Van Buren County SAFE Coalition

The Value of Connections

2012-01-20T10:12:00.000-08:00

School connection is the belief by students that adults in the school care about their learning and about them as individuals. Students are more likely to succeed when they feel connected to school. Critical requirements for kids to feel connected include not only high academic rigor and expectations but as importantly physical and emotional safety, support for their learning, and positive relationships with teachers and staff.

Strong scientific evidence demonstrates that the more a student is connected and the more students that are connected to school, the greater the decreases in absenteeism, fighting, bullying and vandalism and the greater the increases in educational motivation, classroom engagement, academic performance, and school completion rates.

The findings show that these seven qualities seem to influence students’ positive attachment to school:
• Having a sense of belonging and being part of a school
• Liking school
• Perceiving that teachers are supportive and caring
• Having good friends within school
• Being engaged in their own current and future academic progress
• Believing that discipline is fair and effective
• Participating in extracurricular activities

In the healthy development of children and youth, grades, participation, a sense of belonging, and relationships with students and teachers are important in feeling connected to school—and connected students do better. There are those who believe that schools should focus only on the acquisition of knowledge or that we expect too much from schools. However, current research across disciplines shows that non-academic aspects of school are also significant contributors to both school and student success.

Van Buren Community Middle/High School is making changes to help improve school connectedness and the climate of the secondary building. An improved appearance can be seen when entering the gymnasium doors with a “Welcome to Warrior County” emblem. Student projects and activities are being showcased in a display cabinet directly inside the front doors for anyone who attends school events and for other students to see what is happening! School staff is also planning the first WARRIOR Assembly.

What: WARRIOR Assembly
Date: January 27th
Time: 10:30am
Where: VB High School Gymnasium

This event will recognize students who represent the qualities of a WARRIOR-Work, Attitude, Responsibility, Respect, Involvement, Organization, Resilience, Service. These students have had perfect attendance, improved their GPA, are involved in extra-curricular activities as well as other special awards.

By making these changes the school hopes to foster additional connections with students. These connections will help to improve the climate, leading to the decrease in absenteeism, fighting, bullying and vandalism as well as increases in educational motivation, classroom engagement, academic performance, and school completion rates.

For more information please contact the Van Buren County SAFE Coalition at 319-293-6412 or info@vbsafecoalition.com.

MADD AND VAN BUREN COUNTY SAFE COALTION OFFERS FREE COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAM TO HELP PARENTS TALK WITH TEENS ABOUT ALCOHOL

2012-01-12T07:49:00.000-08:00

DID YOU KNOW?
• One in three 8th graders drinks alcohol.
• One in five teens binge drinks.
• Only one in 100 parents believe his or her child binge drinks.
• Teen alcohol use kills about 6,000 people each year, more than all illegal drugs combined.

MADD has launched a new program, Power of Parents, It’s Your Influence®, sponsored by Nationwide Insurance to help parents and caregivers of teenagers talk about the dangers of underage drinking. The program provides parents with a handbook and 30-minute workshop to equip them with the tools necessary to keep their teen safe.

Parents are the number one influence in their child’s decisions about drinking, Van Buren County SAFE Coalition wants to help parents use that power to have positive conversations about alcohol and ultimately prevent teens from drinking.

Power of Parents, It’s Your Influence® is based on a handbook model developed by Dr. Robert Turrisi from Pennsylvania State University. Through his research, Dr. Turrisi found that parents who used a similar handbook to talk to their college-aged kids about alcohol significantly reduced their kids’ drinking and behavior problems associated with drinking. MADD partnered with Dr. Turrisi to develop a similar handbook for parents of teenagers to help reach high-school aged kids.

The program offers 30-minute workshops, facilitated by trained staff and volunteers, to give parents the conversational tools they need to talk to their teens and reduce teen alcohol use as a result. These workshops are open to the public and are free of charge.

Parents can attend a workshop in the coming months! To register for a workshop, to host a workshop at your location, or for more information on MADD’s parenting initiative: Power of Parents, It’s Your Influence®, contact Heidi Bainbridge at 319-293-6412 or info@vbsafecoalition.com.

ABOUT NATIONWIDE INSURANCE
Nationwide Insurance, based in Columbus, Ohio, is one of the largest and strongest diversified insurance and financial services organizations in the U.S. and is rated A+ by A.M. Best. The company provides a full range of personalized insurance and financial services, including auto insurance, motorcycle, boat, homeowners, life insurance, farm, commercial insurance, administrative services, annuities, mortgages, mutual funds, pensions, long-term savings plans and health and productivity services. Visit www.nationwide.com.

ABOUT MOTHERS AGAINST DRUNK DRIVING
Founded by a mother who lost her daughter in a crash, Mothers Against Drunk Driving® (MADD) is the nation’s largest nonprofit working to protect families from drunk driving and underage drinking. With the help of those who want a safer future, MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving® will end this danger on American roads. And, Power of Parents, It’s Your Influence® offers research-proven strategies to help parents keep their children safe from the dangers of underage drinking. One of the largest victim services organizations in the U.S., MADD also supports drunk driving victims and survivors – serving one person every 10 minutes – at no charge. To learn more about MADD, visit madd.org or call 1-800-GET-MADD. For victims/survivors, call 1-877-MADD-HELP.

Teens Selected to attend CADCA National Leadership Forum in Washington D.C.

2012-01-09T07:34:00.000-08:00

Two Van Buren County Teens have been selected to attend the CADCA National Leadership Forum and the National Youth Leadership Initiative Experience. This event is being held in Washington D.C. February 6-9, 2012. Emily Jester, an 8th grade Van Buren Middle School student, and Faith Murphy, a 10th grade Van Buren High School student, were selected by a team of adult SAFE Coalition members who reviewed all applications submitted for the event. Their applications were rated the highest and were given the honor of attending this year.

CADCA's NYLI Experience is built on the framework of the National Coalition Institute's National Coalition Academy. In these sessions, both youth and their adult advisors learn how to help community coalitions be more effective in producing community change. The NYLI Experience helps coalitions build their capacity to foster youth leadership in the design, implementation and evaluation of action strategies addressing community problems. In addition, this training builds the relationship between the youth leader and the adult coalition coach.

The participants learn about the Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF), logic models, strategic planning, developing interventions, advocating for change, evaluation, and sustainability. The NYLI Experience is a CADCA workforce development strategy that teaches what is required to create and nurture the growth of committed leaders and their work within coalitions. It better equips youth and adults to develop an action plan that clearly defines the strategies that young leaders will carry out to address the problems and goals that the coalition is striving to affect.

It is an honor to be selected to attend this event. The coalition only sends two Van Buren County students each year based on applications of the YLC members. These teens should be commended for their hard work and dedication to their community! Congratulations Emily and Faith!

For more information on NYLI or the YLC Program please contact the Van Buren County SAFE Coalition at 319-293-6412 or info@vbsafecoalition.com.

NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS

2011-12-22T08:33:00.000-08:00

Have you heard about the SAFE Coalition?
Do you know about SAFE Coalition activities?
Are you interested in making Van Buren County a SAFE place to live?

We encourage you to join the SAFE Coalition! Maybe one of your New Years Resolutions is to make a difference in your community or to volunteer more of your time. If this is true the SAFE Coalition is for you!

The SAFE Coalition is always in need of new members, especially parents of teens! We want your input on our activities and projects. Are we making a difference in the community and the lives of teens? We need your help to be sure that we are.

The SAFE Coalition has monthly meetings on the third Tuesday of each month. The next meeting will be held on January 17, 2012 at 2:00 pm at the Robert’s Memorial Building. Please come out to see what the coalition is working on and how you can be a part of the great work being done in Van Buren County!

We encourage you to check out our website at www.vbsafecoalition.com or contact us at 319-293-6412 for more information on how you can get involved with the coalition.

SOMETHING WORTH CELEBRATING: ZERO UNDERAGE HOLIDAY DRINKING

2011-12-22T08:31:00.000-08:00

If all grownups created holiday wish lists at this time of year, the health and safety of children would surely be one of their most frequent requests. Yet holiday time delivers tragedy to many American families and their communities, thanks in part to the season’s increased rates of excessive alcohol use and underage drinking.

Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) described the challenge in a 2005 op-ed article:
Dancing and prancing through Jingle Bell Square, more than a few seasonal revelers mistake alcohol consumption for holiday celebration—teens included. Following the lead of influential adults, many young people are tempted, even encouraged, to finish up the old and ring in the new by, well, downing a few.

Thanks to concerted efforts by community-based prevention organizations, law enforcement, other community leaders, and family members, progress is being made in reducing underage drinking tragedies. For example, a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration fact sheet reported that fatal crashes involving 15- to 20-year-old drivers who had a blood alcohol content of .01 g/dL or higher dropped from 1,932 in 2000 to 1,210 in 2009—a 37 percent decrease.

Yet holidays seem to invite excess and rule-bending among many people of all ages—a risk for everyone, but particularly for vulnerable children and teens who use alcohol. In a 2010 report, SAMHSA found that on New Year’s Day 2009, there were an estimated 1,980 emergency department visits involving underage drinking compared to 546 such visits on an average day that year—a 263 percent increase. As SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde, J.D., said:
This stunning increase in underage drinking related emergency room visits on New Year’s Day should be a wake up call to parents, community leaders and all caring adults about the potential risks our young people face for alcohol-related accidents, injuries and death during this time of year.

As SAMHSA also reminds us, prevention works, and all caring adults can help give young people the gift of health and safety this holiday season, and all year long, by doing their part to prevent underage drinking in their community. From planning an alcohol-safe and drug-free holiday season to modeling and supporting highway safety, we all can do something to protect those we care about—and that’s really worth celebrating.

Helpful Resources
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism has useful facts and tips for safe holidays. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration coordinates an annual winter holidays campaign to prevent impaired driving. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers pages of Holiday Health & Safety Tips. Young people can participate in prevention efforts with Holiday Activities developed by SADD.

You may also contact the Van Buren SAFE Coalition for help and information at 319-293-6412 or at info@vbsafecoalition.com. The coalition also has resources and information available on the coalition’s website at www.vbsafecoalition.com, it’s blog at http://vbsafecoalition.blogspot.com, or it’s face book page at Van Buren County SAFE Coalition.

Give Your Loved Ones the Gift of Safety - Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving

2011-12-15T09:01:00.000-08:00

There will be many reasons to be merry this holiday season. And making sure that your loved ones enjoy themselves responsibly is one of the most reliable ways to guarantee their safety. That is why The SAFE Coalition would like everyone to embrace the spirit of driving sober this season.

The message is simple, drinking alcohol and driving do not mix. If you plan to consume alcohol, you should plan not to get behind the wheel of a vehicle or ride a motorcycle.

Unfortunately, millions of drivers on America’s highways continue to make deadly decisions by driving a vehicle or riding a motorcycle while intoxicated, which jeopardizes their safety and the safety of others on our roads.

The holiday season can be one of the deadliest and most dangerous times on America’s roadways due to drunk driving. Taking a risk on having your 2011 end in an arrest or death is just not worth it.

During December 2009, there were 753 people killed in crashes that involved drivers or motorcycle riders with blood alcohol concentrations of .08 grams per deciliter or higher.

The SAFE Coalition recommends these simple tips for a safe holiday season:
 Plan a safe way home before the festivities begin;
 Before drinking, designate a sober driver and leave your car keys at home;
 If you’re impaired, call a sober friend or family member;
 If you happen to see a drunk driver on the road, don’t hesitate to contact your local law enforcement;
 And remember, Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving. If you know someone who is about to drive or ride with a driver who is impaired, take the driver’s keys and help them make other arrangements to get to where they are going safely.

For more information, please visit www.TrafficSafetyMarketing.gov. You may also contact the Van Buren SAFE Coalition at 319-293-6412 or at info@vbsafecoalition.com. The coalition also has resources and information available on the coalition’s website at www.vbsafecoalition.com; on it’s blog at http://vbsafecoalition.blogspot.com; or on it’s face book page at Van Buren County SAFE Coalition.

Top 10 Reasons Not to Legalize Marijuana

2011-12-08T09:00:00.000-08:00

10: IT WOULD STILL BE ILLEGAL
In July 2011 the federal government reaffirmed marijuana as a Schedule I substance; i.e., no accepted medical use and high abuse potential. Therefore, its possession and use remains a federal crime. Since federal law preempts state law, marijuana would still be illegal in Iowa.

9: MARIJUANA POSSESSION/USE IS NOT IMPACTING THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM
Proponents often make misleading statements about marijuana arrests and the jail population.

8: WHY REPEAT AMSTERDAM’S MISTAKE
The wrong type of people would be attracted to Iowa and for the wrong reasons. We need tourists attracted by our rolling hills and relaxed environment, not as the Mecca for getting ‘stoned.’

7: NEGATIVE IMAGE OF IOWA
If marijuana is legalized under Iowa law, our state would be considered the ‘POT CAPITAL’ of the nation. This notoriety would have a negative impact on attracting new businesses and families deterred by Iowa’s image and quality of life issues. This could also impact decisions to send students to Iowa institutes of higher education.

6: HARM TO EXISTING BUSINESSES AND THE ECONOMY
Substance abuse studies have shown that businesses and employers will experience greater rates of absenteeism, industrial accidents and tardiness as well as less productivity with a potential work force regularly using marijuana. This not only results in economic losses, but conflicts with the federal Drug Free Workplace requirements and companies losing federal contracts. Businesses would be less likely to stay or move into a state where drug use related risks are high.

5: BLINDSIDE ECONOMICS
At best, potential tax revenue generated by legalizing marijuana will cover only 15% of the collateral costs to our community such as: increased drug treatment, emergency room visits, crime, traffic accidents and school ‘drop-outs’ to name just a few of the costs related to marijuana use.

4: MARIJUANA USE WOULD INCREASE
Marijuana use and its negative health, behavioral and societal impacts will increase among both youth and adults. The best estimates from experts project that the number of regular users would at least double and likely triple in the most vulnerable 12 – 25 age range.

3: TREATMENT AND ADDICTION RATES WOULD RISE
Regular marijuana use can be addictive and lead to deteriorating behavior, particularly in young people. In 2009, 830,000 youth had marijuana addiction characteristics. Sixty-eight percent of youth in drug treatment are there for marijuana use.

2: ADVERSE EFFECT ON THE EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT
As parents and citizens, we have a responsibility to prepare our youth for a healthy and successful future. The basis for their future lies in providing them with a quality educational environment. If marijuana was legalized, it is estimated that 20 – 30 percent of our school-aged children will become regular marijuana users. That will negatively affect their attendance, concentration, memory, brain development and thus academic achievement and participation in a positive educational setting.

1: DEATHS FROM IMPAIRED DRIVING WOULD INCREASE
Marijuana use affects coordination, decision-making and perception which directly results in impaired driving. People who drive after using marijuana are nearly twice as likely to be involved in a fatal car crash. Drivers, who tested positive for marijuana, after an accident, were more than three times as likely to be responsible for the fatal car crash. In the past ten years in Iowa in 25% of car accidents where the driver tested positive for drug use there was a fatality.

THE ABOVE ARE BOLD STATEMENTS BUT CAN BE SUPPORTED BY STUDIES AND RESEARCH. IF YOU WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE VISIT: www.vbsafecoalition.com

Kaizen- The philosophy of ongoing improvement

2011-12-02T09:35:00.000-08:00

The Iowa Counterdrug Task Force recently provided a Kaizen event to the Van Buren County SAFE Coalition. They are offering this service to any substance abuse prevention coalition within the state of Iowa. The Kaizen is a quick, introspective survey with instant visual representation of the results in an easy to understand chart. Coalitions completing this survey will be able to use this information immediately, instantly applying this information to strengthen their coalition and their community.

What is the Coalition Kaizen Event (or “Kaizen”)
 A rapid improvement event for your coalition.
 30 minutes of a regular meeting are devoted to a member survey.
 The survey measures your members’ actual experience, action, and understanding vs. general perceptions or ratings of overall satisfaction.
 The survey is taken using “clickers” which allows for completely anonymous participation.
 The survey produces a highly visual diagnostic which is provided to the coalition within five minutes of completing the survey.
 The survey explores your coalition’s work in each of the twelve essential processes and the Strategic Prevention Framework.

The Van Buren County SAFE Coalition had a total of 27 members in attendance to take part in this process. The survey provided valuable feedback that the coalition will be reviewing over the course of the next few months in order to address areas that need attention. Coalition members who completed the process like the instant feedback and thought it was a great system to be able to quickly identify the strengths and weaknesses of the coalition.

For more information on this project or on how to get involved with the SAFE Coalition you may contact us at 319-293-6412 or visit us on the web at www.vbsafecoalition.com or “Like” us on Facebook!

Give Yourself Something To Be Thankful For This Thanksgiving

2011-11-17T09:58:00.000-08:00

The seasons are turning from warm summer days to cool crisp mornings and vibrant fall colors. The season for thanksgiving is upon us and this is a time to give thanks for all things important to you. While there are many things you may be thankful for in your life some may be dealing with the abuse of drugs and alcohol. The SAFE Coalition wants to take this opportunity to provide you with resources to assist you in your decision to become free of Drug Addiction. Keep in mind drug addiction includes addiction to alcohol and tobacco – they are considered drugs.

It takes courage and strength to face up to drug addiction. When you’re bogged down in drug abuse and drug addiction, sobriety can seem like an impossible goal. But recovery is never out of reach, no matter how hopeless your current situation seems.

Change is possible with the right treatment and support, and by making lifestyle changes that address the root cause of your addiction. Don’t give up, even if you’ve tried and failed before. There are many different roads to recovery, but almost all involve bumps, pitfalls, and setbacks. But by examining the problem and thinking about making the necessary changes, you’re already on your way. These seven steps will help you on your road.

1. Decide to make a change.
For many people struggling with addiction, the biggest and toughest step toward recovery is the very first one: deciding to make a change. It’s normal to feel conflicted about giving up your drug of choice, even when you realize it’s causing problems in your life. Change is never easy.

2. Explore your treatment options
Once you’ve made the decision to challenge your drug addiction, it’s time to explore your treatment choices. Options can be found online, by talking to your doctor or calling 1-800-662-HELP (4357)

3. Reach out for support
Don’t try to go it alone. Whatever treatment approach you choose, having a solid support system is essential. The more positive influences you have in your life, the better your chances for recovery. Recovering from drug addiction isn’t easy, but with people you can turn to for encouragement, guidance, and a listening ear, it’s a little less tough.

4. Learn healthy ways to cope with stress
Even once you’ve recovered from drug addiction, you’ll still have to face the problems that led to your drug problems in the first place. Did you start using drugs to numb painful emotions, calm yourself down after an argument, unwind after a bad day, or forget about your problems? After you become sober, the negative feelings that you used to dampen with drugs will resurface. For treatment to be successful, and to remain sober in the long term, you’ll need to resolve these underlying issues as well.

5. Keep triggers and cravings in check
While getting sober from drugs is an important first step, it’s only the beginning of the recovery process. Once sober, the brain needs time to recover and rebuild connections that have changed while addicted. During this time, drug cravings can be intense. You can support your continued sobriety by making a conscious effort to avoid people, places, and situations that trigger the urge to use.

6. Build a meaningful drug free life
You can support your drug treatment and protect yourself from relapse by having activities and interests that provide meaning to your life. It’s important to be involved in things that you enjoy and make you feel needed. When your life is filled with rewarding activities and a sense of purpose, your addiction will lose its appeal.

7. Don’t let relapse keep you down
Relapse is a common part of the recovery process from drug addiction. While relapse is understandably frustrating and discouraging, it can also be an opportunity to learn from your mistakes and correct your treatment course.

By taking the above steps to become free of addiction next thanksgiving you could be giving thanks for a sober life.

Information provided by Helpguide. Additional information can be found on their website at www.helpguide.org. If you would like additional local assistance you may contact the SAFE Coalition at info@vbsafecoalition.com, by phone at 319-293-6412 or online at www.vbsafecoalition.com

Great American Smokeout

2011-11-10T06:32:00.000-08:00

The American Cancer Society is marking the 36th Great American Smokeout on November 17, 2011 by encouraging smokers to use the date to make a plan to quit, or to plan in advance and quit smoking that day. By doing so, smokers will be taking an important step towards a healthier life – one that can lead to reducing cancer risk.

Tobacco use remains the single largest preventable cause of disease and premature death in the US, yet more than 46 million Americans still smoke. However, more than half of these smokers have attempted to quit for at least one day in the past year.

In 1954, American Cancer Society researchers were among the first to link cigarette smoking to early death from lung cancer. In 2011, the Society continues to lead the charge to help people stay well by providing tools to help smokers quit.

Most people know that using tobacco can cause lung cancer, but few know it’s also a risk factor for many other kinds of cancer, including cancer of the mouth, voice box (larynx), throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney, pancreas, cervix, stomach, and some leukemia. It’s also linked to a number of other health problems, from heart disease and emphysema to stroke.

And there is no safe way to use tobacco. Cigars, pipes, and spit and other types of smokeless tobacco all pose serious health risks.

Need more motivation to quit? It takes just minutes for your body to start healing after you quit smoking. You can look forward to better circulation and lung function and an improved sense of taste and smell. And by not buying packs of expensive cigarettes, you’ll also be saving money – and in these times, every penny counts.

Five Keys for Quitting
1. Get ready.
Set a quit date. Change your environment. Get rid of ALL cigarettes and ashtrays in your home, car, and workplace. Don’t let people smoke in your home. Review your past attempts to quit – think about what worked and what didn’t. Once you quit, don’t smoke – NOT EVEN A PUFF!

2. Get support and encouragement.
Studies have shown that you have a better chance of being successful if you have help. Tell your family, friends, and coworkers that you are going to quit and want their support. Ask them not to smoke around you, and ask them to put their cigarettes out of sight.

Inform your health care provider (e.g., doctor, dentist, nurse, pharmacist, psychologist, or smoking counselor) about your decision to quit. Get individual, group, or telephone counseling. Programs are given at local hospitals and health centers. Call 1-800-227-2345 for information about programs in your area.

3. Learn new skills and behaviors.
Try to distract yourself from urges to smoke. Talk to someone, go for a walk, or get busy with a task. When you first try to quit, change your routine. For example, use a different route to work. Do something to reduce your stress – take a hot bath, exercise, or read a book. Plan to do something enjoyable every day. Drink a lot of water and other fluids.

4. Get medication, and use it correctly.
Medications can help you stop smoking and lessen the urge to smoke. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the following medications to help you quit smoking:
•Available by prescription – Bupropion SR (Zyban), Varenicline (Chantix), nicotine inhaler, nicotine nasal spray
•Available over-the-counter – nicotine gum, nicotine patch, and nicotine lozenges
•Remember to ask your health care provider for advice and carefully read the information on the package.

5. Be prepared for a relapse or difficult situations.
Most relapses occur within the first three months after quitting. Don’t be discouraged if you start smoking again. Remember, most people try several times before they finally quit for good. Here are some difficult situations to watch for:
•Alcohol – When you drink alcohol, it lowers your chances of success. It’s best to avoid drinking.
•Other smokers – When you’re around people who smoke, it can make you want to smoke. It’s best to avoid them.
•Weight gain – Many smokers gain weight when they quit, usually fewer than 10 pounds. Eat a healthy diet, and stay active. Don’t let weight gain distract you from your main goal – quitting smoking. Some quit-smoking medications may help delay weight gain.
•Bad mood or depression – There are a lot of ways to improve your mood other than smoking.

Quitting is hard, but you can increase your chances of success with help. The American Cancer Society can tell you about the steps you can take to quit smoking and provide the resources and support that can increase your chances of quitting successfully. To learn about the available tools, call the American Cancer Society at 1-800-227-2345. You can also contact the SAFE Coalition at 319-293-6412 or at info@vbsafecoalition.com.

National Drug Facts Week 2011

2011-11-03T07:50:00.000-07:00

What is National Drug Facts Week (NDFW)?
National Drug Facts Week is a health observance week for teens—an initiative of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) of the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The goal of NDFW is to shatter the myths about drugs and drug abuse. It was celebrated from Monday October 31st through Sunday November 6th, 2011.

Who created National Drug Facts Week?
National Drug Facts Week was launched by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health. NIDA scientists want to give teens the opportunity to learn what science has taught us about drug abuse and addiction amid the noise and clutter of drug myths they get from the internet, TV, movies, music, or from friends.

How did NDFW start?
In 2008, NIDA began hosting its annual Drug Facts Chat Day for teens, during which thousands of teens asked questions about drugs via a Web chat. Every year teens ask many more questions than the scientists can answer in a day. In response to this demonstrated interest NIDA developed NDFW, asking teens, schools and community groups all over America to hold their own "Q and A" events with local scientific experts.

What happens on NDFW?
Community-based "question and answer" teen-focused events, nationally televised messages and shows on drug facts, events on the web, and the announcement of the Grammy Foundation MusiCares video music contest winner, are the major happenings during NDFW.

What are NDFW Community-Based Events?
NDFW Community-Based Events are about shattering drug myths and getting the scientific facts about drugs and drug abuse. In Van Buren Community Schools the Youth Leadership Council (YLC) Members held a variety of events, they included:
•Hall of Horrors: This display shows the number of casualties from all of the major wars. Each day new wars are added then at the end of the week the casualties in one year from tobacco, alcohol and other drugs is displayed to show that these numbers are higher than the wars.
•Radio Interview: Two YLC Members promoted National Drug Facts week on KMEM’s Coffee Break radio show.
•Posters/Facts: Posters were hung all around the school with a “Did you know” fact. These facts helped shatter the myths about drugs, alcohol and tobacco.
•Question of the Day: Each day a trivia question was asked during morning announcements. Students had to answer the question in the library to win a prize!
•Teacher Presentations: Various teachers presented lessons in their classroom about the myths and facts of drugs, alcohol and tobacco during this week!
•Live Chat: Students were given the opportunity on Tuesday to chat live with a scientist to ask questions about drugs alcohol and tobacco and get the scientific facts.

Why participate in NDFW?
A third of high school seniors report using an illicit drug sometime in the past year, and more than ten percent report non medical use of a prescription painkiller. These data show that some teens are not aware of the risks of drug abuse. Even for those teens who do not abuse drugs, they may have friends or family who do, and may be looking for ways to help them. NDFW events’ encourage teens to get the scientific facts about drugs so they will make healthy decisions for themselves and share this information with others.

For more information on National Drug Facts Week call 301-443-1124 or visit the Web site http://drugfactsweek.drugabuse.gov. You can also contact the SAFE Coalition at 319-293-6412 or at info@vbsafecoalition.com.

Youth Leadership Students Attend County Wide Training

2011-10-27T09:12:00.000-07:00

By Meredith Miller

On October 25, 2011 there was a Youth Leadership Council (YLC) training held at the Roberts Building for Van Buren and Harmony Community Schools 7th – 12th grade YLC Members. At this training we did various activities to help us lead the way to being drug and alcohol free.

We participated in four different workshops that focused on teamwork, leadership, living above the influence and helping create a drug and alcohol free community. The National Guard held a workshop on team building. There were four different activities the YLC Members participated in that helped them to work together as a team. An Above the Influence activity was held that had the members thinking about the slogan for their life. Students were encouraged to brand themselves by coming up with a logo and a slogan that described them. They displayed their ideas on posters and t-shirts for all to see. Three students were chosen to have their designs submitted to ONDCP to be used in a local media campaign.

Everybody had a lot of fun and we all learned new things. It was very beneficial to help us come up with new ways to influence our peers to make good decisions. All of us who attended really appreciate the work that went into making this training happen.

October, 2011 is Bullying Prevention Month

2011-10-21T07:47:00.000-07:00

The time to take action is now! Everyone has a voice in raising the awareness of bullying. Whether you are a student, educator, or parent, here are important points to know:
• More than 160,000 U.S. students stay home from school each day from fear of being bullied.
• Bullying directly affects a student’s ability to learn. Students who are bullied find it difficult to concentrate, show a decline in grades, and lose self-esteem, self-confidence, and self-worth.
• Students who are bullied report more physical symptoms, such as headaches or stomachaches, and mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety, than other students.
• In some cases, bullying has led to devastating consequences, such as school shootings and suicide.
• Bullying affects witnesses as well as targets. Witnesses often report feeling unsafe, helpless, and afraid that they will be the next target.
• Bullying is a communitywide issue that must no longer be ignored or thought of as a rite of passage. Students, parents, and educators all have a role in addressing bullying situations and changing school culture.
• The two keys to creating change are:
o Increasing awareness that bullying has lifelong impact.
o Giving people the tools they need to respond effectively.
• Students can be especially effective in bullying intervention. More than 55 percent of bullying situations will stop when a peer intervenes. Student education of how to address bullying for peers is critical, as is the support of adults.
• Silence is no longer an acceptable response to bullying. Adults, students, and educators can no longer look away when they see bullying. Ignoring it won’t work. Everyone needs to be empowered with options to respond.

What DOES Work in Bullying Prevention: It DOES work to develop consensus among the whole community so they take action to discourage and interrupt low-level mean behavior before it becomes serious. Fire prevention and fire fighting are helpful analogies. We need firefighting teams to put out moderate-to-large fires. Yet we also need every individual to take action to reduce fire hazards. Similarly, we need parents, other adults, school administrators, teachers and counselors to intervene in more serious peer mistreatment. We also need people to be trained and ready to intervene by stopping the indirect use of biased speech or the small incidents of exclusion that can escalate into more serious behaviors. In addition, we can learn from firefighting that everyone in a community has an ethical responsibility to report fires. Similarly we need to see reporting peer mistreatment as a responsibility for all children rather than as “tattling.”

Information provided by: What Works in Bullying Prevention in Schools by Stan Davis and Pacer’s National Bullying Prevention Center at www.pacer.org /bullying. Take time during the month of October to educate yourself about the signs and symptoms of bullying and what you can do to make a change.

If you are interested in more information on Bullying/Bullying Prevention please contact the SAFE Coalition at 319-293-6412 or info@vbsafecoalition.com or check for information online at www.vbsafecoalition.com or on Facebook – Van Buren County SAFE Coalition.

Now More Than Ever...

2011-10-13T08:22:00.000-07:00

By Susan B. Carbon
The Justice Department and the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) join all our partners in recognizing October as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Since the Sept. 13, 1994 passage of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), there have been significant changes in society’s understanding of and response to violence against women – but there is much more that needs to be done to end domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence and stalking.

Hundreds of thousands of victims have benefitted, and their lives forever changed, because of the resolve and commitment to end violence. This has been demonstrated not only by Congress, but by all those who have diligently worked so hard over the past 17 years to implement this legislation in their crisis centers, police departments, emergency rooms, prosecutors’ offices, courtrooms and communities.

In his proclamation marking October 2011 as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, President Obama noted the effects of domestic violence, especially on young people and children:
… The ramifications of domestic violence are staggering. Young women are among the most vulnerable, suffering the highest rates of intimate partner violence. Exposure to domestic violence puts our young men and women in danger of long-term physical, psychological, and emotional harm. Children who experience domestic violence are at a higher risk for failure in school, emotional disorders, and substance abuse, and are more likely to perpetuate the cycle of violence themselves later in life.

Prevention and intervention efforts focused on breaking the cycle of abuse and violence is an important part of OVW’s ongoing work. Over the past couple of years, OVW has embarked upon the development of a new program to broaden the reach of those working to end violence against women by engaging men and boys to work together as allies with women and girls.

This is the first time in the history of OVW that a grant program focuses primarily on the prevention of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking by acknowledging the critical role men and boys play in addressing these issues. That, along with the program’s focus on the creation of public education campaigns through the work of community-based organizations and local community partners, has generated great interest and excitement. With men as partners in this work, we have the potential to reach men and boys in new and creative ways, implementing programs most relevant to them and their communities.

We remind all those in need of assistance, or other concerned friends and individuals, to call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE or the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE.

October is National Substance Abuse Prevention Month

2011-10-06T09:28:00.000-07:00

Primary prevention is a systematic process that promotes healthy environments and behaviors before the onset of symptoms, thus reducing the likelihood of an illness, condition, or injury occurring. Substance abuse clearly is among the most costly health problems in the United States. Among national estimates of the costs of illness for 33 diseases and conditions, alcohol ranked second, tobacco ranked sixth, and drug disorders ranked seventh (National Institutes of Health [NIH]). This report shows that programs designed to prevent substance abuse can reduce these costs.

President Obama has proclaimed October National Substance Abuse Prevention Month. In his proclamation he states:

“By providing strong support systems for our loved ones, and by talking with our children about the dangers of alcohol and other drugs, we can increase their chances of living long, healthy, and productive lives. During National Substance Abuse Prevention Month, we celebrate those dedicated to prevention efforts, and we renew our commitment to the well being of all Americans.

The damage done by drugs is felt far beyond the millions of Americans with diagnosable substance abuse or dependence problems countless families and communities also live with the pain and heartbreak it causes. Relationships are destroyed, crime and violence blight communities, and dreams are shattered. Substance abuse touches every sector of our society, straining our health care and criminal justice systems.

For all these reasons, my Administration has made prevention a central component of our National Drug Control Strategy, and we have developed the first ever National Prevention Strategy. These strategies, inspired by the thousands of drug free coalitions across our country, recognize the power of community based prevention organizations, and suggest that prevention activities are most effective when informed by science, driven by State and local partnerships, and tuned to the specific needs of a community.

By investing in evidence based prevention, we can also decrease emergency room visits and lower rates of chronic disease, easing the burden on America's health care system. We can improve student achievement and workforce readiness. Most importantly, we must continue to support the efforts of parents and guardians, our children's first teachers and role models, whose positive influence is the most effective deterrent to alcohol and other drug use and the strongest influence for making health choices.”

Be a part of prevention in your community by joining one of the many organizations devoted to the health and wellbeing of the county. The Van Buren County SAFE Coalition is a group of diverse leaders and organizations committed to integrating and aligning our resources to make our community safer and healthier. The coalition is dedicated to engaging our entire community in this endeavor. By moving in this direction, we work smart, spend smart and strive to reduce our tax burden as we focus on preventing such costly problems as drug abuse, underage alcohol and tobacco consumption, teen pregnancy, juvenile delinquency, school safety and school drop outs. The prevention efforts are results focused, identifying and implementing proven, cost effective programs, policies and activities. The bottom line is that the work of the coalition is a common sense, smart spending, sound investment in the future of our youth and community. The Van Buren County SAFE Coalition is committed to making Van Buren County a SAFE Place to live.

If you are interested in getting involved with the SAFE Coalition or would like more information feel free to contact us at 319-293-6412 or info@vbsafecoalition.com.

Teens Selected for Leadership Training

2011-09-29T07:34:00.000-07:00

Members of the Van Buren Youth Leadership Council (YLC) were selected to attend a Leadership training on September 21st and 22nd in Des Moines, Iowa.

Our society holds many biases and stereotypes about young people, when in fact they are often very effective, dedicated community activists in Substance Abuse Prevention. This was an interactive training and 'hands-on' learning experience. This training helped youth understand the concept of environmental strategies and how to implement them in order to make effective changes in their community.

This highly interactive training taught what is required to create and nurture growth of committed leaders and their work within coalitions. As a result of the training, youth and adults are better equipped to develop strategic action plans that clearly define the strategies that will be used to address problems that their individual coalition is striving to affect.

Two of the selected youth, Abby Rider and Lydia Heald, have previously attended these trainings in Washington D.C and Phoenix. They were both selected as youth facilitators for this training in Des Moines. The other twelve students to be selected for this event included; Faith Murphy, Cassie Johnson, Drew Nolting, Carson Schuck, Hallie Whitten, Rachel Warrick, Noah Whitten, Maddison Zimmer, Tiffany Beggs, Emily Jester, Libby King and Gloria Nelson.

Upon their return from the training these teens will be sharing what they have learned at an all day training for their peers in Van Buren County to be held at the Roberts Building on October 25th. Be watching for good things to come from these kids in the community!

What We Don’t Know Can Hurt Us

2011-09-23T07:31:00.000-07:00

As parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents and other concerned adults, we spend a lot of time helping teens circumvent the challenges that could ruin their lives. Perhaps one of the biggest challenges teens face is substance abuse. We talk to them about the hazards of underage alcohol use, binge drinking, drunk and drugged driving, and the risks of abusing marijuana and other dangerous drugs such as heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine. According to national statistics, we’re making an impact.

According to The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH)—a national study conducted each year by the U.S. Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration—showed that overall illicit drug use among youth aged 12-17—from 2002 to 2008—has declined. Monitoring the Future—another noteworthy survey conducted yearly by the University of Michigan also substantiates a gradual decline. That’s great news, but only tells part of the story.

What has not seen a decline is the nonmedical use of prescription medications. Prescription drug abuse has affected media personalities from Marilyn Monroe and Judy Garland to more recently, Michael Jackson, Anna Nicole Smith, Heath Ledger, Brian “Crush” Adams (professional wrestler) and Ken Caminiti (1996 Most Valuable Player-played for Houston Astros, San Diego Padres and the Atlanta Braves).

Out of the spotlight are the teens who are abusing these drugs to get high, fall asleep, wake up and deal with stress. Did you know that one in five teens or 4.5 million young people have abused Rx drugs, and every day, almost 2,500 teens abuse an Rx medication for the first time (National Council on Patient Information and Education)? The Office of National Drug Control Policy says that the drugs most commonly abused by teens are painkillers; depressants, such as sleeping pills or anti-anxiety drugs; and stimulants, mainly prescribed to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Teens find Rx medication abuse as an acceptable and safer alternative to illicit drug use, second only to marijuana. Why—perhaps because we live in a world where there’s a pill for everything. In fact, when we go to the doctor, in seven out of 10 visits we leave with a prescription. It’s no wonder that teens are comfortable with misusing and abusing Rx medications. They also believe that because these drugs are legal, they are safer than marijuana, heroin, cocaine or methamphetamine.

Prescription drugs are easy to get. Fifty-six percent of people who use Rx medications non-medically say they obtain these drugs from friends and relatives (NSDUH 2008), meaning that these drugs are freely shared or taken from medicine cabinets or other accessible places.

So how do we protect the rights of those who need these medications to relieve pain while also preventing their abuse? We’ve got to sound the alarm to parents and adult caregivers that prescription drugs are a source of grave concern. Teens are abusing these drugs and some are even dying because of it. Parents can protect their teens by locking up their meds, keeping track of medication quantities and learning how to properly dispose of medications when they are no longer needed. Lee’s Pharmacy participates in the TakeAway program all year long. They accept medications you are no longer using and you want to get rid of. You can find out more about this program and other participating pharmacies at http://iarx.org/takeaway/. Just a reminder the TakeAway program cannot accept controlled substances at the pharmacy. Contact the Van Buren County SAFE Coalition at 319-293-6412 or info@vbsafecoalition.com. You can also check out the coalition on Facebook or on their website: www.vbsafecoalition.com to become a part of the Rx abuse solution or for more information on medication abuse.

Have a Meal Together- September 26th- Family Day – Meals Together Really Do Make a Difference!

2011-09-16T07:35:00.000-07:00

Compared to teens who have frequent family dinners (five to seven per week), those who have infrequent family dinners (fewer than three per week) are more than twice as likely to say that they expect to try drugs in the future, according to The Importance of Family Dinners VI, a new report from The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA*) at Columbia University.

The CASA family dinners report reveals that nearly three-quarters (72 percent) of teens think that eating dinner frequently with their parents is very or fairly important.

Compared to teens who have frequent family dinners, those who have infrequent family dinners are:

· Twice as likely to have used tobacco;

· Almost twice as likely to have used alcohol; and

· One and half times likelier to have used marijuana.

The report found that compared to teens who talk to their parents about what’s going on in their lives at dinner, teens who don’t are twice as likely to have used tobacco and one and a half times likelier to have used marijuana.

“The message for parents couldn’t be any clearer. With the recent rise in the number of Americans age 12 and older who are using drugs, it is more important than ever to sit down to dinner and engage your children in conversation about their lives, their friends, school--just talk. Ask questions and really listen to their answers,” said Kathleen Ferrigno, CASA’s Director of Marketing who directs the Family Day-A Day to Eat Dinner with Your ChildrenTM initiative. “The magic that happens over family dinners isn’t the food on the table, but the communication and conversations around it. Of course there is no iron-clad guarantee that your kids will grow up drug free, but knowledge is power and the more you know the better the odds are that you will raise a healthy kid.”

The report also reveals that teens who have fewer than three family dinners per week are twice as likely to be able to get marijuana or prescription drugs (to get high) in anhour or less. Teens who are having five or more family dinners per week are more likely to say that they do not have any access to marijuana and prescription drugs (to get high).

This year the trend survey found that 60 percent of teens report having dinner with their families at least five times a week, a proportion that has remained consistent over the past decade.

Family Day—A Day to Eat Dinner with Your ChildrenTM Family Day is a national movement launched by CASA in 2001 to remind parents that frequent family dinners make a difference. Celebrated on the fourth Monday in September—the 26th in 2011—Family Day promotes parental engagement as a simple and effective way to reduce children’s risk of smoking, drinking and using illegal drugs. What began as a small grassroots initiative has grown to become a nationwide celebration which is expected to once again be proclaimed and supported by the President and all 50 U.S. Governors as well as leading sponsors Stouffer's and The Coca-Cola Company. More information about Family Day, including conversation starters and a pledge can be found at: http://casafamilyday.org

CASA and its staff of some 60 professionals aim to inform Americans of the economic and social costs of substance abuse and its impact on their lives, find out what works in prevention and treatment of this disease, and remove the stigma of substance abuse and replace shame and despair with hope.

For more information on CASA visit http://www.casacolumbia.org/.

For more information on talking to your kids about drugs or taking a more active role in their lives contact the SAFE Coalition at 319-293-6412 or www.vbsafecoalition.com

Teens Selected for Leadership Training

2011-09-16T07:33:00.000-07:00

Members of the Van Buren Youth Leadership Council (YLC) have been selected to attend a Leadership training on September 21st and 22nd in Des Moines, Iowa.

Our society holds many biases and stereotypes about young people, when in fact they are often very effective, dedicated community activists in Substance Abuse Prevention. This will be an interactive training and 'hands-on' learning experience. This training will help youth understand the concept of environmental strategies and how to implement them in order to make effective changes in their community.

This highly interactive training will teach what is required to create and nurture growth of committed leaders and their work within coalitions, As a result of the training, youth and adults will be better equipped to develop strategic action plans that clearly define the strategies that will be used to address problems that their individual coalition is striving to affect.

Two of the selected youth, Abby Rider and Lydia Heald, have previously attended these trainings in Washington D.C and Phoenix. They have both been selected as youth facilitators for this training in Des Moines. The other twelve students to be selected for this event include; Faith Murphy, Cassie Johnson, Drew Nolting, Carson Schuck, Hallie Whitten, Rachel Warrick, Noah Whitten, Maddison Zimmer, Tiffany Beggs, Emily Jester, Libby King and Gloria Nelson.

Upon their return from the training these teens will be sharing what they have learned at an all day training for their peers in Van Buren County to be held at the Roberts Building in October. Be watching for good things to come from these kids in the community!

For more information on this training or any YLC activities please contact the SAFE Coalition at 319-293-6412 or info@vbsafecoalition.com

Did you miss the SAFE Home Pledge at Registration?

2011-09-06T09:35:00.001-07:00

SAFE home pledges are back! Pledges were included in registration packets this year at Van Buren Middle/High School and Elementary. If you missed these you still have an opportunity to sign a pledge!

A Safe Home Pledge looks a little different from elementary to middle/high school. At the elementary level the pledge asks parents to start conversations with their kids about the use of drugs, alcohol and tobacco and set clear rules and expectations around the use of these substances. At the middle and high school level the pledge states that the parents will not provide alcohol to minors in their home. It also states that the parents are open to communication with other parents about the use of alcohol by their children.

A directory of all parents who have signed a SAFE Home Pledge will be produced and provided to parents after the start of the school year. An updated directory will also be available on the SAFE website at www.vbsafecoalition.com.

You may sign an actual SAFE Home Pledge that you received in your packet or you may sign one online at www.vbsafecoalition.com.

For more information on how to sign a SAFE Home Pledge, the SAFE Coalition or any of their activities you may contact them at 319-293-6412 or via email at info@vbsafecoalition.com. Or check out the website at www.vbsafecoalition.com and the blog at http://vbsafecoalition.blogspot.com/.

Back to School BBQ a Great Success!

2011-08-25T10:04:00.000-07:00

On August 18, 2011 the Van Buren County School District, SAFE Coalition, Keosauqua Chamber, and Keosauqua Rotary held a Back to School BBQ at the Van Buren Middle/High School. During the BBQ parents and students were able to register for the school year; tour the newly remodeled building; meet the teachers, staff and administration; attend presentations; win door prizes and eat some great food. There were approximately 200 parents and students in attendance for this great event. Door prizes given away included a boy’s bike (donated by Lee McIntosh), a Flip Camera (donated by the SAFE Coalition) and Pizza Gift Certificates (donated by Circle B).

The presentations held during the BBQ were on Bullying: parents/students rights when being bullied and the code of conduct/ Warrior Pure Performance. The bullying presentation was put on by Nate Munson, the Executive Director of Iowa Safe Schools. Iowa Safe Schools is a coalition of educators, civil rights and LGBT advocates in partnership with the Iowa Civil Rights Commission. Nate is a graduate of Clarke College and his previous experience includes work with individuals with mental and physical disabilities, diversity programs and political campaigns. Since joining Iowa Safe Schools in May 2007 Nate has become known as a statewide leader on bullying and LGBT youth development. The presentation addressed parents and students rights when a student is being physically/cyber/verbally bullied by other students. There were 26 parents and 32 students who attended.

The “Code of Conduct/Warrior Pure Performance” presentation was put on by Greg Jones, Van Buren Community Schools Middle School Administrator/Activities Director and Tonja Jirak, Stop Grant Director. There were approximately 12 parents and 24 students in attendance at this presentation. They outlined the new Van Buren Community Schools Code of Conduct and described the plan for the commitment of the school district to a Warrior Pure Performance program. The core of these policies is to do the following:
Encourage students to perform their best and to take pride in that performance.
Help students realize how important it is to be at their best both physically and mentally and to be committed to be alcohol, tobacco and drug free.
Help the youth and parents to develop a sense of character, dignity and civility that speaks highly of the school and community.
Remind all to respect our opponents and acknowledge them for striving to do their best.
Remind parents to be aware of where your child is spending their after game time – who they are with and what they are doing. Support your student by providing alcohol and drug free settings.
Remind the parents to respect the task the coaches face as teachers of performance and character, and support them as they strive to educate the youth.
Remind the parents to be a “team fan”, not a “my child” fan.
Remind the parents to be an active and vigilant parent committed to Warrior Pure Performance.

The event proved to be a fun and successful evening for all in attendance! If you are interested in information on Bullying: Parent/Student Rights or the New VBCSD Code of Conduct please contact the SAFE Coalition at info@vbsafecoalition.com or 319-293-6412. You can check out what the coalition is about and is doing on our website - www.vbsafecoalition.com; on our blog - http://vbsafecoalition.blogspot.com/; or on Facebook - Van Buren County SAFE Coalition.

The SAFE Coalition Attends the EUDL Conference

2011-08-22T10:23:00.000-07:00

The Underage Drinking Enforcement Training Center (UDETC) held another successful National Leadership Conference (NLC)! The 13th Annual National Leadership Conference “Spotlighting Community Solutions to Underage Drinking” was held in Orlando, Florida on August 10-12, 2011. The conference registered nearly 1500 participants. Van Buren SAFE Coalition was represented by STOP Project Director, Tonja Jirak, Van Buren Sheriff Deputy Jon Tharp and Reserve Officers Lee McIntosh and William Cline.

The conference, held in conjunction with the National Liquor Law Enforcement Association, included distinguished speakers from OJJDP and other leadership in the field. This extends UDETC's reach nationally to federal, state and local agencies as well as their outreach to state and local communities through their relationship with 56 EUDL Coordinators in each state, the District of Columbia and five US Territories (American Samoa, Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands). The NLC is a gathering for States and communities with interest in enforcing underage drinking laws and in sharing of resources.

The conference included thought-provoking plenary sessions along with engaging presentations by law enforcement, judicial members, youth, researchers and community leaders. This year’s NLC theme, “Spotlighting Community Solutions to Underage Drinking”, and with every year at the conference being a learning experience, this year was no exception. We heard about innovations and effective practices that communities across the Nation developed and implemented. Communities shared their challenges and how they overcame them. Important new research on how alcohol affects the adolescent brain, ways that technology support law enforcement, how science based strategies impacts prevention and many other exciting new tools, technology and resources were revealed, shared and discussed. This year the NLC included;

-In-depth pre-conference activities for EUDL coordinators and invited guests,

-Successful experiential learning exercises,

-Exciting youth track and presentation and

-Law Enforcement, Volunteer of the Year, Youth Achievement and Success Story Awards.

For additional information on the OJJDP's UDETC and their resources contact 1-877-335-1287 or the SAFE Coalition at info@vbsafecoalition.com or 319-293-6412. You can check out what the coalition is about and is doing on our website - www.vbsafecoalition.com; on our blog - http://vbsafecoalition.blogspot.com/; or on Facebook - Van Buren County SAFE Coalition.

Van Buren Middle/High School Conduct Policy FAQ’s

2011-08-11T09:22:00.000-07:00

What is a conduct policy?
Van Buren’s conduct policy provides students and parents with a set of guidelines of what is expected in terms of a student’s conduct in order to be eligible to participate in activities at Van Buren. Participation in extracurricular activities is a privilege and students must demonstrate good behavior not only during school hours but at all times in order to earn the privilege of participating.

Why is a conduct policy necessary?
Van Buren’s code of conduct sets behavioral standards to assist youth in making good decisions. The reason for the conduct policy is not just to punish those who break the rules. It sets clear and consistent boundaries for participation in athletics and activities at Van Buren.

Isn’t there already a conduct policy? What’s new about it?
Van Buren’s conduct policy was updated to better reflect a positive model of behavior that students will be held to. The policy also now addresses issues that have arisen due to technological advances such as cell phones and the internet. Cyber images and texting play a big role in youth culture and students must make good choices about how they use these new means of communication.

What if my student isn’t in sports? Can my student be unable to attend prom?
All students that are involved in activities of any sort at Van Buren, including music, theatre, clubs and even school sponsored events such as Prom and Homecoming are expected to abide by the standards set in the conduct policy. If a student is found in violation of the policy then they will be ineligible to participate in activities as covered by the policy.

Who should I talk to if I’m aware of a violation?
Violations should be directed to school staff and/or the building administrator for investigation. Steps will then be taken to address the occurrence. However there must be more evidence than hearsay to find a student in violation of the conduct policy. Additional guidelines for reporting a violation can be found in the policy.

Want to know more? Attend the Back to School BBQ presentation on August 18th at 6:15pm in the Van Buren High School Cafeteria.

Environmental Strategies – Why They Work!

2011-08-08T06:59:00.000-07:00

For many years, prevention strategies have been an important part of reducing the harmful use of substances. The best known prevention strategies are the ones that address individuals for intervention. They are designed to influence their attitudes, knowledge, skills, and behavior. Environmental Strategies that seek to reduce or eliminate substance abuse and related problems by changing the overall context within which substance use occurs are less well known.

Dr. Deborah Fisher describes individual strategies as follows: “Traditional, individually oriented strategies accept the environment and risks it imposes as given, and focus on enhancing individuals’ abilities to resist temptations to use substances. These strategies provide information, skills training, and opportunities for personal development through a variety of programs, including school-based curricula, mentoring, and peer education and counseling. The goal of such efforts is to reduce the probability of substance abuse by changing characteristics of individuals. Much of the prevention to which youth are currently exposed falls into this category.”

Yet, individuals do not become involved with substances solely on the basis of personal characteristics. They are influenced by a complex set of factors, such as institutional rules and regulations, community norms, mass media messages and the accessibility of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. It has now been found that it is better and more effective to change the environment and availability of the substances to prevent substance use/abuse rather than just addressing individual issues.

Environmental strategies incorporate prevention efforts aimed at changing or influencing community conditions, standards, institutions, structures, systems and policies. These strategies are effective in modifying the settings where a person lives, which plays a part in how that person behaves. They can produce quick wins and instill commitment toward long-term impact in a community. They also address more people at one time and so are able to help more community members.

In Van Buren County the SAFE Coalition has been working in conjunction with community leaders to implement some of these environmental strategies to help prevent substance use/abuse. Some examples are:
•Youth working in the community to implement and strengthen tobacco free areas with additional signage.
•Youth sticker shock to provide counter advertising related to the costs of providing alcohol to a minor.
•Providing Merchant Trainings to help our local businesses to develop strong policies and procedures to prevent underage purchases of alcohol and tobacco.
•Compliance checks including a policy for law enforcement.
•School Conduct Policies with a proactive approach as opposed to reactive.

If you would like more information on Environmental Strategies please contact the SAFE Coalition at info@vbsafecoalition.com or 319-293-6412. You can check out what the coalition is about and is doing on our website - www.vbsafecoalition.com; on our blog - http://vbsafecoalition.blogspot.com/; or on Facebook - Van Buren County SAFE Coalition.

Van Buren Middle/High School Back to School BBQ August 18, 2011

2011-07-28T08:53:00.000-07:00

You are invited to a family friendly event! Meet the staff of Van Buren Community Middle/High School and learn a little about them. Learn about the Conduct Policy and how it affects your family. Learn about parent and student rights regarding bullying and harassment. Enjoy a meal and door prizes such as a flip camera. Come out and join us as we head back to school!

This event will be held on August 18, 2011 from 4:45pm to 7:00 pm at the Van Buren Middle/High School in Keosauqua.

•Bullying Presentation begins at 4:45pm provided by Nate Munson from Iowa’s Safe Schools Program.
•Conduct Policy Presentation begins at 6:15pm provided by Greg Jones the Activities Director at the Van Buren Middle/High School.
•A meal will be provided starting at 5:00 pm.
•Door prizes will be awarded at each presentation (you must be present to win). Two of the prizes will include a bike and a flip camera plus more to come!

The BBQ is being sponsored by: Keosauqua Chamber, Keosauqua Lions Club, Keosauqua Rotary, Van Buren Community Schools and Van Buren County SAFE Coalition! For more information on this event please contact the SAFE Coalition at 319-293-6412 or info@vbsafecoalition.com or check for information online at www.vbsafecoalition.com or on Facebook – Van Buren County SAFE Coalition.

SAFE AND HEALTHY KIDS FAIR

2011-07-21T07:58:00.000-07:00

August 4th — 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.

The Child Abuse Prevention Council will be sponsoring the sixth annual “Safe and Healthy” Kids Fair. The event will take place on Thursday, August 4, 2011 at the Roberts Memorial Building in Keosauqua from 3:30 p.m. until 5:30 p.m. and is open to all Van Buren County residents.

The fair will focus on keeping kids, ages 0-18 in the county, safe and healthy. Topics that will be covered include: child abuse prevention, nutrition, mental health, dental, immunizations, lead poisoning, fire and tornado safety, literacy, quality day care and preschools, parenting skills, and many more. Last year 35-40 exhibitors participated in the fair.

All school-aged children K-8 from Van Buren Community School, Harmony Community School and home-schooled children will receive free school supplies from the SIEDA/Post Office school supply drive. Handouts promoting health and safety will be given to each child as well as other community services, such as free eye exams and hearing screens. A raffle will also take place where two bikes will be given away as well as other prizes being donated by the various vendors.

SIEDA and the Van Buren County Post Offices are holding a school supply drive for the kids fair. They will be accepting donations from Friday, July 11, 2011 to Thursday, July 29, 2011. If you would like to donate school supplies to the kids fair you can drop them off at the SIEDA resource center in Keosauqua, Van Buren County Hospital, or your local post office by July 29, 2011. For a list of supplies needed you may contact Donna at 319-293-3722.

BACKPACKS ARE NEEDED!!– if you would like to donate a backpack for the kids fair contact Donna at the number above or drop them off at Community 1st Bank, Libertyville Savings Bank, State Central Bank or Farmers & Traders Bank by July 29th!

This event promotes the many resources we have available to the children of Van Buren County. If you have any questions or would like to volunteer please call 319-293-7157.

SAFE Coalition is attending CADCA’s Mid-Year Training Institute

2011-07-14T06:45:00.000-07:00

CADCA’s Mid-Year Training Institute is the only intensive, coalition-specific training opportunity of its kind, providing in-depth courses specifically designed to address a community leader’s biggest concerns and obstacles. It is being held this year in Anaheim, California on July 24-28, 2011. Participants take part in courses on everything from how to run a community anti-drug coalition to how to implement environmental strategies. The format of the training allows for small group work, real practice and knowledge application.

CADCA expects more than 1,200 attendees for a one-of-a-kind intensive, coalition-specific training opportunity. This year’s Mid-Year Training Institute provides an opportunity for coalition members to attend a variety of lecture and “lab” sessions to expand their knowledge in prevention science and improve skills in implementing evidence-based strategies. These in-depth courses are relevant for all coalitions. The following are the eight subject areas that will be addressed during the conference.

• Coalition Fundamentals: From Fluid to a Solid Foundation
• Partners: Bonding Your Coalition’s Building Blocks
• Environmental Strategies: High-Risk Settings That Shape Behaviors
• Advocacy: Reaching Critical Mass at the National, State, and Local Levels
• Social Media: Mixing Mediums to Share Your Message
• Evaluation: Developing Formal Proofs to Support Coalition Value
• Sustainability: The Phases of Diversified Funding
• Coalition Innovations: Experimenting with Emerging Trends

During this conference the SAFE Coalitions Coordinator, Heidi Bainbridge will be a trainer for one of the courses offered. She will be presenting on Coalition Considerations in Rural Settings. This course includes information on Coalitions operating in rural settings facing unique challenges and opportunities. It is offered for members of rural coalitions and provides opportunities for education and discussion about these issues. Building on participants’ experiences in implementing the Strategic Prevention Framework, the course includes a discussion of lessons learned, successes and challenges, and resources relevant to each SPF element including assessment, planning, implementation, evaluation, capacity building, cultural competence and sustainability.

For more information on the CADCA Mid-Year Institute please contact the SAFE Coalition at info@vbsafecoalition.com or 319-293-6412. You can check out what the coalition is about and is doing on our website - www.vbsafecoalition.com; on our blog - http://vbsafecoalition.blogspot.com/; or on Facebook - Van Buren County SAFE Coalition.

Marijuana Facts

2011-07-07T07:31:00.000-07:00

As there have been discussions about the legalization of marijuana for medical use in Iowa; the SAFE Coalition would like to share some facts for why it should not be legalized in Iowa. Marijuana is a hallucinogen with signs of intoxication including distorted perceptions, impaired coordination, problems with learning and memory, and difficulty in problem solving. Studies continue to show a connection between chronic marijuana usage and increased rates of anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts and schizophrenia. Marijuana growers continue to genetically engineer plants that have higher levels of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) which is the main psychoactive ingredient in the plant. This has lead to an increase, statistically doubling the potency of the drug from 1998 to 2008.

Marijuana specifically impacts our communities in negative ways. National rates of marijuana use among 8th, 10th, and 12th graders are higher than rates for any other illicit drug. According to the 2010 Iowa Youth Survey, 26% of 11th graders in the state of Iowa report having ever used marijuana, with 13% being current users. 21% of Iowa youth report having begun marijuana use between 13 and 16 years of age. Iowa youth are being exposed to marijuana more often and at a younger age than historically seen. The facts above reflect a “Perfect Storm” of potential substance use.

A “Perfect Storm” occurs at the juncture of perception of risk/harm, perception of/or actual disapproval and availability of substances. By making marijuana more available in our towns and cities, the perception of the potential harm of marijuana will decrease as will the perception of disapproval associated with using marijuana. Marijuana use will become less physically harmful in the thoughts of youth and marijuana use will hold a lesser level of potential negative social consequences. Making marijuana more accessible impacts the public health and well being of Iowans, the strength of our families, and the lives of our children.

In addition, according to The Economic Impact of Illicit Drug Use on American Society (U.S. Department of Justice, National Drug Intelligence Center, 2011),illegal drugs already cost the United States $193 billion annually in increased health care costs, crime and lost productivity. Legalizing marijuana would exponentially exacerbate these costs.

For more information on the dangers of marijuana use and talking to your teens you may visit www.theantidrug.com or contact The SAFE Coalition at 319-293-6412, info@vbsafecoalition.com or check us out on Facebook or at www.vbsafecoalition.com.

MADD's Power of Parents, It's Your Influence™ Iowa Training

2011-06-30T08:08:00.000-07:00

Van Buren County SAFE Coalition Members were trained at MADD’s community-based program, Power of Parents; Heidi Bainbridge and Nicole Tedrow attended this one day training on June 27!

In response to scientific evidence that parental influence can reduce underage drinking, MADD began a parent initiative: Power of Parents, It's Your Influence™ and partnered with Dr. Robert Turrisi from Pennsylvania State University to adapt his research - based handbook model to reach parents of high school students. The goals of MADD's parent initiative are to influence parenting behavior to prevent underage drinking, maintain the 21 minimum drinking age law in all 50 states, and engage new supporters to carry on MADD's lifesaving work.

This engaging and interactive training was held Monday, June 27, from 9 am - 4 pm at the Midwest Counter Drug Training Center (MCTC) near Des Moines, Iowa. The training provided participants with a step-by-step Facilitator Guide and Resource CD that prepared them to begin facilitating the workshops and training other facilitators upon completion. MADD's Power of Parents parent workshops are facilitated by trained and certified Power of Parents Facilitators. Do you feel awkward about talking to your teen about underage drinking? Relax! This training can give you ideas for bringing up the topic and making the conversation go easier. Plus you will learn so much more from the facilitator and you’re your parent handbook! SAFE Coalition members will now be facilitating these 30-minute parent workshops in Van Buren County.

If your group or organization is interested in having a presentation provided to your parents please contact the coalition at 319-293-6412 or at info@vbsafecoalition.com.

Van Buren County Sherriff’s Department Working to Reduce Traffic Fatalities This July 4th Weekend by Reminding Drivers to Plan Ahead

2011-06-23T10:01:00.000-07:00

July 4th celebrations often include cook-outs, picnics, boating, time spent with family and friends and, of course, fireworks. But for too many families, this holiday weekend can be filled with tragedy instead of celebration. The Fourth of July is one of the deadliest holidays of the year when it comes to alcohol-impaired-driving crashes on our roadways.

That is why the Van Buren County Sherriff’s Department is reminding everyone that Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving and to designate a sober driver before the celebrations begin.

Statistics gathered from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration over the past 25 years show that, on average, nearly half of all deadly traffic crashes over each year’s July 4th holiday involved some level of alcohol.

In fact, 410 people were killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes nationally during the Fourth of July weekend in 2009. Of that number, 40 percent involved drivers with blood alcohol concentrations (BAC) of .08 grams per deciliter or higher.

The Fourth of July is a time most Americans spend celebrating with family and friends, but in order to keep someone you love from becoming another deadly statistic, each of us can do our part to combat one of America’s deadliest crimes—drunk driving. We hope each individual will be responsible, designate a sober driver before the parties begin and will never get behind the wheel after they’ve been drinking.

All 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have made it illegal to drive with a BAC of .08 or higher.

Impaired driving is one of America’s deadliest problems. In 2009 alone, 10,839 people were killed in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes, accounting for 32 percent of all traffic-related deaths in the United States. That’s an average of one impaired-driving fatality every 48 minutes in 2009.

Impaired drivers not only take the risk of hurting or killing themselves or someone else, the trauma and financial costs of an alcohol-impaired crash or an arrest can be significant. Violators often face jail time, the loss of their driver licenses, higher insurance rates and dozens of other unanticipated expenses.

The SAFE Coalition and Van Buren County Sherriff’s Office wants everyone to enjoy their holiday celebrations, but it’s important when you or a friend are out drinking, to act on that knowledge by putting down your keys or taking a friend’s keys to not let them drink and drive.

The SAFE Coalition encourages a few simple precautions to keep themselves and loved ones safe:

• Plan a safe way home before the festivities begin;
• Before drinking, designate a sober driver;
• If you’re impaired, don’t get behind the wheel. Call a sober friend or family member so you are sure to get home safely.
• If you see a drunk driver on the road, don’t hesitate to contact the Van Buren County Sherriff’s Department — because you may just save someone’s life.
• Remember, Friends Don’t Let Friends Drive Drunk. Take the keys and help them make other arrangements to get where they are going safely.

Remember, Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving, so whether you’ve had way too many, or just one too many, it’s not worth the risk to yourself or others to get behind the wheel. Please plan ahead and designate a sober driver before the party begins.

For more information, please visit www.StopImpairedDriving.org. You may also contact the SAFE Coalition at 319-293-6412, info@vbsafecoalition.com or check us out at www.vbsafecoalition.com and on Facebook.

Internet Use Linked to Teen Drinking

2011-06-16T07:11:00.000-07:00

Rachael Rettner

Are your teens online all of the time? Are you worried about their screen time? Teens who drink alcohol spend more time using the computer for activities such as social networking than do those who don't drink alcohol, according to a new study. The study found a link between recreational use of the computer (for non-school related activities) and teen drinking. The finding suggests certain online activities may influence teen drinking. For instance, it's possible references to alcohol on social networking sites or online advertisements may encourage teenagers to drink, the researchers say.

However, the study found only an association, and not a direct cause-effect link. This means it's impossible to tell which happened first: the computer use or the drinking. It could also be that teens who drink are prone to using the computer for longer periods of time. More research over longer periods of time is needed to better understand the relationship between computer and alcohol use, the researchers say.

"Children are being exposed to computers and the Internet at younger ages," said study researcher Jennifer Epstein, a public health researcher at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York. "For this reason it's important that parents are actively involved in monitoring their children's computer usage, as well as alcohol use.” The study is published in the journal Addictive Behaviors.

Epstein and colleagues surveyed more than 200 adolescents between the ages of 13 and 17 about their online activity and alcohol use. Teens who drank alcohol in the last month spent, on average, 16 hours online per week excluding schoolwork activities. Those who didn't drink alcohol in the last month spent 12.7 hours online per week excluding schoolwork. No link was found between playing online video games or shopping online and drinking. It's important that parents realize their children face enticements online that may encourage underage drinking, the researchers say.

The study adds to a growing body of research that has found both pros and cons to teen Internet use. A recent report from the American Academy of Pediatrics described a new phenomenon known as "Facebook depression," in which children and teenagers spend too much time on social networking sites, and then develop symptoms of depression. And other studies have linked Internet use in general to an increased risk of depression and loneliness among teens. But Internet use can benefit adolescents as well. In addition to helping with homework, studies have found online activities help teens maintain ties with friends. And one study found those who did not spend time online were also at an increased risk for depression. "The Internet offers a wealth of information and opportunities for intellectual and social enrichment," Gil Botvin, a professor of public health at Weill Cornell Medical College, said in a statement. "However, it is becoming clear that there may also be a downside to Internet use.” More research is needed to understand these potential dangers and combat them, he added.

This story was provided by My Health News Daily, a sister site to Live Science. Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/05/10/internet-use-linked-teen-drinking/#ixzz1PMeV9MyT. For additional information you may contact the SAFE Coalition at 319-293-6412, info@vbsafecoalition.com or check us out at www.vbsafecoalition.com and on Facebook.

JEL Members at Strawberry Festival

2011-06-14T09:19:00.000-07:00

The JEL members from the Harmony High school made a presence at the Farmington Strawberry Festival over the weekend. On Friday the members visited with the vendors as they set up their booths and provided them with no smoking signs if they were interested. Many of the vendors were very appreciative of the signs and said that it was really helpful to have these available. One vendor said she is allergic to the smoke and this will be an easy way for her to remind patrons not to smoke in her tent. There were very few vendors who declined the signs and about 30 signs were posted at the vendor tents downtown. Large posters were also hung in various places around the downtown area to provide information about secondhand smoke, tobacco use and quitting smoking. The youth hoped to send a message that secondhand smoke in public places in dangerous not just for the smoker but for those around them.

Also on Saturday JEL members set up a booth with information. Their booth had a quiz where prizes could be won and information about quitting tobacco use for those interested. The members enjoyed providing the information about the dangers of tobacco and secondhand smoke.

For more information the JEL program and activities please contact 319-293-6412.

Van Buren Community Middle School JEL Members Receive Awards

2011-06-02T08:37:00.000-07:00

On Thursday, June 02, 2011 JEL Members were presented with Awards during the Van Buren Community Middle School Awards Ceremony.

Special Awards that were presented included a Most Active award for the members with the most points accrued during the year; An Above and Beyond award was presented to members who participated in an activity or event that was above and beyond the call of duty; Creativity awards were given to members who used their creative skills for JEL projects; You Rock Awards were given to JEL members who stood out during the year for their hard work; The Energy award was presented to a JEL member always excited to do things; and the MVP awards were voted on by the members for the person they felt had the Most Valuable Contribution to the JEL program during the year. Recipients of the Awards included:

6th Grade
Most Active: Aimee Simons, Hannah Sprouse and Grace Thomas
(15 points)
Above and Beyond: Tempis Rysdam, Aimee Simons and Grace Thomas
Creativity: Hannah Sprouse and Sarah Trent
Most Valuable Person: Hannah Sprouse

7th Grade
Most Active: Sabrina Countryman and Sheldon Dewitt (11 points)
You Rock: Carissa Kobelt, Emily Jester, Serena Riffle and Libby King
Energy: Will Mertens
Most Valuable Person: Jacinta Wenke

8th Grade:
Most Active: Hallie Whitten (18 points)
Above and Beyond: Hallie Whitten
You Rock: Mariah Giberson
Most Valuable Person: Madison Zimmer

Congratulations to all of the award winners! Thanks to all of the JEL Members for your hard work and participation this year! We hope you all have an amazing summer and we look forward to seeing and working with you again next year!

For more information about JEL and the SAFE Coalition please check us out on Face Book or at our website www.vbsafecoalition.com. If you have any questions please contact us by email at info@vbsafecoalition.com or by phone at 319-293-6412.

SAFE Coalition Offers Training Opportunities

2011-05-31T08:45:00.000-07:00

Van Buren County SAFE Coalition seeks to stimulate community involvement to promote responsible behaviors among youth and adults, leading to SAFE and healthy communities. The coalition is made up of a variety of members from various sectors of Van Buren County.

Being a member of the coalition provides members with the opportunity to make a difference in their community. They can be a part of an initiative to keep Van Buren county youth free of drugs, alcohol and tobacco in turn making our community a SAFE place to live. Another benefit of being a coalition member is the wonderful training opportunities the coalition is able to afford to its members.

Upcoming coalition trainings include:

Cultivating Partnerships for County Growth Through the Strategic Prevention Framework - This training will provide an overview of the Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF), detail the components of the Assessment and Capacity steps, and highlight key milestones. The SPF is a five-step process that assists states in developing a comprehensive plan for prevention infrastructure and supports selected local communities in implementing effective programs, policies and practices to reduce substance abuse and its related problems. CEU’s are available for this training. This training will be held on Monday, June 20th at the Honey Creek Resort.

Power of Parents- In response to scientific evidence that parental influence can reduce underage drinking, MADD began a parent initiative: Power of Parents, It’s Your Influence™ and partnered with Dr. Robert Turrisi from Pennsylvania State University to adapt his research – based handbook model to reach parents of high school students. The goals of MADD’s parent initiative are to influence parenting behavior to prevent underage drinking, maintain the 21 minimum drinking age law in all 50 states, and engage new supporters to carry on MADD’s lifesaving work.

MADD’s Power of Parents parent workshops are facilitated by trained and certified Power of Parents Facilitators. You can facilitate these 30-minute parent workshops in your community after you attend training and receive certification. Training includes a step-by-step Facilitator Guide and Resource CD that prepares you to begin facilitating workshops and training other facilitators immediately. This engaging and interactive training is scheduled for Monday, June 27, from 9 am – 3:30 pm at the Midwest CounterDrug Training Center (MCTC) in Johnston, IA

Enforcing Underage Drinking Laws- National Leadership Conference- The conference, held in conjunction with the National Liquor Law Enforcement Association, includes distinguished speakers from OJJDP and other leadership in the field. The Underage Drinking Enforcement Training Center's NLC brings out some of the Nation's largest policy and public health funders including OJJDP, NHTSA, NIAAA, SAMHSA, DOE and the FTC. This extends UDETC's reach nationally to federal, state and local agencies as well as their outreach to state and local communities through their relationship with 51 EUDL Coordinators in each State, the District of Columbia and the US Territories. The NLC is a gathering for States, Territories and communities with interest in enforcing underage drinking laws and in sharing of resources. This training is being held August 9-12 in Orlando, FL.

These trainings will all strengthen coalition member’s skills in the work they do in the community with the coalition, their employment and/or everyday lives. All of these trainings are provided to active coalition members free of charge.

For more information on training opportunities through the coalition or becoming a member of the organization please contact the coalition office at 319-293-6412 or via email at info@vbsafecoalition.com.

Van Buren County SAFE Coalition Scholarship Awarded this Week!

2011-05-23T09:22:00.000-07:00

The Van Buren County SAFE Coalition is committed to making Van Buren County a SAFE place to live. They seek to stimulate community involvement to promote responsible behaviors among youth and adults, leading to SAFE healthy communities. The youth of Van Buren County are key to making this happen.

The coalition works with the community to provide information and programming to help the members of Van Buren County understand the dangers of underage drinking, underage tobacco use, misuse of prescription medications, and illicit drug use. Thanks to the gracious gift of a former coalition member the SAFE coalition is able each year to award a graduating Van Buren Community School District Senior a scholarship. The recipient of the scholarship must be an active member of the youth coalition and have shown a desire to make a difference in their community. Graduating seniors must complete an application for the scholarship process and explain why they are deserving of the award.

This year the scholarship recipient is Alicia Schalla. Alicia has been a member of the youth coalition for her entire high school career. She has been active in numerous coalition activities and helped to orchestrate the cigarette butt cleanup on the school grounds. Her dedication to this project even reached national media where she was interviewed for an article in the National School Board Journal.

Not only has Alicia been active at the local level but for the last two years has been a member of the J.E.L. (Just eliminate Lies) executive council. This has given her the opportunity to have a voice at the state level on tobacco issues affecting the state. This opportunity has provided her with knowledge and skills that will last her a lifetime.

It has been an honor to have Alicia as part of the SAFE Coalition and Youth JEL/YLC Coalition, her work ethic and drive have been an inspiration to her peers and she will be missed. We wish her luck and much success in her future endeavors.

Congratulations to Alicia on her graduation and receipt of the SAFE Coalition Scholarship for 2011.

For more information about the SAFE Coalition check us out on Face Book or online at www.vbsafecoalition.com. You can also call the office at 319-293-6412.

Van Buren JEL Group Looking for Donations

2011-05-12T07:41:00.000-07:00

The Van Buren High School JEL Members are going to be doing a beautification project this spring at the Keosauqua Basketball Courts. The JEL Members are looking for the community to assist them with this by donating flowers, plants and mulch. Maybe you need to clean out a flower bed or are going to be making a trip to the greenhouse. Think about picking up a little extra fro the JEL Members. If you are interested in donating to this project please contact Heidi Bainbridge by May 26, 2011 at 319-293-6412 or info@vbsafecoalition.com. The plan is for the project to be completed by the beginning of June.

Congratulations Graduating Seniors! Attention Senior Parents: Now is the Time to Talk to Your Graduate

2011-05-12T07:40:00.000-07:00

Graduating high school is an important milestone in your child’s life, one which calls for celebration with friends and family. Though this is a happy time in life, it is also a dangerous time of year. Before sending your graduate off to celebrate, make sure they know the seriousness of underage drinking. Taking the time to simply talk to your child just may save their life.

The following are important points to stress when talking to your child about the risks of consuming alcohol:

• Legal Risks:
Consuming alcohol under the age of 21 is illegal. If caught by law enforcement, your graduate may be charged, which possibly will go on their permanent record. This in turn could affect the bright future they have worked so hard to achieve. Chances of financial aid are jeopardized, as well as a chance at certain careers. Getting caught consuming underage could also equal fines, court costs, and possibly even jail time. This does NOT sound like a fun way to celebrate such a great achievement.

• Health Risks:
Your graduate’s brain is still in a critical stage of development, which makes them even more sensitive to alcohol’s effects. Inhibitions are effected, which may cause your graduate to make regretted decisions. They are more likely to take risks, which could lead to serious injury and even death. Other risks of underage drinking include over consumption, which may cause your child to pass out, stop breathing, and even be poisoned by alcohol.

Research has shown that YOU as a parent can make a difference in your child’s decisions just by taking the time to talk to them. Set aside a moment and let your graduate know how you feel about them consuming alcohol, what the risks are, and that you want them to celebrate safely. Set the rules and stick to them. Let them know you are there for them, and answer any questions they may have. Taking these steps may affect your child throughout their entire life.

For more information on Talking to your kids about alcohol you may contact the Van Buren County SAFE Coalition at 319-293-6412 or on the web at www.vbsafecoalition.com.

JEL Members Participate in Trainings and Fun

2011-05-05T07:01:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, April 26th Faith Murphy, Drew Nolting, Hannah Sprouse (JEL Members) and Melissa Daugherty attended the 26th annual Risky Business Conference. This one-day conference brought together adults and youth from Iowa and surrounding states to develop skills and increase knowledge of community youth development and the critical issues confronting youth and professionals who work with youth today. The general movement of the day advanced from competency-building and skill development in the morning to a more practical application of knowledge and skills in the afternoon sessions. The conference goals included promoting Community Youth Development, informing communities about the value of increasing developmental assets of youth, increasing awareness of major problems facing America's families and youth, examining new ways to intervene earlier in the lives of at-risk families and promoting partnerships between youth and adult.

On Wednesday, April 27th Carson Schuck, Cassie Johnson (JEL Members), Chuck Banks, Heidi Bainbridge and Tonja Jirak attended the Life of an Athlete Training. At this training they learned about helping athletes be the best that they can be. This was accomplished by examining the importance of a strong code of conduct; alcohol’s effects on student athletes and getting the support that you need to support a strong code. They also learned about what to do once the code is in place; how to promote, enforce and make the policy a living document. This training provided information on doing what is best for youth. The JEL members decided they wanted to take this one as a group initiative for the 2011-2012 school year.

Finally, on Saturday, May 30th the Van Buren JEL Members attended a Substance Abuse Free Day at Adventureland. 52 Van Buren County youth from both Harmony and Van Buren High School and six chaperones attended this event. This is the end of the year JEL event for all of the hard work and success they have accomplished during the school year. All enjoyed the beautiful day and fun to be had at the park!

5th graders participate in “Dear Senior” Project

2011-05-02T09:12:00.000-07:00

During the past two weeks SAFE Coalition Coordinator, Heidi Bainbridge, visited the classrooms of the fifth graders at the Harmony and Van Buren elementary centers and worked with them to write an important letter to one of our high school seniors as part of the “Dear Senior”project, a safety promotion project put on by the Van Buren SAFE Coalition.

Using knowledge and skills learned from Mrs. Bainbridge and the faculty and staff of the school district, each fifth grader asked the senior receiving their letter to go through graduation season free of alcohol and/or other drugs and to remember that young children view older students as important role models.

The letter will be delivered to each Senior during the month of May. Each letter is valuable to the project’s purpose and each speaks with a unique voice to the senior who receives it.

Another copy of the child’s letter has been saved to be given back during graduation of their own senior year. In this way, the current fifth grader’s own advice will come back to them. We hope this message from themselves will help them remember and rethink their own best interests and choose not to use alcohol or drugs during the important times of their last year in high school and beyond.

If you have any questions about the “Dear Senior” Project please feel free to contact the Van Buren County SAFE Coalition at 319-293-6412.

April is Alcohol Awareness Month - Resources & How to Get Help with Alcohol Issues

2011-04-21T08:28:00.000-07:00

Drinking too much alcohol can lead to health problems, including alcohol poisoning, hangovers, and an increased risk of heart disease. This April, during Alcohol Awareness Month, the Van Buren County SAFE Coalition encourages you to take this time to educate yourself and your loved ones about the dangers of alcohol abuse. To spread the word and prevent alcohol abuse, the Van Buren County SAFE Coalition is joining other organizations across the country to honor Alcohol Awareness Month and to prevent alcohol abuse in our community.

If you are drinking too much, you can improve your health by cutting back or quitting. Keep track of how much you drink, avoid places where overdrinking occurs, and find new ways to deal with stress. If you are concerned about someone else’s drinking, offer to help.

Locally the following agencies are available to help you and your family:
SIEDA Substance Abuse Services 800-622-8340
Alcohol and Drug Dependency Services of Southeast Iowa 319-753-6567
Iowa Substance Abuse Information 866-242-4111
Alcoholics Anonymous 319-293-9191

To help parents in preventing and reducing adolescent alcohol and drug use, The Partnership at drugfree.org provides information and tools through its website, its community education programs, and its public service messages.

Other Parent Web Resources:
• www.theantidrug.com
• www.timetotalk.org- Great Parent Talk Kit
• www.drugfreeactionalliance.org
• www.drugfree.org
• www.stopalcoholabuse.gov
• www.alcoholtalk.org
• www.alcoholfreechildren.org
• www.beersoaksamerica.org
• www.dontserveteens.com
• www.notnrhouse.org
• www.madd.org/powertalk21 has a free Power of Parents, It’s Your Influence Handbook

Teen Web Resources:
• www.toosmarttostart.samhsa.gov
• www.thecoolspot.gov
• www.abovetheinfluence.com
• http://teens.drugabuse.gov

For additional information you may contact the SAFE Coalition at 319-293-6412, info@vbsafecoalition.com or check us out at www.vbsafecoalition.com and on Facebook.

Myths and Facts of Alcohol Use

2011-04-14T07:41:00.001-07:00

Teens think you know everything about alcohol? Here are some common myths debunked.

MYTH: Everyone drinks.
TRUTH: Not true. Although 31% of teens said they've drank alcohol in the past month that still leaves 69% who did not! If you choose not to drink, you're definitely not alone.

MYTH: Driving with someone who drank can be safe, because they drive extra carefully so they don't get pulled over.
TRUTH: YIKES! Drinking and driving is extremely dangerous. Each year, approximately 5,000 young people under the age of 21 die as a result of underage drinking and about 1,900 of these deaths are from motor vehicle crashes (NIAAA). In 2002, alcohol was involved in 41% of all fatal crashes (NIDA). A person might think he's in control, but alcohol slows down reaction time which makes driving a car one of the worst decisions one can make — even if he's had only a little bit to drink.

MYTH: If I drink too much, the worst thing that can happen is I get my stomach pumped.
TRUTH: No way. If alcohol is drunk excessively, it can lead to alcohol poisoning which can cause death. Also, drinking excessive alcohol can cause vomiting. When drunk and unconscious, a person may inhale fluids that have been vomited, resulting in death by asphyxiation. Long-term, heavy use of alcohol can lead to addiction (alcoholism), and can even cause a heart attack or stroke.

MYTH: Talk to me about drugs - that's a bigger issue than alcohol.
TRUTH: Both drugs and alcohol are serious problems among teens. Alcohol kills young people just like cocaine, heroin and other serious illegal drugs. Also, according to recent studies, nearly one-half (47%) of persons who began drinking before age 14 were alcohol dependent at some point in their lifetime.

MYTH: My parents drink - so what's the big deal if I do?
TRUTH: Actually, it's scientifically proven to be a big deal. According to new research by A. Thomas McLellan, Ph.D., teens who drink and take drugs may be at greater risk than previously thought. His research suggests that the brain is not fully formed until age 24. Using drugs and alcohol during this important time as your brain develops might have negative long-term effects on brain functions such as memory.

Teen Web Resources: www.toosmarttostart.samhsa.gov, www.thecoolspot.gov, www.abovetheinfluence.com, http://teens.drugabuse.gov

Parents, family, and friends of teens please make sure to check out these sites or contact the SAFE Coalition for more information on issues that teens are facing today! Van Buren County SAFE Coalition: 319-293-6412, info@vbsafecoalition.com or check us out at www.vbsafecoalition.com and on Face Book.
Sources: NIAAA, NESARC and www.thecoolspot.gov

Adventureland Tickets

2011-04-14T07:40:00.001-07:00

The Van Buren County SAFE Coalition has tickets for Adventureland. The cost for the tickets is $17 each. The tickets are only good for April 30th, May 1st, 7th or 8th. If you are interested in going to Adventureland on any of these dates please contact the Coalition by phone at 319-293-6412 or by email at info@vbsafecoalition.com.

How to Talk to Your Kids about Alcohol Use

2011-04-08T07:08:00.000-07:00

Evidence suggests that alcohol use—and in particular binge drinking—may have negative effects on adolescent development and increase the risk for alcohol dependence later in life (Squeglia et al., 2009; Grant and Dawson, 1997). This underscores the need for parents to help delay or prevent the onset of drinking as long as possible.

Parents influence whether and when adolescents begin drinking as well as how their children drink. Family policies about adolescent drinking in the home and the way parents themselves drink are important. For instance, if you choose to drink, always model responsible alcohol consumption. But what else can parents do to help minimize the likelihood that their adolescent will choose to drink and that such drinking, if it does occur, will become problematic? Studies (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2007) have shown that it is important to:

•Talk early and often, in developmentally appropriate ways, with children and teens about your concerns—and theirs—regarding alcohol. Adolescents who know their parents’ opinions about youth drinking are more likely to fall in line with their expectations.

•Establish policies early on, and be consistent in setting expectations and enforcing rules. Adolescents do feel that parents should have a say in decisions about drinking, and they maintain this deference to parental authority as long as they perceive the message to be legitimate; consistency is central to legitimacy.

•Work with other parents to monitor where kids are gathering and what they are doing. Being involved in the lives of adolescents is key to keeping them safe.

•Work in and with the community to promote dialogue about underage drinking and the creation and implementation of action steps to address it.

•Be aware of your State’s laws about providing alcohol to your own children.

•Never provide alcohol to someone else’s child.

Children and adolescents often feel competing urges to comply with and resist parental influences. During childhood, the balance usually tilts toward compliance, but during adolescence, the balance often shifts toward resistance as teens prepare for the autonomy of adulthood. With open, respectful communication and explanations of boundaries and expectations, parents can continue to influence their children’s decisions well into adolescence and beyond. This is especially important in young people’s decisions regarding whether and how to drink—decisions that can have lifelong consequences.

To help parents in preventing and reducing adolescent alcohol and drug use, The Partnership at Drugfree.org provides information and tools through its website, its community education programs, and its public service messages. Other web resources: www.theantidrug.com, www.timetotalk.org- Great Parent Talk Kit, www.drugfreeactionalliance.org, www.drugfree.org. Parents, family, and friends of teens please make sure to check out these sites or contact the SAFE Coalition for more information on issues that teens are facing today! Van Buren County SAFE Coalition: 319-293-6412, info@vbsafecoalition.com or check us out at www.vbsafecoalition.com and on Face Book.

The Importance of Talking to Your Kids about Alcohol Use

2011-03-31T08:53:00.000-07:00

Drinking alcohol undoubtedly is a part of American culture, as are conversations between parents and children about its risks and potential benefits. However, information about alcohol can seem contradictory. Alcohol affects people differently at different stages of life—small amounts may have health benefits for certain adults, but for children and adolescents, alcohol can interfere with normal brain development. Alcohol’s differing effects and parents’ changing role in their children’s lives as they mature and seek greater independence can make talking about alcohol a challenge. Parents may have trouble setting concrete family policies for alcohol use. And they may find it difficult to communicate with children and adolescents about alcohol-related issues.

Adolescent alcohol use remains a pervasive problem. The percentage of teenagers who drink alcohol is slowly declining; however, numbers are still quite high. Forty percent of adolescents report drinking by 8th grade, and 55 percent report being drunk at least once by 12th grade (Johnston et al., 2009).

Adolescents do listen to their parents when it comes to issues such as drinking and smoking, particularly if the messages are conveyed consistently and with authority (Jackson, 2002). Research suggests that only 19 percent of teens feel that parents should have a say in the music they listen to, and 26 percent believe their parents should influence what clothing they wear. However, the majority—around 80 percent—feel that parents should have a say in whether they drink alcohol. Those who do not think that parents have authority over these issues are four times more likely than other teens to drink alcohol and three times more likely to have plans to drink if they have not already started (Jackson, 2002).

Parents influence whether and when adolescents begin drinking as well as how their children drink. Family policies about adolescent drinking in the home and the way parents themselves drink are important. For instance, if you choose to drink, always model responsible alcohol consumption. But what else can parents do to help minimize the likelihood that their adolescent will choose to drink and that such drinking, if it does occur, will become problematic? Studies (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2007) have shown that it is important to:
•Talk early and often, in developmentally appropriate ways, with children and teens about your concerns—and theirs—regarding alcohol. Adolescents who know their parents’ opinions about youth drinking are more likely to fall in line with their expectations.
•Establish policies early on, and be consistent in setting expectations and enforcing rules. Adolescents do feel that parents should have a say in decisions about drinking, and they maintain this deference to parental authority as long as they perceive the message to be legitimate; consistency is central to legitimacy.
•Work with other parents to monitor where kids are gathering and what they are doing. Being involved in the lives of adolescents is key to keeping them safe.
•Work in and with the community to promote dialogue about underage drinking and the creation and implementation of action steps to address it.
•Be aware of your State’s laws about providing alcohol to your own children.
•Never provide alcohol to someone else’s child.

Web Resources to help you talk with your kids about alcohol: www.theantidrug.com, www.timetotalk.org- Great Parent Talk Kit, www.drugfreeactionalliance.org, www.drugfree.org

Parents, family, and friends of teens please make sure to check out these sites or contact the SAFE Coalition for more information on issues that teens are facing today! Van Buren County SAFE Coalition: 319-293-6412, info@vbsafecoalition.com or check us out at www.vbsafecoalition.com and on Face Book.

Van Buren Students hold Kick Butts Day Activities

2011-03-24T09:13:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday, March 23rd the Van Buren JEL/YLC members held a number of activities that encouraged smokers to kick the deadly habit of tobacco use. This is a day for smokers nationwide to unite and quit smoking. The youth encourage smokers to quit for a lifetime by starting with just one day.

No Smoking Signs- Four Van Buren JEL members visited all of the businesses in Keosauqua to ensure they had the adequate signage to be in compliance with the Iowa Smoke Free Air Act. If a business did not have a sign they posted one for them at their request. They handed out nine signs to businesses in need.

Red Ribbons, Poster and Announcements- The Harmony JEL members hung red ribbons on their school campus to make students aware of Kick Butts Day, they also hung posters in the school with tobacco facts and information for quitting smoking. An announcement was read the morning of the event so all students knew the dangers of tobacco use and the importance of quitting.

Doorknob Facts- Harmony JEL members designed doorknob facts that they distributed around Bonaparte and Farmington. The messages provided a fact about the dangers of tobacco use, information for quitting and a pencil with Quitline Iowa information. The students distributed 100 doorknob facts between the two towns, you may have seen one on your door knob!
Cigarette Butt Cleanup- Both school districts held cigarette butt clean-up projects on their (tobacco-free) campuses. This is the 4th year for this project at Van Buren and each year they have found fewer cigarette butts on the grounds. This is in part due to the great work of the janitorial staff to post Tobacco-Free Campus signs throughout the grounds. There were very few cigarettes found on the Harmony school grounds as well. Students in both districts will be presenting their findings to the school board members in April.

Buttons, Posters, Games and Announcements- The Middle School JEL members spent the morning hanging up posters around the school and making JEL buttons to hand out to all students in the school. Two of the JEL members read a morning announcement about the day, reminded students to make JEL buttons again at lunch and complete the tobacco games to win prizes! Almost all students in the middle school had buttons by the end of the day reminding them of the importance to be tobacco-free.

Videos, Every 72 Seconds, Hats and Text Message Chains- The Van Buren High School JEL members produced videos to share with their school on Kick Butts day via the channel 1 TV system. All students in the school received a message in the morning about the dangers of tobacco use and Kick Butts Day. Throughout the day 38 students were asked to wear “72” buttons. These buttons represent the 38 people who will die during one class period. Someone dies every 72 seconds from tobacco related causes. During 8th hour these students were pulled from class and a video was shown to detail the event for the entire school. This event had a significant impact on students because they could visually see how tobacco can affect lives. All students in the school were able to participate in a hat day to “put a cap on tobacco” they were allowed to wear hats to school on Wednesday. Prizes were given for the most creative hat. The JEL members were responsible for a text message chain via their cell phones that went out during the day, JEL members sent this to their friends and asked them to pass it along!

All of these events reminded students, staff and community members the dangers of tobacco use and encouraged them to use Kick Butts Day as a day they choose to quit using tobacco. For more information about the JEL/YLC program or their initiatives check them out on the web http://ylc.vbsafecoalition.com or you may contact us at 319-293-6412.

Many youth ages 12 to 14 currently get alcohol from family or home!

2011-03-17T08:32:00.000-07:00

Did you know an estimated 709,000 youth age 12 to 14 currently drink alcohol in the U.S. – many get alcohol from family or home? More than 100,000 get it from a parent or guardian

A new study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) indicates that 5.9 percent of adolescents aged 12 to 14 drank alcohol in the past month and that the vast majority of them (93.4 percent) received their alcohol for free the last time they drank. About 317,000 (44.8 percent) 12 to 14 year olds who drank in the past month received their alcohol for free from their family or at home. This includes 15.7 percent (or an estimated 111,000) who were provided alcohol for free by their parents or guardians.

"People who begin drinking alcohol before the age of 15 are six times more likely than those who start at age 21 and older to develop alcohol problems. Parents and other adults need to be aware that providing alcohol to children can expose them to an increased risk for alcohol abuse and set them on a path with increased potential for addiction," said SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde, J.D.

SAMHSA Data Spotlight: Young Alcohol Users Often Get Alcohol from Family or Home is based on the combined data from SAMHSA’s 2006 to 2009 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) and involves responses from more than 44,000 respondents ages 12 to 14. NSDUH is a primary source of information on national use of tobacco, alcohol, illicit drugs (including non-medical use of prescription drugs) and mental health in the United States. The survey is part of the agency’s strategic initiative on behavioral health data, quality and outcomes. A copy of the report is accessible at: http://oas.samhsa.gov/spotlight/Spotlight022YouthAlcohol.pdf.

For the latest information about the public health risks of alcohol misuse one can go to http://www.stopalcoholabuse.gov/. This site provides updated information about the risks, such as drunk driving, as well as new and effective prevention strategies and activities. Another SAMHSA Web site (http://www.samhsa.gov/prevention/) provides comprehensive information about SAMHSA’s substance abuse prevention research, support and public outreach activities. SAMHSA is a public health agency within the Department of Health and Human Services. Its mission is to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America’s communities.

For more information please contact the SAFE Coalition at info@vbsafecoalition.com , by phone at 319-293-6412 or online at www.vbsafecoalition.com.

Smokers Urged to Quit during Kick Butts Day

2011-03-14T07:48:00.000-07:00

Van Buren YLC/JEL Encourages Smokers to Kick the Deadly Habit

On Wednesday, March 23rd Van Buren JEL/YLC members will be encouraging smokers to kick the deadly habit in a variety of ways. This is a day for smokers nationwide to unite and kick the deadly habit of smoking. The youth encourage smokers to quit for a lifetime by starting with just one day.

Today more Americans than ever understand the dangers associated with tobacco use and a record 46 million adults have kicked the habit and are now former smokers. Still, one and four adults are current smokers, and lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death. This year in Iowa more than 1,790 people will be diagnosed with lung cancer and more than 1,700 will die from the disease.

Smoking remains the most preventable cause of death in the U.S., but there are resources available to help people quit. Quitline Iowa utilizes science-based resources that double a caller’s chances of quitting for good, including trained tobacco cessation specialists available 24 hours a day. If you’re serious about quitting or helping someone else quit, call 1.800.QUIT NOW (1.800.784.8669) and ask for help.

The Van Buren JEL/YLC youth will be hosting a variety of KBD events in both their school and the community. The youth will be picking up cigarette butts, providing no smoking signs to businesses in need, sharing information about Quitline Iowa and reminding their peers of the dangers of tobacco use and why they should never start using. Be watching for these youth with their messages throughout the week next week! For more information about the JEL/YLC program or their initiatives check them out on the web http://ylc.vbsafecoalition.com or you may contact us at 319-293-6412.

ID Scanners to be Used in Local Businesses

2011-03-03T07:22:00.000-08:00

Dave Mertens – Tillie’s Tap, Zach Keller – Circle B,

Melinda McCracken – Lindy’s Bar & Grill,

and Holly Boyd – First Street Grille.

Not pictured – T&C Tavern.

In an effort to help local businesses in preventing sales of alcohol to minors, the Van Buren SAFE Coalition recently purchased ID scanners and placed them in five Van Buren County retail establishments. The scanners are portable devices that read the data on driver’s licenses or state ID cards and notify the clerk of the age and date of birth of the person making the purchase. It also verifies whether an ID card is valid or expired, indicating that it may possibly be a fake ID. In addition, the businesses were provided with signs to post that the scanners are in use, possibly deterring a minor or person with a fake ID from even attempting to make a purchase. The businesses currently have their employees trained in the SAFE Coalition’s Merchant Alcohol Training program where they are taught the features of Iowa and Missouri ID cards as well as tips to spot a fake ID. The ID scanners will help them when checking out of state licenses because they are designed to read the ID’s of all other states with only one exception. By providing businesses with resources that can assist them in preventing sales to minors the SAFE Coalition is working with the retailers to address the problem of youth purchasing alcohol. The businesses that received the ID scanners are Tillie’s Tap, T&C Tavern, Lindy’s Bar & Grill, First Street Grille and Circle B. The SAFE Coalition will have additional scanners to distribute later this year. Any businesses interested should contact Tonja Jirak at 319-288-0912.

JEL Street Marketing Event a Big Success!

2011-02-24T09:50:00.000-08:00

Van Buren Middle School JEL members held a street marketing event at a middle school basketball game and during parent teacher conferences on February 14th, 2011 and again during parent teacher conferences on February 16th, 2011.

During the event the youth held a scavenger hunt which engaged the participants in finding the answers to tobacco facts, they had a human cigarette handing out palm cards with secondhand smoke information, and provided an educational display table that showed the ingredients in a cigarette, the damages that tobacco can have on your lungs, and the amount of tar that builds up in your lungs from using tobacco.

The event was a success as many people stopped by the table to look at the information and the students were able to distribute facts to many people in attendance. Watch for more JEL street marketing events in the future!

Pictured: Sarah Frey, Shayla Filson (Cigarette), Madison Zimmer, and Ryan Booth. Members not pictured that helped on February 16th are: Hallie Whitten, Jenna Sandry, Rachel Warrick and Mariah Giberson.

February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month

2011-02-17T07:05:00.000-08:00

One in three young people experience abuse in their relationships. You can help raise awareness today – visit www.teendvmonth.org and www.thatsnotcool.com for more information!

Love has many definitions, but abuse isn't one of them. Celebrate February as Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month and help young people across the country have safe and healthy relationships.

Post one of these messages on Twitter to further spread your message:
• Help young people break the cycle of abuse in their relationships.
• 1 in 3 teen’s experiences abuse in their relationships. Help break the cycle of violence.

SF 86 - Dating Violence Policy Legislation introduced in Iowa Legislature
Dating abuse is a widespread problem; nationally up to 40% of teens have been in abusive relationships and of those that have 43% experienced abuse while at school. It is critical that schools adopt policies to address this abuse. We support legislation that would require the department of education to develop and distribute model dating violence policy to assist all schools in developing policies for dating violence. Schools must get involved because teens are statistically at a higher risk for intimate partner abuse than adults. If domestic violence is ever going to be stopped we must start with our teens where they are most likely to be influenced… at school.

Free Webinar: Sexual Coercion in Teen Relationship
Tuesday, February 15th - 1:00 PM to 2:15 PM (CST) Go to www.iowacasa.org and scroll down to webinars for the link to register.

Local Programming
Tri-State Coalition provides prevention programming for youth that specifically address the issue of dating violence. Along with the multi-session curriculum detailed here, prevention specialists provide in-service and professional trainings to area groups upon request.

Safe Dates: a dating violence prevention curriculum for middle and high school students to stop the initiation of psychological, physical, and sexual abuse in dating relationships.

Expect Respect: evidence based prevention curriculum for students in grades 6-12 that addresses the issues of dating violence and healthy relationships that are growing amongst teens. The curriculum focuses on appropriate boundary setting, positive communications, and self awareness.

Flirting or Hurting? Curriculum addresses the issue of student to student sexual harassment in schools. Through interactive class discussions and homework assignments, students will learn: how to differentiate between flirting and harassing behaviors, what clearly constitutes sexual harassment, and outlines school's responsibility to respond.

For more information or to schedule a presentation or curriculum, please call prevention specialists, Kim Siegfried and Pam Fowler at 319-524-8520. If you would like additional local assistance you may contact the SAFE Coalition at info@vbsafecoalition.com , by phone at 319-293-6412 or online at www.vbsafecoalition.com

Van Buren County SAFE Coalition Receives National Award- Coalition of the Year

2011-02-15T07:27:00.000-08:00

CADCA’s Got Outcomes! Award recognizes coalitions that achieve measurable success in community-level substance abuse-related outcomes by implementing a comprehensive and feasible plan guided by local data. This year, a panel of coalition experts at the federal, state and local levels named Van Buren County SAFE Coalition in Keosauqua, Iowa as the Coalition of the Year.

Coalition members Heidi Bainbridge, Tonja Jirak, Abby Rider, and Lydia Heald attended the National Leadership Forum in Washington D.C. on February 10th to receive the award. They accepted the award on behalf of the entire coalition.

“The professional growth over the past five years among AOD prevention coalitions has been phenomenal. Many coalitions across the country are achieving prevention outcomes and contributing to community-wide change. Each year the expectations for the Got Outcomes! Candidates increase significantly. The communities that the Got Outcomes! Winners work with are the true winners,” said Michael Browning, consultant and review panel member.

“Coalitions receive this award for demonstrating strong local data collection and data-driven planning and implementation of a comprehensive set of evidence-based programs, practices and policies” said Dr. Evelyn Yang, Deputy Director of Evaluation and Research at CADCA.

The Coalition of the Year award recognizes an advanced coalition for successfully implementing comprehensive and collective strategies to achieve one or more targeted community-level reductions (long-term outcomes) for multiple substances. After gathering and analyzing key local assessment data, the Van Buren County SAFE Coalition prioritized their focus on alcohol and tobacco availability and acceptability. They implemented a variety of strategic, data-driven community-level strategies including supporting compliance check operations, drafting and enhancing school and community policies, disseminating information and increasing awareness of the problems. The coalition has good trend data to support their contribution to a number of reductions in alcohol and tobacco use among teens. For example, among 11th grade students, past 30 day alcohol use decreased from 51 percent in 1999 to 34 percent in 2008 and past 30 day tobacco use decreased from 42 percent in 1999 to 19 percent in 2008.

“These organizations are true leaders in the field of substance abuse prevention, exemplifying the excellent work that coalitions are doing around the country to prevent and reduce drug use,” said Gen. Arthur T. Dean, CADCA’s chairman and CEO. “By using sound and strategic data-driven practices, CADCA’s Got Outcomes! Winners are challenging community social norms and perceptions related to alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. Congratulations to our winners for contributing to reductions in substance abuse and associated problems at the local level.”

Congratulations to all members of the SAFE Coalition for their dedication to make Van Buren County a SAFE place to live. The continued hard work of coalition members is what makes a difference in the lives of the youth of the county. For more information on the award or The SAFE Coalition please visit their website at www.vbsafecoalition.com or check them out on Facebook.

STATEMENT FROM WHITE HOUSE DRUG POLICY DIRECTOR ON SYNTHETIC STIMULANTS, A.K.A. "BATH SALTS"

2011-02-03T08:33:00.000-08:00

Washington, D.C. - Today, Gil Kerlikowske, Director of National Drug Control Policy, released the following statement following recent reports indicating the emerging threat of synthetic stimulants, including MDPV (3, 4-methylenedioxypyrovalerone) and mephedrone. These stimulants are often sold and marketed in stores as "bath salts" under names such as "Ivory Wage" or "Purple Wave."

"I am deeply concerned about the distribution, sale, and use of synthetic stimulants – especially those that are marketed as legal substances. Although we lack sufficient data to understand exactly how prevalent the use of these stimulants are, we know they pose a serious threat to the health and well being of young people and anyone who may use them. At a time when drug use in America is increasing, the marketing and sale of these poisons as "bath salts" is both unacceptable and dangerous. As public health officials work to address this emerging threat, I ask that parents and other adult influencers act immediately to discuss with young people the severe harm that can be caused by the use of both legal and illegal drugs and to prevent drug use before it starts."

Recent information from poison control centers indicates that abuse of these unlicensed and unregulated drugs is growing across the country. According to the American Association of Poison Control Centers, there were 251 calls related to "bath salts" to poison control centers so far this year. This number already exceeds the 236 calls received by poison control centers for all of 2010. Doctors and clinicians at U.S. poison centers have indicated that ingesting "bath salts," containing synthetic stimulants, can cause chest pains, increased blood pressure, increased heart rate, agitation, hallucinations, extreme paranoia, and delusions. Already, several states have introduced legislation to ban these products, including Hawaii, Michigan, Louisiana, Kentucky, and North Dakota. Several counties, cities, and local municipalities have also taken action to ban these products.

Director Kerlikowske also cited two steps parents can take today to protect young people:
1. Talk to your kids about drugs. Research shows parents are the best messengers to deliver critical information on drug use. Make sure they know of the harms that can result from drug use and that you don't approve of them. For tips and parenting advice visit www.TheAntiDrug.com.
2. Learn to spot risk factors that can lead to drug use. Association with drug-abusing peers is often the most immediate risk factor that can lead young people to drug use and delinquent behavior. Other risk factors include poor classroom behavior or social skills and academic failure. Parents can protect their kids from these influences by building strong bonds with their children, staying involved in their lives, and setting clear limits and consistent enforcement of discipline.

For more information on this and other drug related issues go to www.WhiteHouseDrugPolicy.gov or contact the SAFE Coalition by email at info@vbsafecoalition.com or by phone at 319-293-6412.

News Cast on "Bath Salts"

2011-02-03T08:31:00.000-08:00

Take time to check out this News Cast on the Today show about bath salts that are being used as a replacement for Cocaine! Something to help us all be aware of what is going on with our kids!

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/41366667#41366667

For more information on this and other drug related issues contact the SAFE Coalition by email at info@vbsafecoalition.com or by phone at 319-293-6412.

The SAFE Coalition is Attending the CADCA Forum

2011-01-27T09:12:00.000-08:00

The 2011 National Leadership Forum is the nation’s largest meeting for community prevention leaders, treatment professionals and researchers. This year’s conference theme is focused on the future of alcohol, tobacco and other drug prevention, treatment and research. The Van Buren County SAFE Coalition will be sending two adult and two youth coalition members to the forum in Washington, DC in February. While there the Coalition representatives will:

• Gain new strategies and learn how to curb alcohol abuse, underage drinking, tobacco and marijuana use, and prescription and over-the-counter medicine abuse at the more than 100 workshops and plenary sessions available at the Forum.

• Meet CNN's Elizabeth Cohen after she moderates a Town Hall Meeting about the Future of Evidence-based Practices and Coalitions.

• Interact with officials representing at least 10 federal agencies.

• Hear from Vice President Joe Biden; who will speak when he accepts the CADCA’s Distinguished Service Award.

• Network with coalition directors, staff and members; nearly 300 youth; and state leaders from every U.S. state, 4 U.S. territories, and 2 foreign countries!

• Make the Coalitions voice heard in Congress during CADCA’s Capitol Hill Day Rally.

• Hear from Surgeon General Dr. Regina Benjamin at the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention 7th Annual Community Prevention Day.

• Present a display of SAFE Coalition information for the CADCA Poster Session.

• RECEIVE THE GOT OUTCOMES COALITION OF THE YEAR AWARD!

For more information about the CADCA Forum and our award please check it out at http://www.cadca.org/events/forum21 or contact the Coalition by email at info@vbsafecoalition.com or by phone at 319-293-6412.

Resources for Parents

2011-01-21T07:19:00.000-08:00

Are you a Van Buren County Parents who is in need of information on drug and alcohol abuse? The SAFE Coalition is here to help you! You can contact the SAFE office any time via phone 319-293-6412, email- info@vbsafecoalition.com or by visiting the coalition website at www.vbsafecoalition.com.

Currently the Coalition would like to tell you about a couple of online opportunities that are available for parents.

1. Live Facebook Discussion and Q&A
• Provided by: The Partnership at Drugfree.org
• Every third Friday of the month
• Join them in 2011 and they will help parents prevent, intervene in and find treatment for drug and alcohol use by their children.
• To find more news, tips and resources from The Partnership at Drugfree.org, visit their website: www.drugfree.org
• Check out their new Give and Get Involved section.

2. Other on line sites available to help parents include:
• http://www.theantidrug.com, http://ncadi.samhsa.gov/yourtime/,
• http://www.safeyouth.org/scripts/teens.asp ,
• http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/
• http://www.drugstory.org/ ,
• http://drugabuse.gov,
• http://www.youthinaction.org/index.cfm?cID=about&scID=projects,
• http://drugabuse.gov, http://alcoholpolicy.niaaa.nih.gov/stateprofiles/,
• http://www.talkingwithkids.org/
• http://iowamethwatch.com,
• http://marijuana-info.org
• http://smokefree.gov.

Parents, family, and friends of teens please make sure to check out these sites or contact the Coalition for more information on issues that teens are facing today!
Van Buren County SAFE Coalition: 319-293-6412, info@vbsafecoalition.com or check us out at www.vbsafecoalition.com.

"Meet the Parents Hour"

2011-01-19T10:23:00.000-08:00

This Friday The Partnership at Drugfree.org will debut our "Meet the Parents Hour", a live Facebook discussion and Q & A, occurring every third Friday of the month. Our first event will be held on January 21, at 12 p.m. EST. The first hour will feature Karen Franklin and Lauren King, a mother and daughter team who wrote 'Addicted Like Me', a book that explores their candid struggles with addiction and gives readers insight into how addiction affects the entire family. Join us as they discuss their experiences and share advice on how to help break the cycle. Facebook fans can read a short description of Karen and Lauren's story and participate in a LIVE Q & A session with them and other community members on our Facebook wall.

Please join us in 2011 and together, we will help parents prevent, intervene in and find treatment for drug and alcohol use by their children.

To find more news, tips and resources from The Partnership at Drugfree.org, visit our website and take a look at our new Give and Get Involved section

Youth Speak Out--Iowa AC4C goes to Iowa Capitol for Underage Drinking Prevention Day on the Hill

2011-01-13T08:59:00.000-08:00

On Monday, January 24 the Alliance of Coalitions for Change (AC4C), a state-wide collaboration to effect positive change in substance abuse, will be meeting with the state legislators to discuss their concerns about underage drinking in Iowa.

The SAFE Coalition will be attending this event with select students in grades 7th through 12th from Van Buren County School District and Harmony School District.
The youth will be among several community coalitions, representing a mixture of Iowa’s rural and urban populations at this event.

Multiple prevention strategies are occurring throughout the state of Iowa, resulting in significant decreases in underage drinking. But major problems still remain: Iowa still ranks in the top 10 states for underage (age 12-20) binge drinking.

The 2008 Iowa Youth Survey showed 27% of 11th graders in the state of Iowa reporting binge drinking in the past 30 days. This is down from 32% in 2005. This remains more than one out of every four 11th graders in Iowa that report engaging in binge drinking in the past month.

Past 30 day use of alcohol and binge drinking numbers are decreasing for Iowa teens, but underage binge drinking is still very high compared to other states.

The AC4C press conference will be held in the West Hall of the 1st floor rotunda 12:30 to 1:00 pm. Media, legislators and the public are encouraged to attend.

For further information, please contact the SAFE Coalition at www.vbsafecoalition.com or 319-293-6412.

COALITION MEETING CANCELLED

2011-01-11T06:20:00.001-08:00

Due to weather the SAFE Coalition meeting has been canceled today.
The next coalition meeting is:
February 15th
2:00pm
Roberts Memorial Center

The Social Host Committee meeting has also been canceled for today.

Is Marijuana the new “Drug of Choice”?

2011-01-07T10:46:00.000-08:00

Daily use of marijuana has increased among eighth, tenth, and twelfth grade youth nationally, while alcohol use -- at its lowest level since the survey began -- and binge drinking have continued long-term declines, according to 2010 Monitoring the Future Survey (MTF) results. MTF, an annual survey funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), has measured self-reported drug use behavior and attitudes among high-school seniors since 1975 and among eighth and tenth graders since 1991.

Researchers, led by Lloyd Johnston at the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research, surveyed 46,482 eighth, tenth, and twelfth grade students in 396 public and independent schools across the country. Prevalence measures of marijuana use rose in all three grade levels (measures included daily, past 30 days, past year, and lifetime use). When researchers combined data for all three grades, the one-year increases in marijuana use in all prevalence measures were statistically significant.

"Though this upward shift is not yet very large, its duration and pervasiveness leave no doubt in our minds that it is real," said Johnston. "Perhaps the most troublesome part of it is that daily use of marijuana increased significantly in all three grades in 2010." From 2009 to 2010, daily marijuana-use rates increased from 1.0 to 1.2 percent for eighth graders, 2.8 to 3.3 percent for tenth graders, and from 5.2 to 6.1 percent for twelfth graders. That means that about one in every 16 high-school seniors who were surveyed self-reported daily use of marijuana. (Researchers defined daily use as using a drug 20 or more times in the last 30 days.)

"These high rates of marijuana use during the teen and pre-teen years, when the brain continues to develop, place our young people at particular risk," said Nora D. Volkow, M.D, director of NIDA. "Not only does marijuana affect learning, judgment, and motor skills, but research tells us that about 1 in 6 people who start using it as adolescents become addicted."

Locally in Van Buren County the rates of youth marijuana use are also on the rise. A 2009 interim Iowa Youth Survey revealed that the use of marijuana among 11th grade students is up 3% from the 2008 data provided by the state Iowa Youth Survey.

"The increases in youth drug use reflected in the Monitoring the Future Study are disappointing. And mixed messages about drug legalization, particularly marijuana legalization, may be to blame," said Gil Kerlikowske, director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). "Such messages certainly don’t help parents who are trying to prevent young people from using drugs."

Meanwhile, alcohol use continued a long-term decline since 1980s. Alcohol use among all three grades decreased. In fact, the rate of alcohol use among twelfth graders is the lowest ever (since the study began in 1975), and the lowest among eighth and tenth graders since 1991 (when those grades were added). Binge drinking -- defined in the survey as five or more drinks in one sitting within the past two weeks -- among twelfth graders declined significantly from 25.2 percent in 2009 to 23.2 percent in 2010. Occasions of heavy drinking declined among eighth and tenth graders, too, but the decrease was not statistically significant.

Although past-30-days cigarette use among twelfth graders dropped below past-30-days marijuana use (19.2 percent and 21.4 percent, respectively), declines in overall cigarette use have stalled in all three grades.

Check out the resources below for drug-by-drug information -- including trends of teen prescription and over-the-counter drug use.

More information:

Data tables and figures from 2010 Monitoring the Future (Univ. of Michigan's Monitoring the Future website) (http://www.monitoringthefuture.org/data/10data.html)
National Institute on Drug Abuse's Monitoring the Future Survey (NIDA) (http://www.drugabuse.gov/DrugPages/MTF.html)

NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS

2010-12-22T07:10:00.000-08:00

• Have you heard about the SAFE Coalition?
• Do you know about SAFE Coalition Activities?
• Are you interested in Making Van Buren County a SAFE Place to live?

We encourage you to join the SAFE Coalition! Maybe one of your New Years Resolutions was to make a difference in your community or to volunteer more of your time. If this is true the SAFE Coalition is for you!

The SAFE Coalition is always in need of new members, especially parents of teens! We want your input on our activities and projects. Are we making a difference in the community and the lives of teens? We need your help to be sure that we are.

We encourage you to check out our website at www.vbsafecoalition or attend our next meeting on January 11, 2011 at the Roberts Memorial Center, or contact us at 319-293-6412 for more information on how you can get involved with the coalition.

Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving

2010-12-16T08:23:00.000-08:00

A little holiday cheer can sometimes unfortunately go a long way. Remember, Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving.
• The holidays are a time to eat, drink and be merry, but when drivers fail to be responsible, those few glasses of eggnog can quickly turn one of the happiest times of the year into a nightmare. Too often impaired drivers don’t plan ahead and end-up making the roads unsafe for everyone.

• That is why this holiday season Van Buren County SAFE Coalition is reminding all drivers to keep the party off the road. Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving.

• The holidays are particularly deadly due to the high number of drunk drivers on the roads. During the month of December 2009, 753 people were killed in crashes that involved a driver or motorcycle rider (operator) with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher.

• Another eight percent of the population also admitted to riding in a vehicle with a driver who they believe had had too much to drink. Young males were at particularly high risk, with nearly one-quarter admitting to riding with someone who should not have been behind the wheel.

• While many people have gotten the message loud and clear, there are still millions that just don’t understand that alcohol and driving are a deadly combination!

 No matter who you are, drunk driving has serious consequences.
• Not only do you risk killing or injuring yourself or someone else, but the trauma and financial costs of a crash or an arrest for driving while impaired can be significant.
• Drunk driving violators often face jail time, the loss of their driver’s license, higher insurance rates, and dozens of other unanticipated expenses ranging from attorney fees, court costs, car towing and repairs, and lost wages due to time off from work.
• Don’t let your 2010 end with an arrest…or worse, death. Plan before you go out, and remember, whether you’ve had way too many or just one too many it’s just not worth the risk.

 Impaired drivers who fail to plan ahead, take the holiday spirit right out of this happy time. Here are a few simple tips to avoid a drunk driving disaster:
• Plan a safe way home before the festivities begin;
• Before drinking, designate a sober driver;
• If you’re impaired, call a sober friend or family member, or use public transportation so you are sure to get home safely;
• If you happen to see a drunk driver on the road, don’t hesitate to contact your local law enforcement;
• And remember, Friends Don’t Let Friends Drive Drunk. If you know someone who is about to drive or ride while impaired, take their keys and help them make other arrangements to get to where they are going safely.

More information can be found on www.StopImpairedDriving.org or by contacting the SAFE Coalition at www.vbsafecoalition.com or 319-293-6412.

SAFE Coalition Staff Attend Training in Washington D.C.

2010-12-13T08:02:00.000-08:00

Members of the Van Buren County SAFE Coalition recently attended the Drug Free Communities New Grantee Training in Washington D.C. This training is required of all grantees entering year 1 or year 6 of the grant. Kris Rankin and Heidi Bainbridge attended sessions to learn how to enhance the work of the coalition.

The DFC program was created by the Drug Free Communities Act of 1997, and was reauthorized by Congress in 2001 and 2006. Since 1998, ONDCP has awarded approximately 1,600 Drug-Free Communities grants to local communities in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, Palau, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands and, for the first time in FY 2010, the Federated States of Micronesia. The community coalitions’ goals are to address youth substance use. Coalitions that receive DFC funding must use the Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF). The SPF is a community planning model that allows for all DFC coalitions to speak a common language and engage in a common process for forward progression. Data shows that communities receiving DFC funding have seen significant reductions in past 30-day use of alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana among middle and high school students.

Rankin and Bainbridge attended three days of required meetings with grant program staff, federal partners and general coalition sessions to assist the coalition in moving their goals forward over the next five years. Information was provided by Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMHSA), Community Anti Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA), plus many other acclaimed speakers. Van Buren County SAFE Coalition Coordinator Bainbridge was also provided with the honor of being a speaker on the year 6 panel that presented grant information to year 1 DFC grantees.

Information about the training will be shared with all SAFE Coalition members at the December meeting. Additional trainings will be attended by various coalition members over the course of the life of the Drug Free Communities Grant. If you are interested in learning more about the SAFE Coalition, their activities or the Drug Free Communities Grant you may call their office at 319-293-6412 or via email at info@vbsafecoalition.com. They may also be found on the web at http://www.vbsafecoalition.com .

SAFE Volunteers

2010-12-02T07:39:00.000-08:00

 Have you heard about the SAFE Coalition?
 Do you know about SAFE Coalition Activities?
 Are you interested in Making Van Buren County a SAFE Place to live?

The SAFE Coalition is always in need of new members, especially parents of teens! We want your input on our activities and projects. Do you think the coalition is making a difference in the community and the lives of teens? Your help is needed to be sure that we are.

The SAFE Coalition is designed to unite the communities of Van Buren County and provide information and various resources to aid in the fight against substance abuse.

By becoming a member, you will be informed of Coalition activities; have the chance to contribute ideas, suggestions, and feedback; and have opportunities to offer your own abilities to help make Van Buren County a safe place to live. Becoming a member is free and the time commitment can be as minimal as reading email updates or as much as heading up a committee, depending on your preferences.

You are encouraged to attend the Coalitions next meeting on December 14, 2010 at 2 p.m. at the Roberts Memorial Center, or check out the website at www.vbsafecoalition.com or contact the Coalition at 319-293-6412 for more information on how you can get involved!

A Little Holiday Cheer Can Go a Long Way On Our Roads This Holiday Season Remember: Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving

2010-11-29T06:59:00.000-08:00

As party-goers celebrate the holidays with friends and family, Van Buren County SAFE Coalition reminds everyone to keep the party off the road. Remember, Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving.

After hearing about the dangers of drinking and driving time after time, most people have gotten the message if they’re planning on drinking they should always plan a safe way home. But sadly, millions of Americans still think they are invincible and regularly choose to get behind the wheel after having a few drinks.

Parents should take note that young males were at particularly high risk, with nearly one-quarter admitting to riding with someone who should not have been behind the wheel in the past year.

We know that the holiday season can be one of the deadliest and most dangerous times on America’s roadways due to an increase in drunk driving. Don’t let your 2010 end in an arrest or worse death. Remember, whether you’ve had way too many or just one too many, it’s not worth the risk!

During the month of December 2009, 753 people were killed in crashes that involved a driver or motorcycle rider (operator) with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher.

The SAFE Coalition recommends these simple tips for a safe holiday season:

 Plan a safe way home before the festivities begin;
 Before drinking,
designate a sober driver;
 If you’re impaired call a sober friend or family
member;
 If you happen to see a drunk driver on the road, don’t hesitate to
contact your local law enforcement;
 And remember, Friends Don’t Let
Friends Drive Drunk. If you know someone who is about to drive or ride while
impaired, take their keys and help them make other arrangements to get to where
they are going safely.

For more information, please visit http://www.stopimpaireddriving.org/.

If you would like additional local assistance you may contact the SAFE Coalition at info@vbsafecoalition.com , by phone at 319-293-6412 or online at www.vbsafecoalition.com.

THANKSGIVING

2010-11-22T06:17:00.000-08:00

Give Yourself Something To Be Thankful For This Thanksgiving.

The seasons are turning from warm summer days to cool crisp mornings and vibrant fall colors. The season for thanksgiving is upon us and this is a time to give thanks for all things important to you. While there are many things you may be thankful for in your life some may be dealing with the abuse of drugs and alcohol. The SAFE Coalition wants to take this opportunity to provide you with resources to assist you in your decision to become free of Substance Abuse.
It takes courage and strength to face up to drug addiction. When you’re bogged down in drug abuse and drug addiction, sobriety can seem like an impossible goal. But recovery is never out of reach, no matter how hopeless your current situation seems.

Change is possible with the right treatment and support, and by making lifestyle changes that address the root cause of your addiction. Don’t give up, even if you’ve tried and failed before. There are many different roads to recovery, but almost all involve bumps, pitfalls, and setbacks. But by examining the problem and thinking about making the necessary changes, you’re already on your way. These seven steps will help you on your road.

1. Decide to make a change.
For many people struggling with addiction, the biggest and toughest step toward recovery is the very first one: deciding to make a change. It’s normal to feel conflicted about giving up your drug of choice, even when you realize it’s causing problems in your life. Change is never easy.

2. Explore your treatment options
Once you’ve made the decision to challenge your drug addiction, it’s time to explore your treatment choices. Options can be found online, by talking to your doctor or calling 1-800-662-HELP(4357)

3. Reach out for support
Don’t try to go it alone. Whatever treatment approach you choose, having a solid support system is essential. The more positive influences you have in your life, the better your chances for recovery. Recovering from drug addiction isn’t easy, but with people you can turn to for encouragement, guidance, and a listening ear, it’s a little less tough.

4. Learn healthy ways to cope with stress
Even once you’ve recovered from drug addiction, you’ll still have to face the problems that led to your drug problems in the first place. Did you start using drugs to numb painful emotions, calm yourself down after an argument, unwind after a bad day, or forget about your problems? After you become sober, the negative feelings that you used to dampen with drugs will resurface. For treatment to be successful, and to remain sober in the long term, you’ll need to resolve these underlying issues as well.

5. Keep triggers and cravings in check
While getting sober from drugs is an important first step, it’s only the beginning of the recovery process. Once sober, the brain needs time to recover and rebuild connections that have changed while addicted. During this time, drug cravings can be intense. You can support your continued sobriety by making a conscious effort to avoid people, places, and situations that trigger the urge to use.

6. Build a meaningful drug free life
You can support your drug treatment and protect yourself from relapse by having activities and interests that provide meaning to your life. It’s important to be involved in things that you enjoy and make you feel needed. When your life is filled with rewarding activities and a sense of purpose, your addiction will lose its appeal.

7. Don’t let relapse keep you down
Relapse is a common part of the recovery process from drug addiction. While relapse is understandably frustrating and discouraging, it can also be an opportunity to learn from your mistakes and correct your treatment course.

By taking the above steps to become free of addiction next thanksgiving you could be giving thanks to a sober life.

Information provided by Helpguide. Additional information can be found on their website at www.helpguide.org. If you would like additional local assistance you may contact the SAFE Coalition at info@vbsafecoalition.com , by phone at 319-293-6412 or online at www.vbsafecoalition.com

Caffeinated alcoholic drink sickened students at party

2010-11-22T06:14:00.000-08:00

ELLENSBURG, Wash. - High-alcohol caffeinated drink, not drugs, sickened Central Washington students at party.

CWU officials, along with state Attorney General Rob McKenna, this morning announced the results of an investigation into the Oct. 8 party in Roslyn.

They reported that the students were drinking a caffeinated malt beverage called "Four Loko," which is 12 percent alcohol. One equals four to five beers and several shots of espresso.

Many of the young people that attended the party were students at Central Washington University. Nine CWU students were sent to the hospital for treatment. One student almost died.

CWU President James L. Gaudino said the blood alcohol levels of hospitalized students ranged from .123 to .35. A blood alcohol concentration of .3 is considered lethal. Each student had consumed “Four Loko” and some had used it with other alcohol.

Professor Ken Briggs, chair of CWU’s Department of Physical Education, School and Public Health, said Four Loko, also known as “black out in a can” or “liquid cocaine,” is one of the most popular of the 25 or more alcoholic energy drinks on the market.

Briggs says the caffeine makes AEDs “a binge-drinkers dream” because the caffeine and other stimulants allow a drinker to ingest larger volumes of alcohol without passing out.

“Being able to feel the effects of tiredness, loss of coordination and even passing out or vomiting are the body’s defenses against consuming doses of alcohol that will kill you,” said Briggs, adding that drinkers like to chug AEDs as quickly as possible and chase them with vodka or rum. “Regardless, once the blood alcohol level reaches a certain level you can drop like a box of rocks.”

McKenna says the drink is cheap and is marketed to young people. It's flavored to mask the taste of the alcohol.

CWU announced that alcoholic energy drinks would be banned at CWU pending a thorough review of drug and alcohol education programs and policies and a study of the dangers associated with the drinks.

McKenna, who will be president-elect of the National Association of Attorneys General next year, announced he would renew a push for a national restriction on the sale of caffeinated malt liquor and, barring action by the federal government, for a ban of the beverage in Washington state.

“They’re marketed to kids by using fruit flavors that mask the taste of alcohol and they have such high levels of stimulants that people have no idea how inebriated they really are. They’re packaged just like non-alcoholic drinks, but include a dangerous dose of malt liquor," he said.

CWU said the investigation is not closed. Detectives are still trying to find out where students, all of whom were younger than 21, obtained the alcoholic beverages. School officials said 40 of the students interviewed by detectives will be interviewed by student conduct officers.

by KING 5 News
KTVB.COM
Posted on October 25, 2010 at 11:44 AM

Updated Monday, Oct 25 at 2:28 PM

For more information you may contact the SAFE Coalition at 319-293-6412

FDA, FTC Target Alcoholic Energy Drinks

2010-11-22T06:10:00.000-08:00

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) simultaneously notified makers of popular caffeinated alcoholic beverages that such products are unsafe, unapproved, and misleadingly marketed, The Washington Post reported Nov. 17.

Large brewers like Anheuser-Busch and MillerCoors stopped selling similar caffeinated alcoholic beverages in 2008, after several states’ attorneys general argued that they were unsafe and were inappropriately marketed to young people.

Smaller companies stepped into the breach, marketing drinks such as Core High Gravity, Moonshot, Four Loko, Joose, and Max. The drinks have become popular with young people, especially on college campuses, where they have been dubbed “blackout in a can.”

In Nov. 2009, the FDA sent a letter to about 30 manufacturers of these drinks, stating that the addition of caffeine to alcoholic drinks had not been approved and that it would evaluate its safety. It asked the drink makers to submit information on the safety of caffeine as a food additive.

On Nov. 17, 2010, the FDA notified four companies -- Charge Beverages Corporation, New Century Brewing, Phusion Projects Inc., and United Brands Company, Inc. -- that the addition of caffeine to their alcohol drinks was unapproved and unsafe, effectively making the manufacture and distribution of caffeinated alcoholic beverages illegal.

"There is evidence that the combinations of caffeine and alcohol in these products pose a public health concern," said Dr. Joshua Sharfstein, deputy commissioner at the FDA.

The FDA's letters cited recent scientific studies showing that when combined, alcohol and caffeine posed an elevated risk to the health and safety of consumers, especially younger drinkers. In response to criticisms of that research made by United Brands and Phusion Projects, FDA officials wrote that, "[T]here are currently no studies or other information that refute the safety concerns or otherwise affirmatively establish the safety of caffeine directly added to alcoholic beverages."

Simultaneously, the Federal Trade Commission warned the four companies that their marketing practices for the drinks were potentially deceptive.

"Consumers might mistakenly assume that these beverages are safe because they are widely sold," said the FTC's Director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection, David Vladeck. "In fact, there is good reason to believe that these caffeinated alcohol drinks pose significant risks to consumer health and safety. Consumers -- particularly young, inexperienced drinkers -- may not realize how much alcohol they have consumed because caffeine can mask the sense of intoxication."

The FDA's letters made no mention of recent incidents in four states where young adults were hospitalized or died after consuming caffeinated alcoholic beverages. The FTC letter explicitly cited the incidents as a factor in its decision.

Manufacturers were given 15 days to act, or face seizure of their products or even a court order barring them from selling it.

A day ahead of the FDA and FTC's announcements, on Nov. 16, Phusion Projects Inc. said that it would remove all additives, including caffeine, from its product Four Loko, according to The Boston Globe.

The founders of Phusion Projects stated in a press release that they "still believe, as do many people throughout the country – that the combination of alcohol and caffeine is safe," citing commonly-consumed drinks like rum and cola, or Irish coffee. The press release did not mention the hospitalization incidents that have been linked to the consumption of caffeinated alcoholic beverages.

Phusion Projects' founders added, "[I]f our products were unsafe, we would not have expected the federal agency responsible for approving alcoholic beverage formulas – the Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) – to have approved them."

The FDA acknowledged the TTB approvals in its Nov. 17 letters to all four companies, but stated that the matter was unrelated to the need to have food additives approved by the FDA under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.

For more information you may contact the SAFE Coalition at 319-293-6412 or visit http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2010/fda-ftc-aeds.html

Preventing Prescription Drug Abuse

2010-11-15T07:19:00.000-08:00

Think about your home. What prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs do you have? Where are they kept? Would you know if some were missing? The good news is that you can take steps immediately to limit access to these drugs and help keep your teen drug-free:

1. Safeguard all drugs at home. Monitor quantities and control access. Take note of how many pills are in a bottle or pill packet, and keep track of refills. This goes for your own medication, as well as for your teen and other members of your household. If you find you have to refill medication more often than expected, there could be a real problem—someone may be taking your medication without your knowledge. If your teen has been prescribed a drug, be sure you control the medication, and monitor dosages and refills.

2. Set clear rules for teens about all drug use, including not sharing medicine and always following the medical provider's advice and dosages. Make sure your teen uses prescription drugs only as directed by a medical provider and follows instructions for OTC products carefully. This includes taking the proper dosage and not using with other substances without a medical provider's approval. Teens should never take prescription or OTC drugs with street drugs or alcohol. If you have any questions about how to take a drug, call your family physician or pharmacist.

3. Be a good role model by following these same rules with your own medicines. Examine your own behavior to ensure you set a good example. If you misuse your prescription drugs, such as share them with your kids, or abuse them, your teen will take notice. Avoid sharing your drugs and always follow your medical provider's instructions.

4. Properly conceal and dispose of old or unneeded medicines in the trash. Unneeded prescription drugs should be hidden and thrown away in the trash. So that teens or others don't take them out of the trash, you can mix them with an undesirable substance (like used coffee grounds or kitty litter) and put the mixture in an empty can or bag. Unless the directions say otherwise, do NOT flush medications down the drain or toilet because the chemicals can pollute the water supply. Also, remove any personal, identifiable information from prescription bottles or pill packages before you throw them away.

5. Ask friends and family to safeguard their prescription drugs as well. Make sure your friends and relatives, especially grandparents, know about the risks, too, and encourage them to regularly monitor their own medicine cabinets. If there are other households your teen has access to, talk to those families as well about the importance of safeguarding medications. If you don't know the parents of your child's friends, then make an effort to get to know them, and get on the same page about rules and expectations for use of all drugs, including alcohol and illicit drugs. Follow up with your teen's school administration to find out what they are doing to address issues of prescription and over-the-counter drug abuse in schools.

Talk to your teen about the dangers of abusing prescription and over-the-counter drugs. These are powerful drugs that, when abused, can be just as dangerous as street drugs. Tell your teen the risks far outweigh any "benefits."

For more information you may contact the SAFE Coalition at 319-293-6412 or visit http://www.theantidrug.com.

Its National Drug Facts Week

2010-11-08T10:01:00.000-08:00

Making things Worse… Depressed Teens use Marijuana to Self Medicate

This week is National Drug Facts Week, a week dedicated to giving students the opportunity to ask questions and get real answers about the use of drugs, alcohol and tobacco. There are many events happening at Van Buren High School this week where students can talk. Videos are being shown, quizzes are being given and fact walls are going up around the school. A different drug is being highlighted each day. On Monday the drug was Marijuana so the SAFE coalition wanted to share some information with the community about Marijuana…….

Millions of teens report feeling hopeless and losing interest in everyday activities for weeks at a time. Many of these teens are making a bad situation worse by using marijuana and other drugs in an effort to make themselves feel better.

· Over the course of a year, two million teens report feeling depressed.1

· Depressed teens are more than twice as likely to use marijuana as non-depressed teens. Twenty-five percent of depressed teens used marijuana during the same period they report feeling depressed.

· Depressed teens are more than twice as likely as their peers to use or become dependent on marijuana.

· The odds of developing symptoms of depression are more than five times higher for girls who smoke marijuana daily than for girls who do not.

Research shows that using marijuana can worsen depression and lead to more serious mental health problems. In fact, teens who used marijuana at least once a month in the past year are three times more likely to have suicidal thoughts than teens who don’t use marijuana.

If you see a change in your teen’s behavior, do not dismiss it as a “phase.” Your teen could be depressed, using drugs – or both. Now is the time to take action:

· Talk to your teen. Young people who learn about the risks of drugs at home are up to 50 percent less likely to try drugs than those who don’t hear from their parents.

· Set clear rules and consequences for breaking them.

· Recognize signs and symptoms of marijuana use, including depression, withdrawal, and hostility.

· Get help. Depression is one of the most common emotional problems for teens and the most treatable.

· Find out more about how to keep your teen healthy and drug-free at www.TheAntiDrug.com.

To join the National Drug Facts week event you may check it out on Facebook or Google! You may reach out to the SAFE coalition as a local resource if you know someone who may be experiencing a problem with drugs alcohol or tobacco. Their number is 319-293-6412 or via email at info@vbsafecoalition.com

Van Buren High School JEL Members Have Been Busy!

2010-11-08T09:01:00.000-08:00

VB High School JEL members have been active in a variety of activities since the start of the school year. They have participated in three events to bring awareness to the dangers of drugs, alcohol and tobacco. They include a Fall Festival Street Marketing event, a Hall or Horrors Display in their school and a Red Ribbon Week presentation for Elementary Students.

The members of the Van Buren High School JEL/YLC program provided information to the public at the Fall Festival in Keosauqua on Saturday October 9^th. These members dressed in various costumes that represented the dangerous tactics used by Big Tobacco to get youth to use their products. Costumes included; a rat, an M&M, a toilet, a baby, and a cow. These characters were then placed throughout the down town area. Spectators were encouraged to visit each of the characters, listen to their fact and when they had collected all facts return to the main booth for a prize. All participants received a prize and a grand prize drawing was held for everyone who was involved. Congratulations to Abbie Johnson for winning the grand prize! The students had a great time with this activity and were able to educate the community and visitors about the dangers of the use of tobacco.

During the week of Halloween the students developed a display titled Hall of Horrors in a Hallway in their school. On the wall were photos of the top 10 serial killers in the world. Their photos listed their names and the number of people they had killed. Each day a few more killers were added to the wall. On the final day the students displayed the killer who was responsible for the most deaths; Big Tobacco. This entity is responsible for 1200 deaths A DAY more than any of the other serial killers listed. This was a great visual for the students in the school to see how dangerous the use of tobacco can be. JEL members received many comments on their wall during this week.

Finally for Red Ribbon Week members of the JEL program put together a presentation for elementary students about the dangers of drugs, alcohol and tobacco. They used a spider web to talk about how using these substances can get you caught in a trap and sometimes it might be hard to see. At the end of their presentation the JEL members asked the students to sign a Pledge Wall that they would choose to be drug, alcohol and tobacco free! All students received a trick or treat bag reminding them of the presentation with the JEL members.

The high school JEL members have many other events planned throughout the year including activities for National Drug Facts Week November 8-11. Harmony and Van Buren Middle School JEL members are preparing events for the Great American Smokeout on November 18^th, Alcohol Awareness Month in April and Kick Butts Day in the spring.

JEL (or Just Eliminate Lies) is a statewide program dedicated to fighting big tobacco across Iowa. Started in 2000, they have had many successes, including a dollar cigarette tax, and the statewide smoking ban. They hold many street marketing events and are actively involved with PSA's and preventing teen tobacco use.

For more information on the JEL program you may call the office at 319-293-6412.

National Drug Facts Week

2010-11-01T07:20:00.000-07:00

National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is launching National Drug Facts Week, a new national awareness week to bring together teens and scientific experts to discuss the facts about drug abuse. NIDA is a component of the National Institutes of Health in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

"What we learned through our annual Web chat is that teens have many questions about drug use and are eager for objective, factual answers," said NIDA Director Dr. Nora Volkow. "So we wanted to build a series of events where teens could ask scientists their questions directly."

The week, which starts on Monday, November 8, encourages community-based question and answer events between teens and scientists. Locally Van Buren County SAFE Coalition and the JEL/YLC members are teaming up to provide information each day during the week about Alcohol, Tobacco, Marijuana, and Prescription Drugs. Students are being asked to submit questions anonymously the week before the event. All questions will be answered on a fact wall or by a scientist coming into the school for the event. JEL/YLC members will be interviewing the scientist and providing a question and answer session that will be aired on Channel 1 each day of the week.

"Knowledge is the most powerful tool we can provide our teens with to help them make good, healthy, responsible decisions," said ONDCP Director R. Gil Kerlikowske. "By empowering teens to think critically about drug use and its consequences, we can improve the health and safety of a generation."

The Drug Enforcement Administration will post special scientific information on its teen site, Just Think Twice. "Keeping America's teens informed about drugs is as important a mission to the DEA as is keeping drug dealers out of our communities and off the Internet," said Michele Leonhart, the DEA Acting Administrator. "Knowledge is a powerful weapon against those who would exploit our kids, and DEA enthusiastically partners with NIDA and other agencies to put on National Drug Facts Week."

The week will also include the launch of the first annual "National Drug IQ Challenge," a 20-question multiple choice quiz that teens and adults can take to test their science based knowledge about drugs. The quiz can be found on the National Drug Facts Week Web site and will also be provided to all Van Buren High School Students to win prizes during the week. High scorers on the site will be rewarded with five additional Brainiac questions that focus on the brain. The quiz and other information on National Drug Facts Week can be found at http://drugfactsweek.drugabuse.gov/ You may also follow them on Face book or Twitter for up to date information!

If you have questions about the local event you may contact the SAFE Coalition at 319-293-6412 or on the web at www.vbsafecoalition.com.

Van Buren County SAFE Coalition WINS GOT OUTCOMES! COALITION OF THE YEAR AWARD FROM COMMUNITY ANTI-DRUG COALITIONS OF AMERICA

2010-10-29T20:52:00.000-07:00

The Van Buren County SAFE Coalition has been named a “Coalition of Excellence” in the Coalition of the Year Category by Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA). The Got Outcomes! Coalition of The Year Award is given annually to coalitions that have successfully implemented a comprehensive plan to reduce substance abuse and related problems at the community level.

CADCA’s Got Outcomes! Coalition of Excellence Awards recognizes grassroots organizations that used innovative strategies to prevent youth drug and alcohol use. Applicants nominate themselves for one of three award categories based on the substance abuse outcomes achieved. In order to win the award, applicants must demonstrate their ability to use local data to drive their community planning process and implementation of evidence-based program, practice and policy changes. Applicants complete a rigorous two-phase application process requiring them to clearly communicate their story and contribution to community outcomes. Winners are determined by a panel of experts at the federal, state and local levels.

The SAFE Coalition aims to make Van Buren County a SAFE Place to live. The coalition was selected for their work addressing alcohol and tobacco issues related to youth. After gathering and analyzing key local assessment data, the coalition prioritized their focus on alcohol and tobacco availability and acceptability. They implemented a variety of strategic, data-driven community-level strategies including supporting compliance check operations, drafting and enhancing school and community policies, disseminating information and increasing awareness of the problems.

CADCA Chairman & CEO General Arthur T. Dean noted: Van Buren County SAFE Coalition exemplifies the excellent work that coalitions are doing around the country to prevent and reduce drug use in their communities,” he said. “By using sound and strategic data-driven practices, the SAFE Coalition achieved measurable decreases in substance abuse in their community.”

The Van Buren County SAFE Coalition will receive their award at CADCA’s 21st Annual National Leadership Forum. CADCA’s National Leadership Forum is the nation’s largest training event for community coalition advocates and substance abuse professionals, featuring more than 100 workshops on some of most pressing issues facing substance abuse prevention and treatment professionals. Learn more about the CADCA Forum and register online at www.cadca.org. More information on the Got Outcomes! Awards is available at http://www.cadca.org/about/programs_campaigns/got-outcomes.

ABOUT CADCA

CADCA (Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America) is the national membership organization representing coalitions working to make America’s communities safe, healthy and drug-free. CADCA's mission is to build and strengthen the capacity of community coalitions by providing technical assistance and training, public policy advocacy, media strategies and marketing programs, conferences, and special events. For more information about CADCA, visit www.cadca.org.

ABOUT Van Buren County SAFE Coalition

Van Buren County SAFE Coalition is committed to making Van Buren County A SAFE Place to live.

The coalition is comprised of community members who volunteer their time to address issues

related to drugs, alcohol and tobacco use by youth. The coalition seeks to stimulate community

involvement to promote responsible behaviors, among youth and adults, leading to SAFE, healthy

communities. For more information about the coalition you may visit their website at:

www.vbsafecoalition.com or their blog at: http://vbsafecoalition.blogspot.com/.

Hall of Horrors- JEL Event

2010-10-29T20:42:00.000-07:00

This is a video from our Halloween JEL event. Executive council member Alicia Schalla explains the event!

Red Ribbon Week

2010-10-21T09:07:00.001-07:00

Red Ribbon Week, held annually for the past 25 years during the last week in October, is a nationwide effort to celebrate healthy, drug-free living and to motivate youth across the country to choose to live drug-free. The week serves as a great opportunity to create dialogue with youth, to mobilize your community, and to honor law enforcement officers who work eve

Engaging youth, parents, and leaders in your community during this year's Red Ribbon Week and bringing awareness to the dangers and consequences of drug use is more important than ever. Several recent studies, including the 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, indicate perceptions among youth about dangers of substance use are down, while substance use is up.

The NSDUH study also showed that prevalence of substance use was lower among those youth who reported having seen or heard drug or alcohol prevention messages in the past year from sources outside of school than among those who reported having no such exposure (7.4 percent versus 10.5 percent, respectively).

This finding highlights the importance of drug prevention programs such as those operated by Drug Free Communities coalitions and the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign, as well as the importance of leveraging Red Ribbon Week to engage youth in drug prevention activities. Hundreds of organizations across the country use Red Ribbon Week to bring drug prevention messaging to their communities through events and activities. Van Buren Community High School JEL/YLC members are doing just this. They will be providing a Red Ribbon Week presentation to elementary students at the Douds Elementary center on Friday, October 29th. Their message will be one encouraging students not to get caught in the web of drug, alcohol and tobacco use. The members will be asking students to sign a drug free pledge wall and providing them with an incentive for participating in the event. Activities will also be held in the after school enrichment program.

Youth in the community are encouraged to participate in the Above the Influence "Influence Project," during Red Ribbon Week. The "Influence Project" is a new initiative from the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign aimed at getting teens to share their insights about the positive and negative influences they see around them and their approach to "staying above it." Teens can go to the Above the Influence Heat Map to share the influences in their lives and see what other teens in the community and across the country are saying - online at www.AbovetheInfluence.com/HeatMap.

The three communities with the highest number of entries on the "Influence Map" will receive a special promotional event from the Above the Influence team in their hometown. Phoenix, Ariz. and Houston, Texas were the first two communities selected. The third and final community will be selected on Oct. 31, 2010.

Take time to talk to your teen about the dangers of drugs, alcohol and tobacco. For information on talking to your teens check out the website: www.theantidrug.com.

For more information on Red Ribbon Week you may contact the SAFE Coalition at 319-293-6412 or via email at info@vbsafecoalition.comry day to keep communities safe from drugs and the associated consequences.

JEL Members Provide Education at Fall Festival

2010-10-18T08:40:00.000-07:00

The members of the Van Buren High School JEL/YLC program provided information to the public at the Fall Festival in Keosuqua on Saturday October 9th. These members dressed in various costumes that represented the dangerous tactics used by Big Tobacco to get youth to use their products. Costumes included; a rat, an M&M, a toilet, a baby, and a cow. These characters were then placed throughout the down town area. Spectators were encouraged to visit each of the characters, listen to their fact and when they had collected all facts return to the main booth for a prize. All participants received a prize and a grand prize drawing was held for everyone who was involved. Congratulations to Abbie Johnson for winning the grand prize!

The students had a great time with this activity and were able to educate the community and vistors about the dangers of the use of tobacco. They have other street marketing activities planned throughout the year as well as activities in their school and at the elementary center.

JEL (or Just Eliminate Lies) is a statewide program dedicated to fighting big tobacco across Iowa. Started in 2000, they have had many successes, including a dollar cigarette tax, and the statewide smoking ban. They hold many street marketing events and are actively involved with PSA's and preventing teen tobacco use.

For more information on the JEL program you may call the office at 319-293-6412

Parents Can Make a Difference!

2010-10-11T08:33:00.000-07:00

Did you know…. 74% of kids (age8-17) said their parents are the leading influence on their decision about drinking? Doing interventions as a family can reduce underage drinking and drunkenness by 30-60%. When parents and kids are better connected, kids are less likely to drink and do or use other drugs.

Seven Tips for getting through to your teen:
1. Communicate before a problem starts.
Have important discussions now, before there’s blaming, anger or punishments.
2. Discuss Rules and Consequences
Explain how you expect your son or daughter to act and why.
Tell your teen plainly that you don’t want him or her drinking.
Agree on consequences of broken rules.
3. Show You Care
Gently touch your teen on the arm or back to show affection.
Tell your teen you love them and want them to be safe and healthy.
4. Pay attention
Even when life gets hectic, take time out to listen to your teen.
Monitor where your teen is and what your teen is doing, constantly.
5. Share Family Activities
Have dinner together at least three times a week.
6. Give and Get Respect
When your teen talks to you, listen and reply respectfully.
Insist that your teen treat you with respect, too.
7. Enforce Consequences
If your teen breaks the rules, stay calm and enforce the consequences.

Information provided by Power of Parents, It’s your influence by MADD. For more information on influencing your teen please visit http://thepowerofparents.org.

Brought to you by the Van Buren County SAFE Coalition. For more information on the
coalition and their activities you may check them out online: http://www.vbsafecoalition.com or you may also call them at 319-293-6412.

More JEL Training Photos!

2010-10-04T07:23:00.001-07:00

click to view hidden photos.....

JEL members get trained!

2010-10-04T07:20:00.000-07:00

Members of the Van Buren County Just Eliminate Lies/ Youth Leadership Council were able to spend Wednesday away from classes and attended an all day training at the Roberts Memorial Building in Keosauqua.
The intention of the training was to provide the skills necessary for the JEL/YLC members to effectively work in their community to reduce the drug, alcohol and tobacco use in youth. The training brought together a variety of speakers who were able to split up the students into groups and work with them more intimately.
A presentation was provided by Garin Buttermore the coordinator of the state JEL organization. He trained the students in street marketing activities they can use in their community to make people aware of the dangers of tobacco use. Also from the state JEL organization was Bryant Hickey, the JEL President, to speak about the state JEL program, how to get more involved and the opportunities at the state level. Local JEL member and state executive council member, Alicia Schalla, also assisted with this portion of the training.
Sgt. Piepho from the Iowa National Guard provided three team building and leadership training activities for the students to participate in. These obstacles gave the members the opportunity to work together as a team to solve a problem and determine the necessary steps to reach their end goal. These types of activities model some of the day-to-day things that the members encounter in the work they do.
Also training the students was SAFE Coalition coordinator Heidi Bainbridge. She provided information on peer teaching topics the students could use when teaching elementary the dangers of drugs, alcohol and tobacco. Students were given samples of peer teaching topics, allowed time to prepare a presentation and then shared their activity with the group. This gave the students the opportunity to participate in the presentation and learn hands on how the activity should look.
The students were also provided time during the training to begin brainstorming ideas they wanted to accomplish this year during the JEL/YLC program and come up with ideas based on what they learned at the training.
There were 75 students who attended the training from Van Buren High School, Middle school and Harmony High school. This is the largest training that the program has completed to date. Each year there are more and more students interested in making a change around the drug, alcohol and tobacco use in Van Buren County. Be watching for activities in your community from these students as the year progresses. Please commend these students for a Job Well Done!

What is a Blog?

2010-09-15T13:06:00.000-07:00

THIS IS.... you are currently viewing a Blog!

You have maybe heard the talk about blogs and wonder to yourself… “What is a blog anyway?”
A blog (a blend of the term web log) is a type of website or part of a website. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse-chronological order. Blog can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog.

Most blogs are interactive, allowing visitors to leave comments and even message each other via widgets on the blogs and it is this interactivity that distinguishes them from other static websites.

Many blogs provide commentary or news on a particular subject; others function as more personal online diaries. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, Web pages, and other media related to its topic. The ability of readers to leave comments in an interactive format is an important part of many blogs. Most blogs are primarily textual, although some focus on art (Art blog), photographs (photoblog), videos (video blogging), music (MP3 blog), and audio (podcasting). Microblogging is another type of blogging, featuring very short posts.

The coalition also maintains a website which is updated monthly and has in-depth coalition information such as minutes, workplans, bylaws, and much more. Check it out at www.vbsafecoalition.com

For more information on the Van Buren County SAFE Coalition you may contact the coalition office at 319-293-6412.

SAFE Coalition receives DFC Funding

2010-09-13T09:30:00.000-07:00

The Van Buren County SAFE Coalition was selected to receive an additional five years of funding for the Drug Free Communities Program. Announcements were made on August 31st.
The SAFE Coalition will receive $125,000 for the next five years to continue the work that began in 2005 making Van Buren County a SAFE place to live by reducing drug, alcohol and tobacco use in youth.

*Strategies to be implemented with the funds include, but are not limited to:
*Working with businesses to address the ease of access of alcohol.
*Collaborating with key community members on a social host ordinance.
*Developing a team of school and community members to address climate at the
school districts– focusing on substance use.
*Developing standardized protocols in both school districts regarding code of
conduct and substance use policies.
*Working with law enforcement in regards to laws related to marijuana use;
ensuring consistency and enforcement.
*Developing relationships with businesses to implement drug free worksite
policies.
*Empowering parents with resources & skills to take action in preventing
substance use.
*Developing a social norming campaign related to the use of marijuana
*Addressing the local conditions of near peers and parties as sources of alcohol
for youth.

The coalition will be hiring one new part time staff person to assist in the efforts. The grant will officially begin on October 1st 2010 and run through September 30th, 2015.

For more information on the grant or any coalition activities please contact Project Director; Heidi Bainbridge at 293-6412.

September is National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month

2010-09-02T09:46:00.000-07:00

IS IT AN ADDICTION?

Stages of Addiction

Note: The following examples are used for illustrative purposes only. Please contact an agency that specializes in addictions to do an assessment or evaluation if you have concerns.

Non-use – When a person does not use alcohol or other drugs. An example of this is: A 30-year old woman goes to a restaurant, party, or bar and does not consume alcohol.

Use - The ingestion of alcohol or other drugs without experiencing any negative consequences. For example, a person in a social setting consumes alcohol responsibly and is given a ride home by a sober friend.

Misuse - When a person experiences negative consequences from the use of alcohol or other drugs, it is clearly misuse. For example, a 30-year old woman uses alcohol on an infrequent basis, her employer throws a party and the 30-year old woman drinks more than usual and on the way home she is arrested for DUI. She may not really have a problem with alcohol but in this instance, she experiences a negative consequence from drinking.

Abuse - It can be considered abuse if, in spite of negative consequences, a person continues to consume drugs or alcohol. If the 30-year old woman above had no substance abuse problem she would abstain from alcohol as getting a DUI would be enough of a deterrent. However, shortly thereafter this woman goes to another party and there she drinks in excess and then gets behind the wheel of her car again. This would be considered abuse.

Dependency/Addiction - The compulsive use of alcohol or other drugs in spite of adverse, repeated, or negative consequences. For example, the woman received two DUIs in one year. She was on probation and would be sentenced to one year in prison if she was caught using alcohol or drugs, but she continued to drink. The woman would be clearly addicted to alcohol because the negative consequences did not impact or deter her use.

Coalition Members Attend Conference

2010-08-26T06:36:00.000-07:00

Four Coalition members were given the opportunity to attend the 12th Annual National EUDL Leadership Conference “Building Community Futures with Blueprints for Success”.

Van Buren County Deputy Sheriff; Jon Tharp, Reserve officer; Lee McIntosh, Coalition Coordinator; Heidi Bainbridge, and STOP Grant Coordinator; Tonja Jirak all traveled to Anaheim, California to learn about strategies that can be implemented locally to address underage drinking. Over the past 12 years, the Enforcing Underage Drinking Laws (EUDL) program has successfully built partnerships with law enforcement, community organizations, and government officials to implement evidence-based strategies to reduce youth access to alcohol. To establish and maintain a grasp on the problems and consequences of underage drinking, a blueprint must be developed to integrate three key elements: environmental strategies and laws, enforcement, and public support.

Coalition members took part in workshops and plenary sessions to gain valuable new information related to underage drinking. The conference gave the coalition and law enforcement officers an opportunity to work together to determine areas in Van Buren county where this issue can be addressed. The coalition members will now share what was learned with the larger group and facilitate discussions about new ideas and ways to address this issue locally.

Be watching for new coalition initiatives based on the information learned at this conference. For more information on the conference or getting involved with the coalition please contact the coalition office at 319-293-6412 or via email at info@vbsafecoalition.com.

We have been busy!

2010-08-13T08:40:00.000-07:00

The SAFE Coalition has been busy over the past couple of months. Some of the things that have taken place and are upcoming include:
* JEL Booth at the 4th of July Kids Games- July 4th
* CADCA Midyear Training and Youth Leadership Training- July 26-29th
* Kids Fair- August 5th
* Iowa Underage Drinking Town Hall Culmination Meeting- August 9th
* AC4C Retreat- August 10-11th
* School Registration- August 11, 12, 13th
UPCOMING
* EUDL Underage Drinking Conference- August 17-21st
* Back to School Bash- Van Buren- August 23rd- 12-6pm
* Staff Appreciation Event- August 23rd 4:30-6pm
* JEL Walk 4 Breath Event- August 28th 7am-noon
* Volunteer Training- September 9th 6-9 pm

If you are interested in being involved in any of the above activities please contact the coalition for more information! Get involved today!
319-293-6412

SAFE Home Pledges!

2010-07-23T08:16:00.000-07:00

The SAFE Coalition has begun their annual SAFE Home Pledge program, and this year they are including elementary parents as well. Members of the organization are asking parents to sign a SAFE Home pledge.
The pledge for middle and high school states that the parents will not provide alcohol to minors in their home. It also states that the parents are open to communication with other parents about the alcohol use of their children. For elementary the pledge asks parents to talk to their kids about drugs, alcohol and tobacco use, set rules and take an active role in their lives.

A directory of all parents who have signed a SAFE Home Pledge will be produced and provided to parents after the start of the school year. An updated directory will also be available on the SAFE website at www.vbsafecoalition.com.

If you are interested in having a SAFE home and signing a SAFE Home Pledge there are a number of things you can do:
1) Sign the pledge during back-to-school registration
2) Contact the SAFE coalition at 319-293-6412
3) Visit the SAFE website www.vbsafecoalition.com and sign an online pledge (middle and high school only)

For more information on the SAFE Home Pledge or the SAFE Coalition you can call 319-293-6412 or email info@vbsafecoalition.com. Information about the pledge and all SAFE Coalition activities are available on the SAFE website located at: www.vbsafecoalition.com.

Van Buren JEL Teens Helped “Break the Connection”

2010-07-08T09:36:00.000-07:00

Pella, Iowa – July 8, 2010 – Five Van Buren County JEL/YLC members and nearly 200 teens from across the state gathered to learn new strategies to fight Big Tobacco at the 10th Annual “Break the Connection” (JEL) Summit, June 17-19 at Central College. Alicia Schalla (Executive Council Member), Carson Schuck, Drew Nolting, Tyler Runyon, and Cassie Johnson represented Van Buren County at the Summit.

The 3-day for-JEL-teens-by-JEL-teens event is designed to educate teens about the health effects of tobacco use, secondhand smoke and the methods tobacco companies are using to get teens hooked on their products. The youth were not taught this from adults, however. They taught the tracks and learned from each other.

Each Summit attendee participated in a variety of learning sessions ranging from general tobacco information. to media advocacy. to how to organize JEL events in their home towns. The JEL Executive Council, the youth leaders of the program, led these sessions.

“We want youth to know that they can be a part of something great in JEL and can make a difference in their towns and with their peers,” explains Bryant Hickie, new JEL President. “We want to create awareness of tobacco prevention throughout the state, which can save lives.”

The Summit closed with an hour-long street marketing demonstration in downtown Pella. The event symbolically ‘broke the connection’ between tobacco and the death and disease it causes. It is time for someone to finally break the connection and JEL was up to the task.

JEL activities and other tobacco use prevention and control activities are funded by the Iowa Department of Public Health, Division of Tobacco Use Prevention and Control.

Two youth selected to attend CADCA Midyear

2010-06-25T09:49:00.000-07:00

Two Van Buren County Teens have been selected to attend the CADCA Midyear and the National Youth Leadership Initiative Experience. This event is being held in Phoenix, AZ, July 25-30th. Lydia Heald and Abby Rider were selected by a team of adult SAFE Coalition members who reviewed all applications submitted for the event. Their applications were rated highest and were given the honor of attending this year.
CADCA's NYLI Experience is built on the framework of the National Coalition Institute's National Coalition Academy. In these sessions, both youth and their adult advisors learn how to help community coalitions be more effective in producing community change. The NYLI Experience helps coalitions build their capacity to foster youth leadership in the design, implementation and evaluation of action strategies addressing community problems. In addition, this training builds the relationship between the youth leader and the adult coalition coach.
The participants learn about the Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF), logic models, strategic planning, developing interventions, advocating for change, evaluation, and sustainability. The NYLI Experience is a CADCA workforce development strategy that teaches what is required to create and nurture the growth of committed leaders and their work within coalitions. It better equips youth and adults to develop an action plan that clearly defines the strategies that young leaders will carry out to address the problems and goals that the coalition is striving to affect.
It is an honor to be selected to attend this event. The coalition only sends two Van Buren County students each year based on applications of the JEL/YLC members. These teens should be commended for their hard work and dedication to their community!