Student
Support Services Center
Laura Combs
900 Watervliet-Shaker Road, Suite 102 / Albany, NY 12205
/ 518-464-3944
National Town Hall Meetings Start March 31st
A series of Town Hall meetings will be held across the
country during the week of March 31–April 4, 2008, as part
of an effort to increase understanding and awareness of
underage drinking and its consequences, and to encourage
individuals, families, and communities to address the
problem. Additional information on the Town Hall meetings,
including the names and contact information for
participating communities, can be found at
www.stopalcoholabuse.gov. Please submit press releases
or articles about plans for Town Hall meetings in your
communities to
roberta.hochberg@cdmgroup.com, so that we may feature
them in upcoming Weekly Updates.
Safe
and Drug Free School and Communities Act (SDFSCA)
The
Safe and Drug Free and Communities Act Grant
is the only source of
federal funding for school-based prevention that directly
targets youth in grades K-12 with substance abuse and violence
prevention education and intervention services.
A
supplemental Uniform
Violent and Disruptive Reporting System (UVIR) Q&A
is available to assist in the completion of VADIR forms. It
includes definitions of terms, reportable offenses and even
specific incidents to use as a guide. In addition to hard
copies of documents, you will also be able to access the on-line
manual to assist you in submitting your data
electronically.
There
is a VADIR blog you
can access to keep up to date with VADIR news. This site
provides timely briefs about guidance for VADIR reporting.
If
you have any questions, feel free to contact the NYS Center
for School Safety either through the blog or at scss@mhric.org.
OSDFS ANNOUNCES EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT FOR SCHOOLS
TRAININGS FOR LEAs
The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Safe and
Drug-Free Schools is pleased to offer representatives from schools and school
districts across the nation two opportunities to participate in a 1.5 day
training on emergency management.
The Emergency Management for Schools Training is designed to provide critical
training on emergency management issues, resources and practices. Materials and
information will emphasize emergency management plan development and enhancement
within the framework of the four phases of emergency management: Prevention-
Mitigation, Preparedness, Response and Recovery. Participants will also have the
chance to participate in exercises underscoring key training principles. Both
trainings present an exciting opportunity for school-based staff and
administrators from Local Educational Agencies (LEA) or nonpublic schools to
acquire requisite knowledge to help develop effective, all-hazards emergency
management plans.
The two trainings are scheduled as follows:
* April 10-11, 2008 - W Hotel, New Orleans, Louisiana
* June 4-5, 2008 - Marriott Hotel, San Francisco, California
Eligibility: Participation is currently limited to 125 individuals per training.
Only one representative per LEA or nonpublic school is eligible to attend. This
training is also intended primarily for LEAs that have not received an OSDFS
Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools (REMS) (formerly known as
Emergency Response and Crisis Management (ERCM)) grant. However, if you fall
into either of the following categories you may be placed on the wait list for
this event(s):
* Your district/LEA is a prior REMS/ERCM grantee
* You are the second individual from your district/LEA to want to attend this
training event this year
Cost: Participation in the training is free. Attendees are responsible for
transportation costs, hotel rooms at the conference hotel, and meals (lunch is
provided on Day 1 of the Training). Registered participants living more 50 miles
away from the training site may also apply for scholarship opportunities to help
cover travel costs. Information on applying for a scholarship is available at:
<http://rems.ed.gov/views/documents/REMS_NonGranteeScholarshipApp.pdf>
For more information and to pre-register for one of these events, please visit
the Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools TA Center at <http://rems.ed.gov/index.cfm?event=trainings>
If you have any questions about these training events, or eligibility to attend,
please contact the REMS TA Center at info@remstacenter.org <mailto:info@remstacenter.org>
or (866) 540-7367. Pre-register early to ensure your place at this important
training opportunity!
National Town Hall Meetings Start March 31st
A series of Town
Hall meetings will be held across the country during the week of March 31–April
4, 2008, as part of an effort to increase understanding and awareness of
underage drinking and its consequences, and to encourage individuals, families,
and communities to address the problem. Additional information on the Town Hall
meetings, including the names and contact information for participating
communities, can be found at
www.stopalcoholabuse.gov.
NHTSA GUIDE HELPS TEENS PLAN
ALCOHOL-FREE PARTIES
A new free resource titled “A Guide
to Safe and Sober Event Planning” helps teens plan alcohol- and drug-free
parties during prom and graduation season and throughout the year. An article in
the CADCA Coalitions Online
newsletter says the guide, which uses the slogan “Make
Your Parties Rock…Substance Free,” includes ideas for party settings, themes,
and activities; promotional ideas to help spread the word; party task lists; and
a complete set of resources for the event, such as posters and other materials.
The guide also provides teens with ideas about how to form partnerships with the
community to generate support for their event. Developed by the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and National Organizations for Youth
Safety, the guide is available from the NHTSA
Web site.
RESISTANCE AND REFUSAL SKILLS HELP
YOUTH AVOID DRINKING
A 3-year study of inner city
middle-school students in New York City examined the impact of “media resistance
skills” and “drug skill refusal techniques” on adolescent drinking. According to
a
press release, the
results were taken from surveys of over 2,000 predominantly African-American
adolescents from 13 inner-city junior high schools.
The researchers, from Weill Cornell Medical College, found
that 7th-graders who were critically aware of advertising (had media resistance
skills) were significantly less likely to drink alcohol when they reached 9th
grade. In addition, these same 7th-graders were more likely to have developed
better skills for resisting peer pressure (drug skill refusal techniques) by the
time they reached 8th grade, further reducing their likelihood of drinking. Lead
author Dr. Jennifer Epstein says “There are many pressures on teens to drink.
One very powerful influence is advertising—from television to billboards, it’s
everywhere. Our study found their ability to be critically aware of advertising
as well as their ability to resist peer pressure are both key skills for
avoiding alcohol.” The study appears online in the journal Addictive
Behaviors (print edition April 2008, Vol. 33, pp. 528-537) (see
abstract).
SAMHSA has developed this practical guide to successful prevention strategies.
Easy-to-read content includes two-page summaries of eleven substance abuse
prevention topics and a model timeline for carrying out a prevention activity.
OAS Substance Use Facts (From SAMHSA's Office of Applied Studies): Click
Here
On an average day in 2006, youth used the following substances for the first
time: 7,970 drank alcohol for the first time, 4,348 used an illicit drug for the
first time, 4,082 smoked cigarettes for the first time, 3,577 used marijuana for
the first time, and 2,517 used pain relievers nonmedically for the first time.
Youth who used alcohol in the past month drank an average of 4.7 drinks per day
on the days they drank and those who smoked cigarettes in the past month smoked
an average of 4.6 cigarettes per day on the days they smoked.
Download Focus on Prevention (PDF) (2.07 MB)
Click Here
Are you looking for the most up-to-date national
substance abuse and mental health data? You
will find it at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Data Archive (SAMHDA)! The
2006 data for the following series are now available.
National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH)
Clicking Here
NSDUH is the primary source of statistical information on the prevalence,
incidence, and correlates of alcohol and drug use by the U.S. population. It is
designed to produce national estimates and report the consequences and patterns
of use and abuse. It also includes questions on mental health, access to care,
and special topics asked of youth aged 12-17.
The National Inhalants and Poisons Awareness Week
begins on March 16. While this health
observance is still more than a month away, the Substance Abuse and Mental
Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) can help you prepare.
SAMHSA has credible resources with information and statistics on the treatment
and prevention of inhalants and poisons abuse. Check out some of these SAMHSA
resources to learn more about inhalants and poisons!
This edition of the newsletter gives current information and statistics on
inhalants, including what they are, how they're used, who is using them, why
they're popular, what they do to the body, and what their long-term effects are.
Also discussed are the addictiveness of inhalants and how inhalant users receive
treatment. Additional resources are listed.
Tips for Teens: The Truth About Inhalants (PHD631)
click here
FUNDING OPPORTUNITY: SPRINT FOUNDATION--SPRINT
AHEAD FOR EDUCATION GRANT PROGRAM
The Sprint Foundation is accepting applications for
its Sprint Ahead for Education Grant Program to support character education -
youth leadership, youth volunteerism, school pride, and a positive school
culture - among K-12 students.
Award amounts are $500-$5,000 for schools and $10,000-$25,000 for school
districts. Eligible applicants are US public schools (K-12) and US public school
districts.
Deadline: April 15, 2008
For further information contact the Sprint Foundation for complete program
information and application guidelines:
click here
American Association of School Administrators (AASA) launches new publication
on successful healthy school environments
Building Success, Leading
Change: Stories of Healthy School Environments- This publication highlights
the accomplishments of Charlotte Mecklenburg (N.C.) School District and
Milwaukee (Wis.) Public Schools, members of AASA's Urban Health Schools
Coalition. These districts share their successes of using
superintendent leadership and collaboration to create environments conducive to
learning. This publication includes a CD-Rom with forms, action plans,
checklists and other useful resources school districts can tailor for their own
use.
Please contact Ericka Turner, project director at
eturner@aasa.org for complimentary copies.
(SOURCE:CDC's CHEN-L Digest - 16 Nov 2007 to 21 Nov 2007 (#2007-158)
1. CDC REVIEW OF SCHOOL LAWS AND POLICIES CONCERNING CHILD AND ADOLESCENT HEALTH
NOW AVAILABLE ON LINE
2. ACER ARTICLE DISCOVERS PARENTAL DRINKING AND PARENTING PRACTICES INFLUENCE
ADOLESCENT DRINKING
3. 2004 MONITORING THE FUTURE STUDY FINDS DISTINCTLY DIFFERENT DRINKING
MOTIVATIONS AMONG U.S.12th GRADERS: SUGGESTS MOTIVATION-BASED INTERVENTIONS
COULD BE EFFECTIVE
CDC REVIEW OF SCHOOL LAWS AND POLICIES CONCERNING CHILD AND ADOLESCENT HEALTH
NOW AVAILABLE ON LINE
Laws and policies are important tools that can be used to improve the health and
safety of children and adolescents in schools. Education and public health
leaders can use specific laws and policies to promote programs and strategies
that foster an environment in which children and adolescents can thrive and
learn.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Division of Adolescent
and School Health and Public Health Law Program engaged legal scholars and
researchers at the Centers for Law and the Public's Health: A Collaborative at
Johns Hopkins and Georgetown Universities to review the use of law as a tool for
improving and protecting the health and safety of children, adolescents, and
staff in public elementary and secondary schools. The culmination of the project
is the report "A CDC Review of School Laws and Policies Concerning Child and
Adolescent Health." Using a Coordinated School Health Program model as a
framework, the report gives educators and public health professionals new access
to information on laws and policies important to the health of children and
adolescents in schools. It is intended to help practitioners and policymakers in
public health and education at the federal, state, and local levels enhance
their knowledge of relevant laws and policies.
The full report was published in the February 2008 issue of the Journal of
School Health and is available for download from the American School Health
Association website: http://www.ashaweb.org/journal_schoolhealth.html#legalissue
<http://www.ashaweb.org/journal_schoolhealth.html>.
New Corporate Funding Resource: Sprint Ahead for Education Grant Program
Through the Sprint Ahead for Education grant program, the Sprint Foundation will
award grants to school districts and individual schools to fund the purchase of
resource materials, supplies, equipment and software that facilitates and
encourages character education among K-12 students. With a national reach,
the program is open to all US public schools (K-12) and US public school
districts.
The Sprint Ahead for Education Grant program will accept applications for
Character Education programs that promote youth leadership, youth volunteerism,
school pride and a positive school culture. Examples of programs that the
Sprint Foundation will fund include:
Costs associated with hosting youth leadership conferences.
Character Education curriculum and character education teacher training.
Direct project related costs for community service/service learning
programs.
School improvement projects that serve to enhance and build school
pride.
District level grants are available for programs ranging from $10,000 to
$25,000.
School level grants are available for programs ranging from $500 to $5,000
2008 Funding and Grant Application Period:
The Sprint Ahead for Education initiative will award individual school grants
up to $5,000 and school district grants up to $25,000. In 2008 the Sprint
Foundation plans to award up to $600,000 in combined grants to schools and
school districts. The grant application period will run from March 3rd-
April 15th, 2008. Applications for funding must be submitted online at
www.sprint.com/citizenship/education/sprintahead
2008 Sprint Ahead for Education Session Timeline:
March 3 - April 15 Online grant application session
April 15 - May 30 Grant application review period
June 30 Educators are notified of their application's status
August 15 Grant recipient funds are sent to school or district central
offices.
July 1, 2009 Results Reports are due from grant recipients
National High School Center Report: Catching Early Warning Signs for
Effective Dropout Prevention
Approaches to Dropout Prevention: Heeding
Early Warning Signs With Appropriate Interventions, a report published by the
National High School Center, discusses effective ways in which school systems
can focus their dropout prevention efforts. The report describes key
school-level indicators of students most likely to drop out of high school, for
example, grades, retention, attendance, and classroom behavior and engagement,
claiming that they are better predictors of dropout than fixed status indicators
such as gender, race, and poverty. If schools want to be effective in
preventing dropout, they must focus prevention efforts on students identified by
these key dropout indicators and target at-risk populations at their specific
grade levels, beginning as early as sixth grade. Lastly, the report
outlines steps that schools should follow if they want to build an early warning
system for students on the verge of dropping out. This publication is
available at:
Community Anti-Drug
Coalitions of America (CADCA) recently premiered a new television show, "Raising
Drug-Free Kids," in which experts discuss the secrets of talking to youth
and how to engage parents in prevention. According to a news release,
learning about the science of their developing brain can help teens avoid
alcohol and drugs. Parents can engage their teens in a dialogue, provide
boundaries, stress positive social norms, and do their part to reduce their
children's access to alcohol and other drugs. The program also highlights
a 2007 Got Outcomes! coalitions of the year, the Communities That Care Coalition
in Franklin County, Massachusetts. This coalition uses innovative
approaches to engage parents and keep children safe. Program presenters
include Kat Allen of the Communities That Care Coalition in Franklin County,
Massachusetts; Dr. Gwen Schiada of Connect With Kids; and Dr. Wilkie WIlson of
Duke University. The show can be view via the CADCA TV
http://cadca.org/CoalitionResources/cadcatv/schedule.asp
National 4-H Extension Announces New On-Line Youth Development Journal
The latest issue of the "Journal of Youth Development: Bridging Research and
Practice" published by the National Association of Extension 4-H Agents,
is now online. Articles that may be of particular interest include:
Rural After-School Programs: Meeting the Needs of At-Risk Youth and Their
Families
click here
Developmentally-Responsive Relationships During After School
Click Here
Addressing the Needs of Children of Offenders: The 4-H Life Model
Click Here
Resources: To access the current issue,
Click Here
Please note that while access is free, registration is required.
HHS' CDC's Dash Announce the Release of the Student Health and Academic
Achievement Webpage
The CDC's Division of Adolescent and School Health
(DASH) is pleased to announce the release of the Student Health and Academic
webpage.
The Student Health and Academic Achievement webpage highlights the strong
association between the academic success of America's youth and their health.
Included is a link to the November 2007 JOSH article entitled Coordinated School
health Programs and Academic Achievement by Murray et al. The article
examines evidence that school health program interventions that fit within the 8
components of the Coordinated School Health Program (CSHP) model improve
academic success among students.
The Student Health and Academic Achievement webpage will have
One-page fact sheets highlighting significant associations between
health-risk behaviors and academic grades based on YRBS data.
PowerPoint slides containing graphs of all the significant associations
among health-risk behavior variables and academic grades based on YRBS data.
Presentation slides and scripts on health and academic achievement
U.S. Dept. of Ed's OSDFS Announces evaluation publication- Mobilizing For
Evidence-Based Character Education
The U.S. Department of Education Office
of Safe and Drug-Free Schools has recently published a booklet entitled
Mobilizing for Evidence-Based Character Education, in order to better
assist character education project directors and key stakeholders in conducting
science-based evaluation and to understand how to best measure their efforts in
accordance with federal requirements for scientific rigor in the evaluation
process.
A series of
Town Hall meetings will be held across the country during the week of March
31–April 4, 2008, as part of an effort to increase understanding and
awareness of underage drinking and its consequences, and to encourage
individuals, families, and communities to address the problem. Additional
information on the Town Hall meetings, including the names and contact
information for participating communities, can be found at
www.stopalcoholabuse.gov. Please submit press releases or articles about
plans for Town Hall meetings in your communities to
roberta.hochberg@cdmgroup.com, so that we may feature them in upcoming
Weekly Updates.
CDC Dash funds new study-- How Electronic Media Affect Adolescents in the
U.S.
A series of studies published recently in the supplement to the Journal of
Adolescent Health present the first collection of data examining how electronic
media - blogs, instant messaging, chat rooms, email, text messaging and the
Internet_affect adolescents in the United States. This supplement was
funded by CDC Key findings show:
Adolescent aggression is not limited to the school yard. Although
rates of electronic aggression are lower than rates of physical and verbal
aggression, these rates seem to be increasing.
In 2000, 6 percent of internet users 10 to 17 years old said they had
been subjected to online harassment; by 2005, the percentage had risen to 9
percent -- an increase of 50 percent.
Technology is useful for developing social and communication skills, but
can pose risks to adolescent health and safety.
Adolescents who were harassed online were more likely to get a detention
or be suspended, to skip school, and to experience emotional distress.
Adolescents who receive rude or nasty comments via text messages are six
times more likely to also report feeling unsafe at school.
new media technology can create new areas of vulnerability to peer
victimization for many adolescents. Sixty-four percent of youth who
are harassed on-line are not harassed or bullied at school.
To access a complete copy of the journal and the supporting issue briefs,
which summarize the research and discuss the implications of these findings for
youth, parents, school staff, and educational policy makers, please visit
www.cdc.gov/injury.
Helping Students Deal With Cyber-Bullies ---- Strategies to Address the
Digital Bully
About Cyber-bullies
Bullies want a reaction to their bullying. And most bullies need an
audience. Having people watch, or even join in on the 'fun', empowers a
bully. The same thing goes for cyber-bullying. Many
cyber-bullies look for ways to involve their peers in a 'cyber-fight' or other
cruel behavior on the internet. Whether a target or encouraged to join in
on bullying, students need to know how to respond to cyber-bullying.
Suggestions for students invited to join in cyber-bullying
Don't join in - sign off- Announce that you are leaving of just
'disappear.' If necessary, blame your internet connection or that your parents
have entered the room.
Maintain neutrality- Write, "I totally understand that you are having
a problem with this person, but I don't want to get involved."
Turn off your computer or cell phone- Being ignored gets boring for
the bully.
Block mean messages- 71% of teens think that blocking abusive messages
is the most effective way to prevent cyber-bullying. ISPs, email programs
and social network programs have information about blocking messages.
Don't respond of cyber-bully back- You don't have to be a
doormat, but don't be provoked into retaliating because that is exactly what the
bully wants. Don't play their game!
Talk to an adult you trust- Let them know what you need them to do
(and not to) to put a stop to the bullying. It's also a good idea to try
to tell the people that you live with. Being bullied can cause
changes in your behavior that will worry them. If they know what's going
on, they'll be more understanding.
Print it out or save it- If you're receiving bullying messages
of any kind, print them out or save them. You, and the adults in your
life, may want the evidence if you ever decide to take action against a
cyber-bully.
Address your feelings- Being bullied can feel really bad.
Talk to a friend or trusted adult, write out your feeling in a journal, express
your feelings through arts, music or creative writing.
Participate in activities that you are good at and make you feel good-
Being bullied is upsetting. Being involved in activities you enjoy can
help cancel out the way the cyber-bully makes you feel.
OJJDP Blueprints Conference on Youth Violence, Delinquency, and
Evidence-Based Prevention Programs to be Held in Denver on March 17-19,
2008, Denver, CO, the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence <http://www.colorado.edu/cspv/>
will hold its biennial Blueprints Conference <http://www.bluprintsconference.com/>.
The conference will provide information on youth violence, delinquency, and
evidence-based prevention and intervention programs.
Funded by the Office of
Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention <http://ojjdp.ncjrs.gov/>,
the Center's Blueprints for Violence Prevention Initiative <http://www.colorado.edu/cspv/blueprints/>
has identified 11 model programs or "blueprints" shown to be effective in
reducing adolescent violent crime, aggression, delinquency and substance abuse.
New Web Guide to Evidence-Based Practices Launched- SAMHSA has launched a
new Web Guide that provides direct connections to Websites containing
information on specific evidence-based practices related to mental health and
substance abuse. Visitors can browse evidence-based practices by topic
area or by age group and setting to find links and bulleted descriptions of the
program websites. Visit the guide at <http://www.samhsa.gov/ebpwebguide/index.asp>
OSDFS Announces grants for school-based student drug-testing programs
competition- The notice inviting application for OSDFS-- Grants for
School-Based Student Drug-Testing Programs (CFDA No. 84.184D) competition was
published on Tuesday, December 18 in the Federal Register. These grants
are for eligible applicants to develop and implement, or expand school-based
mandatory random, voluntary or combined mandatory random and voluntary
drug-testing programs for students in one or more grades 6-12. The
application is due March 21, 2008.
Community Service Options Toolkit as an Alternative to
Suspension- The Community Service Options Toolkit,
developed by Smith Prevention Initiatives in Arizona, is
designed to serve as a reference for schools, school
districts, or community agencies looking to use community
service programs as part of their disciplinary strategies.
The Toolkit presents community service as a win-win
alternative to suspension where youth have opportunities to
learn a variety of skills while giving back to the
community. It provides educators with step-by-step
guidance through the processes of planning and implementing
community service as part of alternatives to suspension in
their school districts. The Toolkit can be found at <http://serviceoptions.org/toolkit.html>.
Source: National Center for Mental Health Promotion and
Youth Violence Prevention, Dec. 28, 2007.
U.S. ED's OSDFS Announces Funding Opportunity-- Grants to
Reduce Alcohol Abuse (CFDA#84.184A)
Purpose of Progam:
The program provides grants to local educational agencies (LEAs)
to develop and implement innovative and effective programs
to reduce alcohol abuse in secondary schools.
Applications Available: January 3, 2008
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: February 19,
2008
Eligible Applicants: (a)LEAs, including charter schools
that are considered LEAs under State law. (b)The Secretary
limits eligibility under this discretionary grant
competition to LEAs that do not currently have an active
grant under the Grants to Reduce Alcohol Abuse program.
For the purpose of this eligibility requirement, a grant is
considered active until the end of the grant's project or
funding period, including any extensions of those periods
that extend the grantee's authority to obligate funds.
Estimated Available Funds: $24,500,000.
Estimate Range of Awards: $250,000 - $450,000
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $350,000
Estimated Number of Awards: 70.
Additional Information: Applicable regulations,
priorities, and other information are available in the
Federal Register notice on-line at:
Also you may want to visit:
http://www.grants.gov.
Through this site, you will be able to download a copy of
the application package, complete it offline, and then
upload and submit your application.
Direct like to grant: http://www07.grants.gov/search/search.do;jsessionid=H2BDX40xQGFpNZGnWCcXKrj6TgjnsFjGhT1L1JmpKQ5PmHpsGflz!963478001?oppld=16403&flag2006=true&mode=VIEW
U.S. HHS Health Resources and Services Administration
Announces "Stop Bullying Now" Toolkits for Elementary And
Middle School-Aged Student- New toolkits to help
implement the HHS' HRSA program "Stop Bullying Now" are
being sent out to elementary and middle schools across the
Nation. If a school does not receive a toolkit, they
may request the DVD toolkits by visiting
www.stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov or by calling
1-888-ASK-HRSA
NIMS
Alert- A web-based IS-100.SC Introduction to the
Incident Command System, I-100, for Schools course is now
available online. This NIMS-compliant course can be accessed
through the Emergency
Management Institute (EMI) Independent Study website. The
course was developed in collaboration with the U.S. Department
of Education.
New Web Page Helps
Users Identify Evidence-Based Programs
The Substance Abuse and
Mental Health Services Administration has developed a new
web page to assist the public in identifying evidence-based
programs and practices that can prevent and/or treat mental
and substance use disorders. A Guide to
Evidence-Based Practices on the Web features 37 websites
that contain information about specific evidence-based
interventions or provide comprehensive reviews of research
findings.
The Web Guide -- a
component of SAMHSA's Science and Service Initiative -- can
be used by stakeholders throughout the behavioral health
field to promote awareness of current intervention research
and to increase the availability and implementation of
evidence-based practices.
SAMHSA
Report-The
US Department of Health and Human Service's Substance Abuse
and Mental Health Services Administration has released
"The NSDUH Report: Youth Activities, Substance Abuse, and
Family Income".
AAAS
TO DEVELOP SCIENCE-BASED TEACHING TOOLS
The
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
is undertaking a 3-year project for middle-school children
called “The Science Inside Alcohol.” The project will
develop a 1-week teaching module for middle-school
classrooms and a plain-language informational booklet for
parents, teachers, and other adults interested in the latest
research findings on adolescent drinking. The teaching
module will be supplemented with online tools to help engage
the students, and teachers’ guides will help teachers
integrate the content into biology, chemistry, or health
curricula. The teaching module will be disseminated through
the ScienceNetLinks
Web site,
which serves the K-12 science education community. Funded by
the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA),
the project incorporates recent advances in neuroscience
that have increased our knowledge about how alcohol affects
young people’s bodies. An electronic version of the
plain-language booklet for adults will be posted on the AAAS
Science Inside
Web site.
Dr. David Hanson, a professor emeritus of sociology at the
State University of New York at Potsdam who has studied
alcohol use in youth for more than 30 years, says
“Capitalizing on middle schoolers’ natural curiosity about
their minds and bodies and presenting scientific evidence of
how alcohol affects them is quite innovative. This work
could have major impact on how parents and teachers talk to
youth about drinking.”
NCES REPORT -- PUBLIC SCHOOL PRACTICES
FOR VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND REDUCTION:
2003-2004
This
report from the National Center for
Education Statistics (NCES), (1)
examines principals' reports of the
prevalence of formal practices in public
schools designed to prevent or reduce
school violence and (2) describes the
distribution of these practices by
selected school characteristics.
This analysis is based on school-level
data reported by principals
participating in the school year 2003-04
School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS)
administered by the National Center for
Education Statistics (NCES)
FREE HEALTH
PUBLICATIONS AVAILABLE FROM THE NATIONAL
INSTITUTES OF HEALTH--STUDENTS LEARN THE
SCIENCE OF DRUG ABUSE.
NIDA,
part of the National Institutes of
Health, has created a health education
campaign to keep students, parents, and
educators in the loop all year long.
Now in its fifth year, the NIDA Goes
Back to School campaign is the source
for FREE publications that teach
students of all ages about the
consequences of drug abuse.
Students
can journey through the brain and body
to learn about the effects of drug
abuse. Parents can get tips on
talking to their children about the
dangers of drugs. And teachers can
enhance classroom activities with
colorful handouts, informative
magazines, and student and teacher
editions of new publications.
And
there's more. NIDA recently
adapted its materials to meet the needs
of Spanish-speaking populations.
The Institute offers a variety of FREE
Spanish-language materials for students,
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SAMHSA's OFFICE OF APPLIED STUDIES
REPORT PRESENTS "A DAY IN THE LIFE OF
AMERICAN ADOLESCENTS"
According
to a recent report published by the
Office of Applied Studies
http://oas.samhsa.gov
in the U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services' Substance Abuse and
Mental Health Services Administration,
in 2006, one third of U.S. youth age 12
to 17 drank alcohol and one fifth used
an illicit drug in the past year.
NEW
CITIZENS' COMMISSION TO PROTECT THE
TRUTH/CASA REPORT: TEEN CIGARETTE
SMOKING LINKED TO BRAIN DAMAGE, ALCOHOL
& ILLEGAL DRUG ABUSE, AND MENTAL ILLNESS
Teen cigarette smokers are likelier to
meet medical criteria for alcohol, drug
abuse and dependence.
The nicotine in tobacco products poses a
significant danger of structural and
chemical changes in developing brains
that can make teens more vulnerable to
alcohol and other drug addiction and to
mental illness, according toTobacco: The
Smoking Gun, a new white paper recently
commissioned by and released through the
Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse
(CASA).
Smoking and Alcohol and Illegal Drug Use
Compared
to 12- to 17-year olds who don’t smoke,
those who do are more than five times
likelier to drink and 13 times likelier
to use marijuana than nonsmokers.
- Compared to those who never smoked,
those who began smoking at age 12 or
younger are:
- More than three times likelier to
binge drink;
- Nearly 15 times likelier to smoke
marijuana; and
- Nearly seven times likelier to use
other illegal drugs such as heroin and
cocaine.
Smoking and Mental Health Disorders
The CASA
analysis also found that among teens
ages 12 to 17, twice as many smokers as
nonsmokers suffered from symptoms of
depression in the past year. Teens who
reported early initiation of smoking
were more likely to experience serious
feelings of hopelessness, depression and
worthlessness in the past year.
The report also notes that smoking at a
young age is related to panic attacks,
general anxiety disorders and
post-traumatic stress disorder.
Based on the findings of the white
paper, the Commission and CASA
recommend:
- Sharply restricting all tobacco
advertising, marketing and promotion.
- Stepping up evidence-based prevention
and cessation efforts, including
counter-advertising programs.
- Giving the FDA comprehensive authority
to regulate tobacco.
- Mandating evidence-based tobacco
cessation in substance abuse treatment
and mental health care settings.
- Enforcing laws restricting sale of
tobacco to minors and enacting indoor
and outdoor clean air laws to limit
children’s exposure to second-hand
smoke.
The Citizens’ Commission to Protect the
Truth, a group of all former U.S.
Secretaries of Health, Education, and
Welfare and of Health and Human
Services, all former U.S. Surgeons
General, and all former Directors of the
Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, Republican and Democrat from
every Administration over the last forty
years, was formed in March 2004 to
prevent youth from smoking. Among its
efforts, the Commission shines a
spotlight on the continued need to
fundtruthÒ, the only independent
national youth counter- marketing
campaign with demonstrated results in
keeping children and teens from smoking.
For more information on the Commission,
visit its Web site at
http://www.protectthetruth.org
U.S. DEPT. OF
HOMELAND SECURITY
* Safe
School Initiative: Established in
collaboration by the U.S. Secret Service
and the U.S. Department of Education's
Safe and Drug Free Schools Program, the
Safe School Initiative (SSI) focuses on
prevention and provides useful
information about the thinking and
behavior of students who commit acts of
targeted violence in our nation's
schools. One of the key recommendations
of the SSI was that schools form
multidisciplinary threat assessment
teams to assist with identifying,
assessing and managing students who may
pose a threat of targeted violence. An
interactive CD-ROM, titled A Safe School
and Threat Assessment Experience:
Scenarios Exploring the Findings of the
Safe School Initiative, complements the
published documents of the Safe School
Initiative. The CD is available to law
enforcement and school safety personnel
across the country and can be ordered
via the Department of Education website
at
http://www.edpubs.org/.
EXPERTS SAY SNORTING ALCOHOL
IS DANGEROUS
A
fad involving snorting
vodka through the nose
to get drunk more
quickly, known as
“Chilly Willy,” is
spreading among young
people both in the
United States and
abroad, according to an
article in the
Baltimore Examiner.
The practice is a way to
get around bans on
alcohol aerosolizers and
has proliferated by
means of videos on
YouTube and Buzzfeed.
Michael Gimbel of the
Sheppard Pratt Health
System in Baltimore City
says snorting alcohol is
dangerous because the
alcohol goes directly to
the brain rather than
being absorbed first by
the liver. He states
“While we aren’t sure
how much is being done
here in Maryland or the
U.S., we need to educate
the public and the bars
about the dangers.” Dr.
Christopher Welsh, of
the University of
Maryland School of
Medicine and an
addictions specialist,
says that snorting
alcohol could be fatal.
"TAKE IT BACK" YOUTH MOVEMENT TO
HOLD COMMUNITY BRIEFINGS IN MARCH
The national nonprofit group FACE – Resources, Training &
Action on Alcohol Issues is sponsoring a national youth-led
movement on alcohol called “Take It Back,” which invites
youth groups from across the country to host Community
Briefings on March 5 or 6, 2008. Community Briefings are
meant to resemble Town Hall meetings but are organized and
led by youth. They will give youths an opportunity to
identify an issue they feel needs to be addressed in their
community regarding youth and alcohol and will serve as a
starting point for community action. Up to 500 youth groups
will be selected to participate from across the country. All
participating groups will receive a comprehensive resource
kit to help them research the issue, organize the meeting,
develop and deliver effective presentations, attract media
attention, and mobilize their efforts beyond the meeting.
Penny Norton, CEO of FACE, states, “These Community
Briefings are an excellent way for youth around the country
to not only enhance their current efforts, but be a credible
voice at the local level for identifying actions that need
to be taken on alcohol problems. It’s an exciting
opportunity for a legitimate, new voice to be featured and
to gain broad, national exposure on a urgent public health
issue.” The deadline for application is November 2, 2007. Go
to
http://www.utakeitback.org/411/briefings
to download an application. For more information, go to
www.utakeitback.org.
U.S.
DEPT. OF
ED/HOMELAND
SECURITY
SPONSORED
ARCHIVED
VIRTUAL TOWN
HALL ON
SCHOOL
PREPAREDNESS
NOW
AVAILABLE
ON-LINE
The
Department
of Homeland
Security and
the
Department
of Education
held a
Virtual Town
Hall on K-12
School
Preparedness
on September
27, 2007 as
part of
National
Preparedness
Month. A
panel of
experts from
the
Department
of
Education's
Office of
Safe and
Drug-Free
Schools and
the Federal
Emergency
Management
Agency's
National
Preparedness
Directorate
provided an
overview of
grant
opportunities
and
planning,
training,
and other
preparedness
tools
available to
school
districts
nationwide.
The
Eastern Region Student Support Services Center is available to
assist your school with its SDFSCA application and funding
issues. Please contact Pat Gogol at our center with any questions at
518-464-3945, pgogol@gw.neric.org.
