities.  Also, training certificates are only good for two (2) years.  To find out if any of your staff have expired training certificates you may contact the coalition at 319-293-6412 or info@vbsafecoalition.com

October 20^th at 6pm- Roberts Memorial Building

October 21^st at 9am- Roberts Memorial Building

December 15^th at 6pm- Roberts Memorial Building

December 16^th at 9am- Roberts Memorial Building

RSVP is required for the above trainings. Please contact the coalition at 319-293-6412 to register.

FREE MATERIALS

·    Manager Training Binders

·    “We Card” Calendars, Stickers, Door Clings, Window Clings

·    ID card tip sheet

·    Laminated reference sheets

·    Current laws and fines– updated information on current Iowa Laws

·    Fact Sheets

·    Examples of fake and authentic forms of identification

·    Resources for identification checking machines

·    Need something? Just ask– we can probably get it!

POLICY CHANGES

·    Ensure that the patrons you are serving and selling alcohol to are of legal age

·    The SAFE Coalition can assist in:

o    Writing policies for minors in establishments that serve alcohol

o    Providing signage to ensure the policies are followed

o    Training of the policies with all employees of the establishment

o    Developing policies for underage drinking issues

Want more information on these or any of our services?  Contact us at 319-293-6412 or at info@vbsafecoalition.com or check us out on the web at www.vbsafecoalition.com.  To sign up for the quarterly Merchant Circle publication provided by the coalition please email info@vbsafecoalition.com and request a copy today!

Youth Leadership Council

The Van Buren County Youth Leadership Council (YLC) is made up of middle school and high school students from both Harmony and Van Buren school districts.  The council was first developed with a focus of tobacco prevention and awareness and known a JEL (Just Eliminate Lies).  Since that time the group has changed it’s focused to include drugs, alcohol and tobacco prevention and awareness with the name of Youth Leadership Council.  This group has been very powerful as a youth lead and driven group.  They have been able to make many changes to the community including: smoke-free ball diamonds, helped with the keg registration, cleaned-up and planted flowers at the basketball courts and most recently help to create a tobacco-free city park in Keosauqua. Funding to help support the YLC program has come from a Community Partnership Grant from Iowa Department of Public Health held by the Van Buren County Hospital and the Drug Free Communities Grant from SAMHSA held by the Van Buren School District.  Since the DFC grant is finishing the 10 year grant cycle the only funding for the youth will be the Community Partnership Grant.  With this funding change the youth will be focusing primarily on tobacco prevention and awareness again during the school year. The youth are just starting to plan their year and have a number of great ideas they would like to complete.   You can follow what activities and the events the youth are working on by going to the SAFE Coalition website at www.vbcsafecoalition or on Facebook- Van Buren YLC Chapter.  For more information about the YLC program you can contact Melissa Daugherty at 319-293-3171 ext. 1271 or by email at Melissa.daugherty@vbch.org  

THE VAN BUREN COUNTY SAFE COALITION JOINS CASA COLUMBIA® IN CELEBRATING FAMILY DAY BE INVOLVED. STAY INVOLVED. ® TO HELP KEEP CHILDREN AND TEENS SUBSTANCE FREE

The SAFE Coalition is joining forces with CASA Columbia to celebrate Family Day – Be Involved. Stay Involved® on September 28, 2015.

CASA Columbia Family Day is a national initiative to promote simple acts of parental engagement as key ways to help prevent risky substance use in children and teens. Research shows that children with hands-on parents are far less likely to smoke, drink or use other drugs.

The SAFE Coalition believes that parental engagement is important to the health and well-being of the youth in Van Buren County and would like to encourage parents to take the Family Day Star Pledge at www.CASAFamilyDay.org. 

 “Every child deserves to grow up healthy and happy with an adolescence that is free from addiction. Parents, one of the best ways you can help keep your kids stay substance free is to be engaged in their lives – that includes being there for them at dinner,” says Jeffrey B. Lane, CASA Columbia’s Chairman. “The conversations that take place during family dinners give you a window into what your kids are going through and helps you keep the lines of communication open with them.”

Adolescence is the critical period for the initiation of risky substance use and its consequences.
• Nine out of 10 Americans who meet the medical criteria for addiction started smoking, drinking, or using other drugs before age 18.
• Addiction is a disease that in most cases begins in adolescence so preventing or delaying teens from using nicotine, alcohol, or other drugs for as long as possible is crucial to their health and safety.
• Preventing or delaying teens from using alcohol, nicotine or other drugs for as long as possible is crucial to their health and safety.

The SAFE Coalition is committed to strengthening families and believes that celebrating Family Day is an important first step in helping to keeping America’s children and teens free of addiction. For additional information about Family Day, visit www.CASAFamilyDay.org

Remember, parental engagement matters!

VAN BUREN COUNTY SHERIFF’S RESERVE OFFICERS TAKING BACK UNWANTED PRESCRIPTION DRUGS September 26, 2015 Keosauqua Senior Center, 801 Front St, Keosauqua, IA

On September 26 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Reserve Officers, the Van Buren County SAFE Coalition and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will give the public its tenth opportunity in five years to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs.  Bring your pills for disposal to the Keosauqua Senior Center at 801 Front Street, Keosauqua, IA 52565.  (The DEA cannot accept liquids or needles or sharps, only pills or patches.)  The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

Last September, Americans turned in 309 tons (over 617,000 pounds) of prescription drugs at nearly 5,500 sites operated by the DEA and more than 4,000 of its state and local law enforcement partners.  When those results are combined with what was collected in its eight previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners have taken in over 4.8 million pounds—more than 2,400 tons—of pills. 

This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue.  Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs.  Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines—flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash—both pose potential safety and health hazards.

You do not have to wait for a Drug Take Back event to dispose of your medication.  Lee Pharmacy in Keosauqua accepts the return of prescription medications (excluding controlled substances) during their regular hours at their pharmacy counter.

The Sheriff’s Reserve Officers and the SAFE Coalition are asking for your help in promoting the event, please let anyone who may have unused medication know about this! For more information about the disposal of prescription drugs or about the September 26, 2015 Take Back Day event, go to the DEA Office of  Diversion Control site at http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback/index.html or contact the Van Buren County SAFE Coalition at 319-293-6412 or at info@vbsafecoalition.com.

Want to make a difference in Van Buren County?

The Van Buren County SAFE Coalition is continually looking for volunteers who are interested in making Van Buren County a SAFE place to live.

The Van Buren County SAFE Coalition came together originally in 1993, after the floods, as a way to get community members together to work on a specific issue.  This group was organized to assist with flood efforts and clean-up after the flood.  The group met sporadically over the next few years.  It was not until December of 2002 that the group became organized.  There were 11 members at the first organized meeting, and the group has now grown to over 60 members. 

The coalition is currently working on building their capacity/ability to address underage drinking and underage binge drinking in Van Buren County with Iowa Partnership for Success Funds. This process requires input from all areas of the community. If you are a parent, business owner, concerned citizen, faith based representative, youth worker, youth, or anyone else who wants to make a difference, the coalition needs you. Your input is valuable and we want to hear from you.

If you are interested in finding out more about the coalition or think that you would like to get involved the coalition would love to have you join! Coalition meetings are held on the 3^rd Tuesday of the month at 9:00 am at the VBCH Community Services Center Conference Room in Keosauqua.

Next Meeting:

September 15, 2015

9:00 am

VBCH Community Services Center Conference Room

If you are interested in joining but not able to attend the meeting, please contact us at 319-293-6412 or via email at info@vbsafecoalition.com and you can be added to our member list.

Check us out on the web for more information: www.vbsafecoalition.com