Prevention Council

Providing Substance Abuse Education, Information and Referral Services

Capital Region nonprofits win grants to expand addiction recovery services

Seen on: Times Union

Monday, March 4, 2019

ALBANY — Two Capital Region nonprofits that assist people in recovery from addiction were awarded state funding Friday to establish and expand recovery services in their communities.

Second Chance Opportunities, an Albany nonprofit that helps individuals fresh out of addiction treatment find stable housing and employment, was awarded $350,000 to establish a recovery community center in Albany.

The center will be located at 55 Colvin Ave., where the nonprofit moved its headquarters last November. Co-founder Kellie Roe told the Times Union at the time that she always intended to open a community center in the space, regardless of whether her organization won a state grant, which was awarded through a competitive Request for Applications process.

“The community needs this,” she said. “We’ve been at this too long, we’ve been filling this gap for too long not to give the community this.”

At Second Chance Opportunities, the grant will allow Roe to hire a manager for the community center, a coordinator and a recovery coach.

The Prevention Council of Saratoga County was also awarded funding — $80,000 to expand services at its recovery community center at 125 High Rock Ave. in Saratoga Springs.

The center, known as Healing Springs, hosts mutual aid groups, yoga and meditation classes, and sober social events around the Super Bowl, Labor Day and other holidays. It also provides family support navigators to those who are wondering how to assist loved ones through recovery.

New York has pushed for the creation of recovery community centers in recent years, as the state battles an overdose epidemic and a growing number of people seeking treatment for drug addiction.

The state Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services announced Friday more than $5.1 million in funding to establish 14 new recovery community centers across the state, and expand services at two existing recovery centers.

The centers promote long-term recovery by providing professional staff, peers and volunteers to engage and support people in recovery. Services include peer support, skill building, recreation, wellness education, employment readiness and sober social activities.

12 Saratoga County establishments cited in underage drinking check

Seen on: WNYT

February 19, 2019 06:17 PM

A two-day underage drinking operation in Saratoga County ends with 12 establishments accused of violating the law.

The state’s beverage control law prohibits the sale of an alcoholic beverage to a person under the age of 21 years.

Eighty stores and eateries were checked. Twelve establishments and their employees were issued a ticket.

The sheriff’s office says the goal of the operation was to not only check for proper ID, but to curb underage drinking.

The following businesses were cited:

1. City Sports Grille (Sparetime Bowling Alley), St. Rt. 9 in the Town of Halfmoon

2. Speedway, 100 Commerce Drive in the Town of Clifton Park

3. Speedway, 229 Church Avenue in the Town of Ballston

4. The Whitehouse Restaurant and Bar, 95 Milton Ave in the Village of Ballston Spa

5. Post Time Wine and Spirits, 170 South Broadway in the City of Saratoga Springs

6. Red Cap Mobile, 177 South Broadway in the City of Saratoga Springs

7. Humbuggs, 569 Gansevoort Road in the Town of Moreau

8. Friendly Spirits, Wines & Liquors, 1346 St. Rt. 9 in the Town of Moreau

9. Tim’s Discount Liquors, 139 St. Rt. 9 in the Town of Moreau

10. Jones & 50 Wine and Spirits, 4208 St. Rt. 50 in the Town of Wilton

11. Stewarts Shops, 43 Bluebird Road in the Town of Moreau

12. Gulf Gas Station, 10 Round Lake Road in the Town of Malta

Letter to the editor: Local drug drop boxes promoted

Seen in: The Post Star

Editor:

As our communities continue to be impacted by opioid addiction, we are promoting local drug drop boxes to provide a safe and accessible option to dispose of prescription or over-the-counter medications. Emptying the medicine cabinet can prevent children and others from obtaining and misusing these medications. It’s important to properly dispose of unused, excess or expired medications to keep our local waterways from being contaminated. Disposal is free and anonymous at the two permanent drop box locations in our area: the Warren County Sheriff’s Office located at 1400 Route 9, Lake George and Glens Falls City Police Department located at 42 Ridge St., Glens Falls. These sites are open 24/7 and your medication can be in the container or in a bag. Just get it out of your home!

The Community Coalition for Family Wellness (CCFW) in South Glens Falls and The Prevention Council of Saratoga County advocate for proper disposal of unused prescription medications. Take advantage of these permanent drop boxes and keep an eye out for our annual National DEA Drug Take Back Day in April!

Alex Barr, The Prevention Council of Saratoga County, Saratoga Springs

Editorial: Arrest a reminder of dangers of underage drinking

Seen in: The Daily Gazette
Link to full article: https://dailygazette.com/article/2019/01/13/editorial-arrest-a-reminder-of-dangers-of-underage-drinking

For many kids, exposure to alcohol at a young age can be a harbinger of other problems

What’s the big deal?

The kids were all in the house. They were safe. They weren’t out running the streets causing trouble. They weren’t doing hard drugs.

So what’s the problem when adults condone underage drinking in their home?

That’s the question a lot of people might be asking following the arrest of a Wilton couple and their 20-year-old son for hosting an underage drinking party on New Year’s Eve.

In all, about a dozen kids age 17-20 were at the party, where the adults supplied the alcohol, the venue and the alibi.

In the wake of the opioid epidemic, bullying, distracted driving, the dangers associated with social media, and other issues facing teenagers these days, it would be easy to push underage drinking to the bottom of the worry pile.

But underage drinking is now, just as it was a decade ago and decades before that, a pervasive problem in our society that we can’t afford to stop taking seriously.

According to the Prevention Council — a Saratoga Springs-based nonprofit organization that works to prevent alcohol, drug and other substance abuse — alcohol remains the most commonly used and abused drug among youth in the United States.

Each year in the U.S., more than 4,300 people die as a result of underage drinking — either through motor vehicle accidents, suicide and homicide, and accidental overdose.

When parents condone or — in the Wilton case — encourage and support underage drinking, they’re contributing to the damaging effects that alcohol has both immediately and in the long-term on children who are too young to handle it.

According to the Prevention Council, 11 percent of all the alcohol consumed in the United States is by underage drinkers, age 12-20.

Within any 30-day period, more than a quarter of kids will consume alcohol and more than 17 percent of that group will binge drink, which can lead to alcohol poisoning and other issues.

Drinking, especially by youth, can contribute to a whole host of health and social issues, including poor attendance and performance in school; dangerous and inappropriate decisions due to behavioral issues; problems with memory and thinking; depression; low-self esteem and in some cases suicide.

Young women and girls in particular can often find themselves in dangerous situations due to alcohol use that can lead to rape and sexual assault, sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancy.

While kids today seem to be more cognizant of the dangers of drunk driving and have more means than older generations to get home safely, such as ride-sharing and cabs, many kids still make the bad judgment of drinking and driving. And when kids do it, they’re often distracted by friends in the car and their phones, which can make their adventures on the road even more dangerous to themselves, their passengers and other motorists.

For many kids, exposure to alcohol at a young age can be a harbinger of other problems, including abuse of tobacco and drugs and alcohol-dependency as adults.

When parents support their children’s drinking by hosting parties for them and their friends, it sends the message that there’s no harm in what they’re doing.

That potential harm is the precise reason why we place age limits on alcohol and tobacco consumption in the first place.

But if parents and other adults — the people who have direct contact and influence with children — don’t understand or respect the problems that alcohol use among young people can cause, then the threat to our children’s health and well-being will continue and get worse.

Underage drinking was and is still a serious problem.

We need to continue to take it seriously and to do what we can, starting in our own households, to stop it.

High schools helping hungry students

Seen in: The Post Star
Story by: Bill Toscano

 

Two area high schools are setting up facilities to allow students to obtain food and health supplies at no cost.

School officials in Whitehall and South Glens Falls are pursuing the idea, though both schools are avoiding the use of the phrase “food pantry” because of its stigma.

“We are going to call it ‘The Country Cupboard’ and it will have a separate entrance so it is not that visible,” said Deb Mackey, food services director at Whitehall schools, who helped develop the idea along with her staff.

“It’s a marvelous program,” said Whitehall Superintendent Patrick Dee. “Deb Mackey is a heck of a lady and she and her staff came up with this idea. I think it’s just spectacular.”

Mackey, who is new to Whitehall, said she and her staff had heard students telling them that they did not have enough food, especially on the weekends, and decided to pursue the program.

Community effort
In South Glens Falls, the outreach is a combined effort of a high school club and the Moreau Community Center.

In both cases, the focus is on high school students.

Many school districts, including Whitehall and South Glens Falls, have backpack programs for younger students in the lower grades on weekends and holidays, and those do include food for the whole family.

But there has been no specific focus on the high schools in the backpack programs.

At South Glens Falls, Michelle Smallwood, who coordinates a class and a club called Reconnecting Youth for the Prevention Council, started running a drug and alcohol prevention class.

“Mrs. Smallwood and her club have shown a tremendous amount of initiative and compassion in thinking of our students who are struggling to have basic needs met,” South High Principal Peter Mody said of the Weekend Bridge Food Pantry, which is located in the office area of the school. “This is part of the South Glens Falls culture — to act directly in support of others who are in need.”

The Reconnecting Youth class has been running at South High for 14 years, and this is Smallwood’s first year as its teacher. One of the first things she did was organize a club to follow up on issues discussed in the class, which focuses on self-esteem and helping the community.

Sophomore Danka Henderson and freshman Nick Matrazzo are co-presidents, and other members include freshman Dylan Greco and senior Hayley Bills.

“At the beginning of the year, we were brainstorming ideas and a food pantry was one of the first ideas,” Matrazzo said.

The program will start at the high school and then expand to the middle school. South Glens Falls elementary schools already have weekend backpack programs.

“I thought it was awesome that everyone was so willing to help the community,” Henderson said.

Bills agreed.

“It really has shown me that we are South Glens Falls and it brings out the caring in South Glens Falls in more ways,” she said.

Hannaford supermarkets has already donated 30 food boxes, and Smallwood said the school is looking for more partners.

“We want to be building partnerships,” Smallwood said. “It’s really important for our students to be doing that. We definitely want to build it up and be able to maintain the pantry.”

At SUNY Adirondack, Yasmin Lopez, director of SUNY Adirondack’s Community Hub, saw a need as well. At the end of October, the college opened its Community Food Source in the Student Center.

The college’s Food Source is open to any students and there is no charge.

 

Media must tell the truth about gambling

Seen in: The Daily Gazette

October 5, 2017

Letter to the Editor:

I currently work for The Alcohol and Substance Abuse Prevention Council of Saratoga County as the youth outreach coordinator, partnering with the New York Council on Problem Gambling on the You(th) Decide Project. I’m writing to express my concern regarding media literacy.

Despite the fact that gambling is illegal for anyone under the age of 18, approximately 68 percent of American youth between the ages of 14 and 21 report having gambled in the last year.

Media could be one of the reasons why so many kids are gambling. Media is all around us. We receive messages through television, radio, billboards, print publications, the internet and many other ways.

Gambling is usually shown as exciting, fun and a way to financial freedom, while stories of gambling addiction and related loss of large sums of money, jobs and relationships too often go untold.

When you are watching a movie or TV show, looking at a magazine or website, pay close attention to the messages that are being sent. Who are they targeting? What are they trying to entice that person to do or to buy? Are the messages realistic? Are they telling you the whole story?

Know all the facts before you decide.

Kara James

Saratoga Springs

Saratoga Springs, Schenectady remember addiction victims

Seen in: The Daily Gazzette
Story by: Ned Campbell
Link to full article: https://dailygazette.com/article/2017/08/31/what-s-happening-thursday-aug-31

 

SARATOGA SPRINGS AND SCHENECTADY — Death from a drug overdose is not a natural death. It’s whispered about. It generally isn’t reflected in an obituary, Maureen Provost said Thursday to a somber crowd at Congress Park in Saratoga Springs.

“This can make the loved one’s passing even more heart-wrenching because it may be difficult to be honest about their death,” said Provost, whose son, Dan, was 23 when he died of a heroin overdose in 2014. “We are here tonight to show our support for those lost as a result of addiction and to support one another following those losses. To show our families and community that their lives mattered. That despite their demons of addiction, they were loving and caring family members, goofy and funny friends, helping and compassionate neighbors and contributing co-workers.”

The Saratoga Springs woman spoke during a candlelight vigil on International Overdose Awareness Day hosted by Recovery Advocacy in Saratoga (RAIS). Amid a national opioid epidemic, communities around the world, including Schenectady, held similar events to honor the memory of addiction victims and to call for better access to substance-abuse education, treatment and recovery services.

When Brian Farr, president of  RAIS, asked the crowd of more than 100 how many were in recovery, more than half of them raised their hands.

 Members of the community, family members and friends gather for a overdose awareness candlelight vigil in Congress Park, Saratoga Springs, on Aug. 31, 2017.
“We need to make treatment easier to obtain than illegal substances,” said Provost, who is a member of RAIS. “We need to reduce the stigma of addiction so that we’re not afraid to speak out and stand together.”

Earlier in the night, about 40 people gathered at the Saratoga Springs Public Library to be trained in administering Naloxone, a medication commonly known as Narcan used strictly to reverse overdoses. People at the vigil in Schenectady’s Central Park Rose Garden were also offered the course.

“They might be able to save a life, and they’re showing that they care as a community,” she said.

The Rev. Dave Haig, the priest at St. Luke’s on the Hill Episcopal Church in Halfmoon, said he attended the training so he can help his parishioners.

Haig is a recovering alcoholic, “so it’s very much part of my ministry, and I understand what addiction is all about,” he said.

“The reason I support this so much is that you can only enter into recovery if you’re alive,” he said. “If you’re dead, there’s no recovery.”

Letter to the Editor: Saratoga County Could Raise the Age

Seen in: The Saratogain 

Twelve counties across NYS have changed the age of purchase for tobacco from 18 to 21. Saratoga County could be the next to adopt a law that will save future lives from nicotine addiction.

As The Director for School Based Education for The Prevention Council of Saratoga County, I would like to share some information relevant to this topic. My colleagues and I travel to twelve school districts within Saratoga County delivering evidence based drug and alcohol prevention curriculum to students in grades K-12. Kid’s attitudes towards alcohol and drugs differ dramatically depending on their developmental stage. As students enter middle and high school, they develop more favorable attitudes towards drugs based on advertising, media, peers and a lack of seeing or acknowledging real consequences of using these products.

Research shows that delaying the age of use, lowers the risk of addiction for many drugs including, but not limited to, tobacco. Most of this research focuses on brain development and the fact that the adolescent brain is still not fully developed until the mid-twenties, and therefore more susceptible to addiction. Raising the purchase age until 21 will limit access to tobacco products for younger adolescents and therefore result in lower risk of addiction and tobacco related diseases.

For kids alive today, 4.2 million years of life would be saved by virtue of this logical, simple policy change. Other important impacts include a 12 percent decline in premature births and 16 percent drop in SIDS cases. Most adults favor making 21 the minimum age of sale for tobacco products. If Saratoga County chooses to raise the age of tobacco purchase to 21 years old, they will be creating a healthier community for all of us.

Jennifer Oliver-Goodwin,
Director of School Based Education
The Prevention Council of Saratoga County

 

 

Letter to the editor: Don’t give lottery tickets to youths

Seen in: The Post Star

 

Editor:

I currently work for the Alcohol and Substance Abuse Prevention Council of Saratoga County as the youth outreach coordinator partnering with the New York Council on Problem Gambling on the You(th) Decide Project. I am writing to express my concern regarding lottery tickets given out to youth by family members and friends during the graduation season.

Why adults should not offer lottery tickets to youth as gifts: Only individuals of legal age are allowed to buy these products. The law restricts minors’ access to lotteries because of the concern that it may act as a gateway to other forms of gambling. Did you know that adolescents and adults with gambling problems report that they were first introduced to gambling through lottery tickets? These tickets were often bought by family members. During this graduation season, discourage friends and family members giving tickets to underage children. Make them aware that it is not an appropriate activity or present for your child.

Youth Gambling in New York state according to NYCPG:

48 percent of 7-12th graders reported they had gambled in the past year.
10 percent of adolescents in NYS (about 140,000) have had problems due to their gambling.
An additional 10 percent are at risk for problem gambling.
In 2010, state-sponsored gambling generated approximately $3.2 billion in revenues for NYS.
Remember: There is not just one person, nor one group of people, who are affected by underage gambling. There is not just one factor in someone’s life that alone leads to underage gambling. There is also not just one strategy that will alone prevent underage gambling.

If you, your group/organization, or child, would like to get more involved in YOU(th) Decide in your community, please contact me at ccfw-youth@preventioncouncil.org.

Kara James, Saratoga Springs

Great way to get dirty: Hundreds attend Tuff eNuff Challenge

Featured in: The Saratogian
Story by: Paul Post

Link to full article: http://www.saratogian.com/general-news/20170603/great-way-to-get-dirty-hundreds-attend-tuff-enuff-challenge

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. >> Compared to what’s coming, a 5K obstacle course was a cakewalk for 18-year-old Silas Dionne of Corinth.

PHOTOS: 2017 TUFF ENUFF CHALLENGE

On June 12, he’ll be headed to U.S. Marine Corps boot camp at Parris Island, S.C., where grueling drills start early and last throughout the day.

Dionne and his brother, Elijah, and sister and brother-in-law, Harmony and Brandon Wagner, were among the 600 people who slogged through mud, climbed hills and navigated water-filled ditches on Saturday in the Tuff eNuff Challenge, a Prevention Council fundraising event.

“I couldn’t be more proud of him,” Harmony Wagner said.

“I’m not worried about him, he’ll do fine down there,” her husband said.

“I think he’s ready for it (the Marines),” Elijah Dionne said.

Tuff eNuff is character building, too, and fits in with the Prevention Council’s mission of “Helping Youth Navigate Life’s Challenges” by avoiding drugs and alcohol.

 

The day’s activities started with a 1K kids run, followed by the 5K for adults, which went off in three separate waves of runners.

The emphasis isn’t on winning, although 19-year-old Chase Collins of Saratoga Springs was the first to cross the finish line, among first-wave entrants, in a time of 22:59.

His prize?

“A mud pie,” Collins said grinning.

Tom Portuese, of Queensbury, finished close on his heels. His three sons — Tim, Andy and Marcus — completed the 1K course.

“It’s a great way to get dirty and get some exercise with the kids,” Portuese said. “The mud just keeps coming — waves and waves of it.”

The course, at the F. Donald Myers Education Center on Henning Road, was prepared by BOCES heavy equipment operator students. BOCES kids also helped out with security and parking, and culinary students offered refreshments.

The race, in its sixth year, is sponsored by AYCO, whose TeamWorks Program volunteers helped mark the course.

“We couldn’t do this without the help of our community volunteers, many of whom return year after year because this event is so special,” said Erin Smith, volunteer coordinator.

Army Sgt. 1st Class Louis Falcon, a Spa City resident, took a day off from duties at Fort Drum, where he’s stationed, to compete in Tuff eNuff. Like a true warrior, he came dressed in a gold plastic Spartan’s helmet, accompanied by his 5-year-old son, Maddox, who did the kids run.

“It’s intense, it’s fun and you get a good workout,” Falcon said. “And no one’s yelling at you. I could do 15 miles of this. I’m going to tell my soldiers to come next year.