SUBSTANCE MISUSE
Prevention efforts led by CHCC's Project Alliance
Preventing substance misuse is a community effort, and it starts with our kids. Yet, teaching children about the dangers of substance misuse is just one piece of the puzzle. Coastal Healthy Communities Coalition (CHCC)'s Project Alliance can equip parents, teachers, and community leaders in the Northern York County, Maine area (Saco, Arundel, Biddeford, Buxton, Dayton, Hollis, Kennebunk, Kennebunkport, and Old Orchard Beach) to recognize the signs of substance misuse and intervene before it can cause lasting harm.
Our substance misuse prevention efforts include:
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Running the Prime for Life and PhotoVoice programs
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Presenting information about the dangers of drugs and alcohol to students
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Provide parents with the tools to recognize warning signs, tips to effectively talk to their kids about substance misuse, and resources for help if they have a problem
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Providing resources about preventing substances misuse to anyone searching for information
Reach out today to learn more about our substance misuse prevention efforts or to host a program.
Parents: Talk Early, Talk Often
Parents are the #1 influence in a child's life.
Youth who learn the risks of drugs and alcohol from their parents are up to 50% less likely to use. – Partnership for Drug-Free Kids.
Even if it seems like teens are not listening, research shows that children of all ages are deeply influenced by their parents’ opinions and values. Use everyday moments throughout your child’s life to talk to them and teach them about the risks of substance use.
Consider talking to your children at informal times, such as during family meals or while riding in the car. Clearly state your expectations and tell them you are always there for them.
For More Tips:
SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions)
SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) is a new youth chapter. This chapter focuses on areas of mental health, volunteerism, substance use, distracted driving, and leadership. We offer scholarship opportunities, contests, travel, and great leadership experience for youth in the area. If you want to become a leader in your school and in York County, come and join us!
SADD is run on what the youth want to do. The youth decide the goals, objectives, and activities; they get to run the club the way they see fit!
Join our mailing list to hear about our upcoming meetings where there will be snacks and prizes for youth who show up to learn more.
PhotoVoice
PhotoVoice promotes the use of photography for positive social change while capturing the conditions in the community through the eyes of our youth. CHCC works with youth in various after-school and alternative settings on creative photography projects with the aim of building resiliency, skills, and positive adult connection for youth in our community.
Participants are asked to take pictures that they feel highlight things that are positive about their community and issues they feel need to be addressed. Students then tell a story about their pictures, detailing what is happening, how the pictures relate to the participants' lives, and how the images can be used to educate people in the community.
Conversations are recorded and transcribed to create the captions under the photographs. Photographs are then displayed at a gallery showing event. Insights that come out of these projects are also used to inform future substance use prevention programming and youth engagement projects at CHCC.
For more information, please contact prevention@une.edu or
(207) 602-3551.
PhotoVoice Photos
Project Alliance is a substance misuse prevention coalition that focuses on increasing the level of community involvement to improve prevention programming, address youth alcohol and marijuana misuse, and in more recent years, promote safe storage and disposal of prescription medications.
To learn more about the great programs they offer in our community and how you or your organization can be involved, please contact projectalliance@une.edu or (207) 602-3555.
Project Sticker Shock
Project Sticker Shock warns would-be furnishers (people who buy and give alcohol to underage drinkers) that someone is watching. It represents a partnership between youth, retailers, concerned parents and community members, prevention professionals, and law enforcement with the goal of educating potential furnishers, raising public awareness about underage drinking, and strengthening the deterrent effect of the law against providing alcohol to minors. Sticker Shock is an evidence-based prevention strategy created by teens. Interested in holding a Stick Shock event in your community? Contact: prevention@une.edu or call (207) 602-3551.
T.I.P.S (Training for Intervention ProcedureS)
T.I.P.S is a dynamic, skills-based training program designed to prevent intoxication, drunk driving, and underage drinking by enhancing the fundamental "people skills" of servers, sellers, and consumers of alcohol. T.I.P.S gives individuals the knowledge and confidence they need to prevent alcohol-related tragedies with its evidence-based curriculum that has trained over 5.5 million people in the safe, responsible, and legal sale of alcohol.
Interested in free T.I.P.S training? Contact: prevention@une.edu or call (207)-602-3551.
Anti-Stigma Campaign
CHCC launched our anti-stigma campaign in October of last year in partnership with Windham, Maine’s Be The Influence Coalition. Each month, CHCC features a message from a community partner on the importance of reducing stigma around mental health and substance use disorder.
Interested in participating in the Anti-Stigma campaign? Email a clear image of yourself and 2-3 sentences on what you feel is the importance of reducing stigma to Alissa Wigglesworth.
Kids are exposed to drugs sooner than you might think.
Get Involved!
