Prevention Council

Providing Substance Abuse Education, Information and Referral Services

Opioid Epidemic Forum Looks to Prevent Addiction

Story by: By Michael Howard
Link to video coverage: http://www.twcnews.com/nys/capital-region/news/2017/05/10/opioid-epidemic-forum-looks-to-prevent-addiction.html

An informational forum in South Glens Falls was aimed at educating families on opioid addiction, in hopes of saving lives. The forum was hosted by the Community Coalition for Family Wellness, a non-profit organization started in 2010 that aims to help anyone affected by addiction or violence. Officials say the need for their group has increased over the years, likely due to the accessibility of drugs at a younger age.

 

County Leaders Unite to Fight Drug Addiction

April 13, 2017
Story by: Larry Goodwin
Seen in: Saratoga Today
Link to article: https://saratogatodaynewspaper.com/home/item/6395-county-leaders-united-to-fight-drug-addiction

 

WILTON — With his laptop in hand on a recent Thursday evening, James Norton politely informed the Wilton Town Board about his group’s coordinated efforts to tackle opioid addiction in local communities.

“If you have any questions as to how we, as a government, can help your organization, let us know,” responded Wilton Supervisor Arthur Johnson. “It really is a big problem in this area.”

Norton, a coordinator for The Prevention Council in Saratoga Springs, shared his findings with the board on April 6. He said drug addiction is not caused solely by heroin and fentanyl sold illegally in the streets.

He talked about the hundreds of pounds of prescription pills—most containing synthetic opiates—that people have thrown out during drug take-back events.

Norton said more than half of “misused medications” are emanating from cabinets inside the homes of friends or families, which often leads to more serious problems.

“Four out of five individuals in treatment for heroin misuse started with a prescription opioid,” Norton says in a written compilation of his research.

“There has been a 222 percent increase in treatment rates in upstate New York and a 136 percent increase statewide,” Norton added.

He also described the measurable impacts on both drugged and drunk driving.

“The younger generations tend to drive under the influence of drugs more than they do alcohol,” Norton said.

Norton went on to promote the next prescription drug take-back event scheduled for April 29, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., at eight locations from Clifton Park to Moreau.

The Prevention Council supports a variety of programs that are aimed at young people and funded mostly through state and federal grants. The group “is always looking for new members” to help out, Norton told the board in Wilton.

The council’s motto is “Helping Youth Navigate Life’s Challenges.” It is part of a coalition of groups and law-enforcement agencies organizing the pill take-back events, including another on August 26, with the federal Drug Enforcement Administration.

On May 10 at the South Glens Falls High School, the group Community Coalition for Family Wellness is organizing more informative presentations on the subject of “Addiction and the Opioid Epidemic.” That event starts at 6 p.m.

“We’ve got to get the drugs out of the medicine cabinets,” insisted Janine Stuchin, executive director of The Prevention Council, in a subsequent interview arranged by Norton.

Stuchin admitted her surprise three years ago when a family member was prescribed two bottles of painkillers for the removal of a wisdom tooth. Many of those pills went unused and were later discarded, she said.

According to Stuchin, there was a time when opioids were prescribed by doctors only for intensive medical care at the end of life. But by the late 1990s, she said, economic markets motivated doctors to rely more heavily on pills for all sorts of “palliative” relief among their patients.

That, in turn, fueled much higher abuse rates for opioids, which are classified in federal law among the most addictive of all drugs.

Stuchin thinks that medical professionals should prioritize finding solutions for such problems right alongside cancer research. But the public stigma of opioid addiction prevents the emergence of more compassionate strategies, she added.

“People relapse with addiction,” Stuchin said, “and they need community support.”

The Prevention Council, in conjunction with Project Safe Point, offers training classes and free kits every month to parents, teachers, nurses and many others to administer the nasal spray Naloxone (or Narcan), which can prevent opioid overdoses.

According to Mike McEvoy, a coordinator for Saratoga County Emergency Medical Services, there was a substantial increase last year in overdose calls to 911— an average of roughly 30 per week—but they appear to be decreasing in frequency.

“There are occasional spikes but the steady increase we had been seeing prior to and during 2016 seems to have leveled off,” McEvoy said in an email.

Saratoga County Commissioner of Mental Health, Dr. Michael Prezioso, said equally important addiction services are provided to individuals by emergency departments, drug courts, counselors and treatment centers.

He said establishing short-term detox facilities also should be considered by local officials as a means to address drug addiction.

“It’s not just the arrests” that make a difference, Prezioso said.

On April 10, both Prezioso and Saratoga County Director of Public Health, Catherine Duncan, were scheduled to give reports to the county’s Public Health Committee.

At that meeting, Duncan was pressed on efforts being made in the county to counteract drug addiction.

She explained that her department, among other measures, is working with the Saratoga Performing Arts Center to reduce drug problems during seasonal concerts.

Clifton Park Supervisor Philip Barrett ended the discussion by emphasizing how the Saratoga County Sheriff ’s Office routinely posts related updates on its Facebook page.

A major difficulty, according to Barrett, is that certain opioids are “easy to get” and “cheap” in the streets. He said those basic facts affect “every single community in the country.”

Kits can help Saratoga County residents safely get rid of old meds

Kits can help Saratoga County residents safely get rid of old meds

Seen in: The Saratogian
Link to full article:http://www.saratogian.com/general-news/20161228/kits-can-help-saratoga-county-residents-safely-get-rid-of-old-meds

SARATOGA COUNTY >> One local organization is calling for year-end medication disposal, asking local residents to get rid of any old medications in their homes.

The Community Coalition for Family Wellness is highlighting the upcoming New Year’s holiday as an opportunity to participate in the Reduce the Meds — Reduce the Risk initiative by removing old medications from the home.

As the coming year ushers in new measures to combat substance use disorders and the growing opioid epidemic, The Community Coalition for Family Wellness find that it is important that everyone takes steps to prevent medication misuse.

The most common sources of non-medical use prescription medication is one’s home and the homes of friends and relatives.

Prescription opioid misuse makes up the largest portion of all fatal overdoses and is now the number one cause of death in the United States, a news release said.

All individuals are asked to monitor and secure their medications in their homes until they can responsibly dispose of their medications in a deactivation kit or permanent disposal sites.

More than 750 free drug deactivation system pouches have been distributed at 34 local businesses, municipal buildings, religious organization, and community and educational facilities in the area.

Additionally, more than 650 pouches have been distributed to police and emergency medical service agencies in northern Saratoga County.

Deterra is a drug deactivation system that effectively, safely and quickly deactivates medications. It is powered by a patented MAT12 Molecular Absorption Technology. This environmentally-friendly system has been proven to neutralize drugs in a biodegradable package that works for pills, patches and liquids. Users simply place unused medication in the pouch, add water, and dispose of in the trash. All kits are provided free of charge to any individual at any of the local sites, which include the Saratoga Springs Police Department, Saratoga Hospital, Moreau Town Hall, Moreau Emergency Medical Service, the Saratoga County Sheriff’s office, ​Ballston Spa Police Department, CVS in Mechanicville, Clifton Park-Halfmoon EMS, Glens Falls Police Department, the Warren County Sheriff’s office and the Washington County Sheriff’s office.

More information and a full list of locations with addresses can be found at ccfw.weebly.com/medication-safety.

Fundraiser shines light on opioid epidemic in Saratoga Co.

September 30, 2016
Seen on: WNYT New Channel 13
Story by: Nia Hamm

Full coverage can be found here: http://wnyt.com/news/fundraiser-shines-light-on-opioid-epidemic-in-saratoga-co—–/4279006/

SARATOGA SPRINGS — “We’re just hoping to help someone avoid where we are,” said Kevin Provost.

Provost and his wife, Maureen, lost their son, Dan, 2 and a half years ago.

He would have celebrated a birthday this Monday but died of a heroin overdose.

“He was ready he went through detox,” Maureen said. “Came out of detox and couldn’t find another facility, an inpatient facility to take him,” she said.

The Provosts joined dozens for an art show and fundraiser Friday evening for The Alcohol and Substance Abuse Prevention Council of Saratoga County.

Executive Director Janine Stuchin said the opioid epidemic has a grip on the community.

“We have in this county at least 30 people a week who are having non-fatal overdoses but are being treated by emergency medical services,” Stuchin said.

Attorney Andrew Deluca, who hosted the event at his Saratoga Springs office, said he’s seen a spike in the number of his clients who are addicted to heroin.

“A large reason for their crimes are because they’re addicted to heroin,” DeLuca said. “And I see a lot of them being sent to state prison and once they get clean they’re a different person,” he said.

The Provosts believe the biggest barrier to recovery is access to treatment.

“When an individual is ready to go in to enter the recovery phase they need to do it then,” Maureen said. “They can’t wait the six weeks or eight weeks for, for a bed,” she said.

Prevention Council board member Brian Farr is 20 years sober and is hoping to change the conversation about addiction.

“…getting rid of the guilt and the shame and the stigma that people face and not just people suffering from addiction but their families as well,” he said.

“Trying to do a small part I think is all we’re doing but we need people to step up,” Ken said.

Heroin, opioid demonstration spreads overdose knowledge

September 13, 2016

Seen in: The Daily Gazette
Story by: Cady Kuzmich
Link to full article: http://www.dailygazette.com/news/2016/sep/13/heroin-opioid-demo-spreads-overdose-knowledge/

 

Helping heroin addicts stay safe and get help is personal for Project Safe Point’s Alfonso Ferrara.

When he was born, he was born in detox.

“I come from a family of addicts. My mother got clean as soon as I was born so I grew up in the recovery phase,” said Ferrara. “I’ve seen what addiction does. I’m not there telling them ‘no.’ I’m there to make them safe.”

He led a heroin and opioid overdose prevention demonstration at the Clifton Park – Halfmoon Library on Moe Road Monday evening, September 12.

Ferrara studied psychology at SUNY Albany and has been working on education initiatives with Project Safe Point for about four months.

About two dozen community members, including concerned family members and retired nurses, gathered in a small conference room to learn how to properly administer NARCAN to help save someone who has overdosed. Some of those in the room worked with addicts professionally, witnessed overdoses or have a loved one who is addicted to heroin. Everyone who attended the event was given a NARCAN kit to take home.

A retired nurse from Schenectady, who wished to remain anonymous, described stopping at the scene of an overdose on Balltown Road in Niskayuna on August 12. “I was on my way to the bank and saw the police pulled over. I told them I’m a nurse and asked if I could help. They pulled the man from his car. He was grey and blue. We gave him CPR for 17 minutes but he was too far gone. He was 49 years old. The police were all out of NARCAN,” she said.

Another woman expressed worry and concern for her stepson, who is an addict.

Project Safe Point, which falls under Catholic Charities, embraces the notion of harm reduction. According to their website, practical harm reduction incorporates “a spectrum of strategies: from safer use, to managed use to abstinence to meet drug users ‘where they’re at,’ addressing conditions of use along with the use itself.”

Project Safe Point facilitates a needle exchange program so drug users have the option to use sterile needles rather than reusing their old ones. “If 10 syringes cost 10 dollars at CVS, they’re going to reuse their old syringes. When people are really addicted, they keep using so they don’t feel sick all the time. Withdrawal won’t kill you, but it can feel like it’s killing you,” Ferrara added.

During his demonstration on how to administer NARCAN, Ferrara discussed the difference between a “heavy nod” and an overdose. If a drug user is in a heavy nod, simply enjoying their high and ignoring the outside world rather than having overdosed, Ferraro said announcing you are about to administer NARCAN may help snap them out of it. NARCAN effectively throws the drug user into withdrawal, according to Ferrara.

If you find an individual who might have overdosed, you should check their responsiveness. A firm sternum rub should wake anyone who is simply in a heavy nod. If the individual is unresponsive even after a sternum rub, Ferraro said the next step is calling 911. If you need to leave the room in order to call 911, place the individual in a safety position on their side before leaving the room. After calling 911, begin administering NARCAN. Inject the drug into a large muscle like the upper arm, thigh or butt. It should take about two to three minutes to kick in, so you will need to do CPR while you wait to see if it took effect. If the individual is still unresponsive after the first three minutes, try administering another dose of NARCAN. “It can’t hurt you,” said Ferrara.

The NARCAN kit comes with two vials of NARCAN and two big-tipped syringes. The syringes feature big tips so they can pierce through clothing if necessary. Ferrara advised those who would be administering NARCAN to avoid getting air in the syringe. Since NARCAN is injected into large muscles rather than veins and time is of the essence in overdose scenarios, Ferraro said not to worry too much about minor air bubbles.

Once the NARCAN begins working, the individual will likely take a big gasp of air and begin experiencing withdrawal symptoms — it’s likely they will want more opiates. Ferraro said remaining calm and using simple, straight-forward messages is key.

Ferraro noted the NARCAN kits shouldn’t be exposed to extreme temperatures, so storing the kit in a car wouldn’t be ideal. He suggested tucking the small blue kit in a backpack or a purse.

Another method of responding to an overdose involves a nasal spray, but Ferrara said a shortage has prevented Project Safe Point from being able to distribute them to the public. For those who might have access to the nasal spray, Ferrara said it’s important to only spray half of the dose in each nostril so it can be properly absorbed.

Heroin addiction has been a growing problem in upstate New York. The number of people upstate seeking treatment for heroin addiction increased by 222 percent from 2004 to 2013 — that’s 86 percent higher than the spike in heroin-related treatments statewide in that same time frame, according to James Norton of the Southern Saratoga County Alcohol and Substance Abuse Prevention Council

The number of heroin-related fatalities in the United States has nearly tripled since 2010, according to the Center for Disease Control. The demographic most at risk for heroin addiction are people ages 18 to 25, said Norton. Heroin use “more than doubled” among that demographic in the last 10 years, according to the CDC.

Two Pieces of Bad News about Pot Legalization —  Rates of Marijuana Poisoning Skyrocket Among Colorado Kids & Stoned Driving Increases in Washington Since “Retail Legalization”  

(Alexandria, VA) – Two significant studies released this weekend showed continuing problems of legalized marijuana in Colorado and Washington State. The first study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that marijuana poisoning cases among children in Colorado has been rising an average of 34 percent per year — almost double the average 19 percent annual increase in the rest of the United States.  The second study, conducted by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, found a statistically significant increase in daytime stoned driving in Washington State since its implementation of legal retail marijuana sales in 2014.

 

With respect to the Colorado study, about half of the cases of child marijuana poisoning involved edible pot products. The average stay at the hospital was 11 hours.  Moreover, the researchers concluded that, “Almost half of the patients seen in the children’s hospital in the 2 years after legalization had exposures from recreational marijuana, suggesting that legalization did affect the incidence of exposures.”

 

In Washington State, researchers conducted voluntary, anonymous drug tests of drivers via oral and blood tests, and found that more drivers tested THC-positive one year after implementation of the retail sales law than immediately before. Statistically significant increases were observed among daytime drivers, where that rate more than doubled from before implementation of legalization laws (7.8%) to one year after retail legalization was implemented (18.9%).  Stoned driving at night also increased in the same time period (17.5% to 22.2%), although this difference was not statistically significant. Overall, more than one in five drivers tested positive for marijuana one year after implementation.

 

“A powerful marijuana industry lobby has emerged in Colorado and Washington — stopping at nothing to block restrictions on advertising and promoting marijuana candies — and now we are paying the price,” said Kevin Sabet, president of Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM). “Other states should look at the example Colorado and Washington offer when considering whether or not to legalize and commercialize marijuana. The best intentions do not matter — once legalized, the industry takes over and writes the rules.”

 

Jo McGuire, co-chair of SAM’s Colorado affiliate and president & CEO of 5 Minutes of Courage, a Colorado advocacy group for drug-free communities, workplaces, and youth, also commented, “It’s not surprising that we’re experiencing these problems.  We have made pot use more socially acceptable for everyone. Other states shouldn’t follow our example.”

 

 

About SAM
Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) is a nonpartisan, non-profit alliance of physicians, policy makers, prevention workers, treatment and recovery professionals, scientists, and other concerned citizens who oppose marijuana legalization and want health and scientific evidence to guide marijuana policies. Learn more at www.learnaboutsam.org.

Letter to the editor: We need to continue to educate community about drug solutions

Editor:

I would like to thank Mr. Lehman for writing the article “Medication collection box installed at Glens Falls Police station.” Our coalition would like to point out the primary reason these boxes are so important. Drug abuse often begins when kids have easy access to medications, which is another reason why medications should be locked up or disposed of immediately.

The Community Coalition for Family Wellness in South Glens Falls was formed in 2010 in response to concerns about teen deaths in the South Glens Falls community. Our coalition has secured grant funding to reduce substance use in the community. Most recently, we won a grant to combat the heroin epidemic.

One of the initiatives our coalition will be starting includes the distribution of free Deterra in South Glens Falls. Deterra is a safe, at-home drug destruction kit. Additionally, we are partnering with Project Safe Point to provide Narcan trainings in the community which can save lives by reversing an opioid overdose. We are offering these trainings every two weeks and in three months, more than 70 people were trained to recognize the symptoms of a heroin/opiate overdose and safely use Narcan to save a life. We will be providing education and information to the community about the dangers of improper opioid use and how it can lead to heroin use. Our grant will also provide funding for increased training for local law enforcement on recognizing drugged driving.

We appreciate your help in educating the community about these important issues. Community members who want to be involved in the Community Coalition for Family Wellness, can contact us by calling 581-1230 ext. 3615.

Jennifer Oliver-Goodwin, Community Coalition for Family Wellness, South Glens Falls

Saratoga Springs Students Learn About Social Media Safety

March 17, 2016

Featured on TWC News

Links to video can be found here: http://www.twcnews.com/nys/capital-region/news/2016/03/17/saratoga-springs-new-york-students-learn-about-social-media-safety.html?cid=facebook_YNN-Albany

Saratoga Springs students took the day off to learn how to use social media safely and wisely. More than 250 students attended the Safe Spring Student Leadership Conference at Skidmore College Thursday.

Organized by the Saratoga County Prevention Council, the conference allowed students to discuss healthy online habits and behaviors. Students attended workshops about social media safety, media literacy and drug and alcohol prevention methods. Many of the workshops highlighted social media’s ability to skew perceptions of alcohol and drug use.

The Youth Specialist for the Saratoga Prevention Council, Kait Downey, says it is essential to teach students how to use social media appropriately.

“Social media can be a really great tool if it’s used responsibly,” Downey said, “and it’s up to parents and educators to try and help promote the safe and responsible use of it. Just remember to be light, bright and polite.”

Following the workshops, students spent the rest of the day dancing, chatting and snacking.

Conference educates students of important prevention techniques

March 18, 2016

Seen in: The Saratogian

Story by: Jennie Grey

Link to full article found here: http://www.saratogian.com/social-affairs/20160318/conference-educates-students-of-important-prevention-techniques

March 17 heralded the Prevention Council’s 34th annual Safe Spring Student Leadership Conference, held at Skidmore College for high-school students. The goal of the conference, sponsored by Saratoga County Stop DWI, was to motivate and prepare student leaders to actively engage their peers in effective local prevention initiatives centered around prom, graduation and other spring social events. More than 270 Saratoga County high school students from all 12 districts and BOCES learned from local prevention specialists and engaged in local awareness efforts.

Sophomore Meaghan Whalen from Galway Central School District said the conference was “really informative, fun and inspiring.”

“I met a lot of cool people and learned a lot,” she said.

Mayor Joanne Yepsen met with students at the conference.“As mayor of Saratoga Springs, sometimes I feel like the mother of 28,000 people,” she said. “The city and groups like the Prevention Council do a great deal to keep people safe here.“I know you’re taking the day off from school, and that’s a hardship,” she continued, smiling. “But this is really important because you’re going to learn a lot and save a lot of lives. Please make good decisions.”

This year, the Safe Spring conference focused on local awareness efforts and showcased hometown prevention heroes, said LeeAnn Mandrillo, communications specialist for the Prevention Council. The goal was for students to know what resources were available in their own communities, to learn from local leaders and to build partnerships enhancing what the students brought to their high school Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) clubs.

SADD is a peer-to-peer education, prevention and activism organization dedicated to stopping destructive decisions, particularly underage drinking, other drug use, risky and impaired driving, teen violence and teen suicide. SADD is considered the nation’s dominant peer-to-peer youth education and prevention organization, with thousands of chapters in middle schools, high schools and colleges. Local students learn to be safe and sober leaders in their own communities, and to address substance-abuse issues in their own schools.

“Some of the high school clubs now have other names than SADD,” said Pat Marin, outreach and director of education services at the Prevention Council. “The students want to focus on more positive names like the Wellness Club.”

The South Glens Falls Central School District prevention club is called Sources of Strength. Senior Brittany Kenny said she joined because she wanted to help people who were struggling with addictive issues.“I wanted them to know they don’t have to go and abuse alcohol and drugs,” she said. “They can have the support of family and friends.”

According to the Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services, more than 1.9 million New Yorkers have a substance abuse problem: 1.77 million adults and 156,000 youths ages 12-17. The teen years are the likeliest time for someone to start taking drugs. And starting drug use as a teen can lead to drug problems when young people grow up. Extensive research has shown definitely that teen peer programs can have statistically significant effects on attitudes, norms, knowledge, behaviors, and health and achievement outcomes of teens. This is especially true with alcohol and drug use.

So the students attended program sessions and discussed such issues as: Should the legal drinking age be raised to 25, when the brain is fully developed? What are the consequences of drinking during other activities than driving? Why is it dangerous to mix alcohol and marijuana? What are the effects of marijuana and prescription drugs on driving? What challenges are the SADD clubs facing? And what were the most positive things learned at the conference to bring back to their clubs?

“The speakers were really informative, and it was good to hear all the different points of view,” said sophomore Ben Lafreniere from Galway.His classmate, freshman Lindsey Gileski, said, “I loved how all the sessions brought things into real life.”

Local police and former police officers held sessions on social media awareness and driving safety. Saratoga Springs prevention educator Brian Farr spoke about how advertising and marketing lure young people to try alcohol.

Junior Morghan Fisk from South Glens Falls attended Farr’s session and said she found it eye-opening.“Things aren’t always what they seem,” she said.

Prevention Council staff held SADD club advisor training and also banner-making sessions for the students.Kenny and Fisk helped make a banner for their club, Sources of Strength.“We wrote on it, ‘Positive Minds, Positive Vibes, Positive Lives,’” Kenny said.

Yepsen said to the students, “Your commitment to getting that message out gives me great hope and great confidence.”

Students gather in Saratoga County to promote responsible behavior Prom and graduation parties can raise potential problems

March 18, 2016

Seen in: The Daily Gazette

Story By: Cady Kuzmich

Link to full article can be found here: http://www.dailygazette.com/news/2016/mar/18/0318_safe/

As high school students try on prom dresses, peruse corsages and organize graduation parties, their parents may begin to worry about the potential dangers of drugs and alcohol their children could confront this spring. Nearly 300 students from across Saratoga County came together to discuss different ways to promote responsible decision-making during these milestones at The Prevention Council’s 34th annual Safe Spring Student Leadership Conference Thursday morning at Skidmore College. “We need to remind young people they don’t need alcohol to celebrate,” Janine Stuchin, Executive Director of the Prevention Council, said.

Students from 13 Saratoga County schools, including Shenendehowa and Waterford-Halfmoon, met to share ideas and learn how to expand their local SADD chapters. Shenendehowa’s SADD delegation was led by Emily Sellman, a special educator at Shenendehowa, and included junior, Meghan Reynolds, and three freshman, Emma Voska, Katie Morgan, and Giavanna Liberatore. This was Reynolds’ second time attending the Safe Spring Student Leadership Conference. “I just wanted to do something to make a difference in my school,” she said. Freshman Emma Voska noted the importance of SADD for Shenendehowa, saying it “helped heal the community” in the wake of the loss of students Deanna Rivers and Christopher Stewart to a drunk driving accident in 2012. All of Shenendehowa’s SADD members said the accident in 2012 played a role in their decision to join the club. The group is gearing up for the Sean’s Run 5K on April 24th. The annual event will honor Christopher Stewart this year. The chapter’s members agreed that the conference helped them feel more confident in their ability to make a difference in their community.

The conference began with a keynote speech by Justin Fischer, the pastor of student ministries at Pine Knolls Alliance Church in South Glens Falls. Fischer’s opening remarks related the potential of an acorn to grow into a tree when nourished properly to a student’s potential to grow into the best versions of themselves, if they are able to make responsible decisions. “The keynote talk was all about the potential inside of us,” said Stuchin. “Acorns need sunlight, air and soil. The decisions we make strengthen our potential or limit our potential,” she added. After Fischer’s speech, students split up for various workshops and SADD advisers had a chance to meet with other advisers from throughout the county. Expressive Prevention, a workshop led by Prevention Council Youth Specialist Kait Downey, focused on creative ways to spread positive messages, whether that’s through songs, poetry or visual art. Downey shared some of her own poetry and played a Macklemore song, “Kevin” featuring Leon Bridges, which highlights the dangers of prescription drug abuse. In the song, Leon Bridges croons, “Doctor, please. Give me a dose of the American Dream. Put your pen down and look in my eyes. We’re in the waiting room and something ain’t right. Overprescribe.” At the song’s closing, Bridges sings, “Doctor, your medicine and your methods, can’t cure my disease without killing me.”After providing examples of drug prevention messages in art, Downey asked the SADD members in the classroom to create something of their own.

Prevention Council Media and Marketing Specialist LeeAnn Mandrillo shared her thoughts on the conference, saying, “The Safe Spring conference empowers these students on every level. As peer educators they gain valuable tools they can bring back to their schools and use in peer education. As individuals they gain knowledge on how to make safe healthy decisions as they navigate through spring celebrations such as prom and graduation.” Stuchin described the conference as one of the Prevention Council’s cornerstone events. “We work throughout the year to energize and educate the SADD chapters across the county because a peer to peer message [is powerful.] We use the information we have, and the advisers, to help direct and craft that message in ways that we know are effective.” Stuchin suggested parents try talking with their children about drug and alcohol use while in a car or on a walk, since sometimes talking side by side feels less confrontational than face to face. Both Mandrillo and Stuchin urged parents and other adults to lead by example, not with words alone. Wes Carr, Saratoga County Youth Bureau director and STOP DWI coordinator, noted, “the feeling with kids that when they’re high school graduates, then they’re adults” and how that could lead to potentially dangerous behavior. Stuchin agreed, adding, “It’s a milestone and we can challenge the myth that we have to celebrate milestones with alcohol. Bringing these students together helps reinforce that.” “There’s great energy and momentum because these are kids who are committed throughout the year to talking with their peers. It’s about affirming the fact that many young people are making positive choices,” said Stuchin