COALITION NEWS

Community youth substance use prevention coalitions, law enforcement agencies, and community organizations in Southwest Washington are collaborating to host drive‐thru drug take‐back events at five different locations in Clark County on April 22nd, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Year-round disposal sites will be open in Skamania and Klickitat counties.

Statistics show that 75 percent of opioid misuse starts with people using medication that wasn’t prescribed for them – usually taken from a friend or family member. Community members are encouraged to bring their unused and expired prescriptions and over‐the‐counter medications for safe, free disposal to any one of the following event sites:

Clark County:

• Walgreens Fisher’s Landing East (1905 SE 164th Ave., Vancouver, WA)
• PeaceHealth Memorial Campus (33rd & Main St. - South Back Lot, Vancouver, WA)
• Battle Ground Police Department (507 SW 1st St., Battle Ground, WA)
• Washougal Police Department (1320 A St., Washougal, WA)
• La Center Police Department (105 W 5th St., La Center, WA)

Skamania County:

• Skamania County Sheriff (200 Vancouver Ave., Stevenson, WA)

East Klickitat County:

• Klickitat County Court House (205 S. Columbus Ave., Goldendale, WA)

All prescription and over‐the‐counter medications including pills, liquids and inhalers will be accepted for free disposal at any of the drive‐thru disposal events. Medications not in original containers will also be accepted. Community‐based medicine take‐back events and year-round disposal programs are the only safe way to dispose of medication. Medicine should never be flushed or thrown in the trash, it pollutes the environment, our waterways, or could be taken by someone for whom it wasn’t prescribed.

All event sites will accept vape pens and e‐cigarettes without batteries for disposal. Please note that the Walgreens Fisher Landing East and PeaceHealth Memorial Campus are the only locations accepting sharps and syringes (noncommercial sources only). All prescription & over-the-counter medication collected at drug take back events are safely incinerated by the D.E.A.

Medicine take‐back events in Southwest Washington are funded in partnership by Washington State Health Care Authority, law enforcement, and community partners. If you’re unable to make it to the April 22nd event, you can find a year-round medicine disposal kiosk or order envelopes to dispose of medicine by mail at www.Med-Project.org.

Links to download & print Clark County event flyers:

• Clark-English DTB Event Single Flyer (PDF)
• Clark-English DTB Event Double Flyer (PDF)
• Clark-English DTB Event Flyer (PNG)
• Clark-Spanish DTB Event Single Flyer (PDF)
• Clark-Spanish DTB Event Double Flyer (PDF)
• Clark-Spanish DTB Event Flyer (PNG)
• Clark-Russian DTB Event Single Flyer (PDF)
• Clark-Russian DTB Event Double Flyer (PDF)
• Clark-Russian DTB Event Flyer (PNG)

Links to download & print year-round disposal flyers:

• Clark – Year-Round Disposal Flyer (PDF)
• Skamania – Year-Round Disposal Flyer (PDF)
• Klickitat – Year-Round Disposal Flyer (PDF)

The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) is excited announce the Community Based Prevention Capacity Building Grant. This funding opportunity is an expansion of The DOH’s Youth Cannabis and Commercial Tobacco Prevention Program (YCCTPP). Awards will range from $20,000 - $100,000 annually for a maximum of 15 grantees.

This funding is for projects that support prevention capacity building by organizations or coalitions who are working towards substance misuse, cannabis or tobacco/vaping prevention. Information about eligibility, application deadlines, selection dates, and anticipated funding period are all described in the flyer with this article. Click on the flyer image to view.

The request for applications (RFA) is anticipated to begin April 17, 2023. If you are interested in being notified when the RFA is released or learning more about YCCTPP programs and opportunities please complete the form at the following web address: https://forms.office.com/g/4Na7jy3XPB.

Oregon could soon join five other states that have banned the sale of flavored nicotine products under a proposal making its way through the Legislature. The ban affects all flavored tobacco products including menthol cigarettes and flavored e-cigarettes.

You can read the full story on Oregonlive.com.

Washington Department of Health just launched a new statewide youth vaping prevention and cessation campaign, Choose You. Informed by research with youth across the state, the campaign educates about the risks of using vapes, features healthy ways to deal with stress, and directs to resources for those who need help quitting.

With this campaign comes a new partner toolkit (password: ChooseYouWA). Currently assets include videos, a radio ad, banner ads in multiple sizes, organic and paid social ads, posters, billboards, and campaign background materials (talking points, backgrounder, and style guide). Spanish language resources and additional assets are currently in development.

You can check out the new campaign at chooseyouwa.org and the toolkit resources are available at socialpresskit.com/choose-you.

Xylazine, also known as "tranq," is increasingly being found in the illicit drug supply, often in combination with opioids like fentanyl. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has seized xylazine and fentanyl mixtures in 48 out of 50 states.

Xylazine is not an opioid, and naloxone (Narcan) does not reverse its effects. Still, experts always recommend administering naloxone if someone might be suffering a drug poisoning. Test strips that can detect Xylazine will soon be available to help with harm reduction.

Clark County (Washington) Public Health Department created an informative one page flyer about this dangerous drug (click on image with this article to view flyer).

Webinar Available:

Event: Xylazine and Opioid Use: An Update

Hosted By: Northeast & Caribbean PTTC

Location: Webinar
Date: April 27, 2023

Time: 7 am PST (10 am EST)

How to Register: Click here to visit event website

Event Flyer: Click here to view/download flyer

The Rural Network has been updating the Find Your Good campaign to make it more representative of rural communities. Youth voices are needed! Youth can help by completing a survey and sharing what their "good" is. This can be anything that they are good at, brings them joy, or motivates them to stay substance-free.

Youth can access the survey by clicking the on the image with this story and scanning the QR code to participate.

Survey is open through April 14, 2023

Check out the FIND YOUR GOOD campaign materials! Visit www.youthnow.me/findyourgood.

Do you know a youth group willing to share their perspectives about substance use? Prevent Coalition would like to invite them to participate in Dialog Day. Prevention clubs, youth focus groups, classrooms, coalitions, and other youth groups can help support prevention action planning and resource development in our region.

There is still time to plan your own Dialog Day event during the week of April 24-28, 2023. Prevent Coalition will provide interested groups with everything they need including facilitation ideas and best practices, data collection guide, note taking template, question bank, and technical assistance. All data collected will be anonymous.

If you lead a youth group in Southwest Washington and would like to participate, please contact us at preventcoalition@esd112.org for materials or more information.

Started in 2002, Teens in the Driver Seat®(TDS) is a peer-to-peer safety program that educates teens about the top five dangers of teen driving to help them develop safer driving habits and prevent crashes, a leading cause of injury and death for young people.

The program uses peer pressure as a positive influence by having teens lead the program and spread awareness about teen traffic safety at their school. TDS helps teens build leadership skills and would make a great service project for student clubs. And that’s not all – students can earn up to $1,500 CASH for their school or organization, simply by participating in the program!

Each school that signs up will receive an educational toolkit with posters, banners, and other items for campus outreach - all at no cost to the schools thanks to the Washington Traffic Safety Commission and State Farm. Schools may claim their free program kit and sign up at https://www.t-driver.com/signup.

Youth aged 16-25 can also earn gift cards using the "You in the Driver Seat" (YDS) App. Youth earn points for the number of safe trips and miles driven which can be redeemed for gift card rewards. Links to download the app and more information can be found at www.t-driver.com/you-in-the-driver-seat-app.

For fact sheets and information about teen drivers visit targetzero.com, or reach out to your regional Target Zero representative.

Looking for Scholarships? The Community Foundation has got you. Established in 1984, the Community Foundation helps southwest Washingtonians build a more vibrant community by inspiring investments in local philanthropy. They manage more than 60 scholarship funds supporting students from all walks of life and along every track of learning. Last year they awarded more than one million dollars in scholarships!

Who can apply?

Scholarships support a diverse range of students. A majority are geared toward graduating high school students, but others benefit students enrolled in colleges, universities, trade and technical schools. Some even focus on students with specific backgrounds or interests.

What is the deadline?

While each scholarship has its own deadline, the current application period closes on May 1, 2023.

How do youth apply?

Students interested in learning more or applying for a scholarship award should visit the Community Foundation website. Information about each scholarship is available, plus an Eligibility Quiz to help youth discover which scholarships might help pave the way for their goals and dreams.

Visit the Community Foundation website at www.cfsww.org.

WSU Extension is offering virtual facilitator trainings for Guiding Good Choices (GGC) in 2023. The trainings are covered by a grant and therefore free to participants; each training is limited to the first 16 registered participants.

• April 24-28, 2023 (Click HERE to register)
• May 8-12, 2023 (Click HERE to register)
• June 26-30, 2023 (Click HERE to register)

Although the training and registration fees are covered for participants, attendees MUST purchase a Membership Subscription (either 1 year or 3 years) and the GGC Workshop Leader Guide License prior to the training. Please visit the University of Washington's GGC CoMotion Website for purchasing material: https://els2.comotion.uw.edu/product/guiding-good-choices-ggc.

All trainings follow a Monday-Friday schedule:

• Mondays from 10 am -12 pm and 2 pm - 4 pm
• Tuesdays from 10 am -12 pm and 2 pm - 4 pm
• Wednesdays from 10 am -12 pm and 2 pm - 4 pm
• Thursdays from 10 am -12 pm and 2 pm - 4 pm
• Fridays from 10 am - 1 pm

Visit the Guiding Good Choices program website for more information, or please reach out to AnaMaria Diaz-Martinez at a.martinez@wsu.edu or Kayla Wells-Yoakum at kayla.wells@wsu.edu.

April provides an opportunity to raise awareness about minority health, alcohol awareness, and celebrating public health. Resources are available for starting the conversation and spreading the word about these NHO's with your networks!

Find resources and read more at health.gov.

Looking for more resources to help you promote alcohol prevention? Visit the Prevent Coalition website for data, campaigns, prevention resources, toolkits, reports, policy guidance, and links to webinars. You can find them all here:

https://www.preventcoalition.org/resources/reports/

Resources for alcohol prevention are located under the "Alcohol" tab. Feel free to browse the other tabs too - more resources are added periodically, so check back often!

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism provides a “Short Takes with NIAAA” video series that consists of 60-second videos that provide easy-to-understand explanations for commonly used—but often misunderstood—alcohol terms such as binge drinking, hangovers, alcohol-induced blackouts, and alcohol overdose. A Spanish language video is also included.

Click here to view the "Short Takes with NIAA" videos

Visit www.niaaa.nih.gov for additional information and resources.

Short for "blackout rage gallon", the hashtag #borg has garnered more than 74.7 million views on TikTok. It is the latest college drinking trend but there are ways to help young adults reduce risk.

Read more about it at cbsnews.com.

Alcohol addiction is a chronic relapsing disorder associated with compulsive alcohol drinking, the loss of control over intake, and the emergence of a negative emotional state when alcohol is no longer available. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) published a document, "The Cycle of Addiction" to educate how it develops in the brain, stages of the addiction cycle, why we should be concerned, and more.

Click the image with this story to view or download the resource.

The "Not a Moment Wasted" campaign provides information and resources that encourage young adults, 18-20 years of age, who live and attend a college or university in Washington State to lead healthy lifestyles and avoid harmful behaviors like underage alcohol or marijuana use. Co-developed by the Washington State Health Care Authority and the Washington State Department of Health. Visit notamomentwasted.org for more information.

Several new videos are now available for the campaign. Click one of the links below to watch:

• Skills for Coping
• Engage Your Senses
• Sleep Better
• Opt Out
• Self-Care

A campaign toolkit website is available for partners who want to participate in the campaign or find resources for alcohol prevention month (password: HealthyinCollegeWA).

The Northwest PTTC has resources to raise awareness about alcohol-related harms and the importance of alcohol policy safeguards. Called #ProofIsInTheNumbers, the Alcohol Awareness Toolkit seeks to do the following:

• Raise awareness about alcohol-related harms and the importance of strong alcohol policies using memes, and
• Encourage engagement from prevention and public health stakeholders to strategically educate and inform decision makers about effective alcohol policies by providing easy-to-personalize, templated opinion editorials, letters to legislators and proclamations.

Check out these resources and more available on the PTTC website: https://pttcnetwork.org/centers/northwest-pttc/alcohol-awareness-toolkit

The Start Talking Now campaign recently launched new videos as part of its Ask an Expert series. To watch one of the new videos click on the following links:

• Your college student is still listening
• Modeling behavior and building a support system
• Apoye a su adolescente

These videos feature prevention experts, Dr. Jasmin Zavala and Dr. Jason Kilmer, and are intended to help parents and caregivers talk to youth about substance use.

Visit StartTalkingNow.org to learn more about how to start a conversation with a teen about substance use.

Below are links to educational resources and up-to-date information about the current session.

Bill Information

Search by bill number, or list bills by many other methods from links. The bottom of each bill page has links to TVW video of hearings and floor action. See the Bill Report for a useful high-level summary of the bill policy, background, and hearing testimony.

Budget Information

LEAP budget website provides detail on budget proposals and links to Citizen’s Guides to WA State budgets.

Budget Universe Map (PDF)

This map is intended to provide a visual representation of WA State budget spending allocations using space and planetary objects to represent the 2021-2023 operating budget. Did you know Public Schools comprised 48% of the budget?

Current Laws (RCWs) and Rules (WACs)

Find RCWs or WAC by number or by title.

Legislative Information Center

Useful resource on the legislative website. Click on the Classes & Tutorials link to find great handouts and videos and live class info.

Find your District & Legislators

Election Results

Washington Lobbying Rules

Committee Information

Sign Up for Email Updates on Committee Hearing Schedules

Testifying in Committee or Submitting Comments

Watch Live Coverage - TVW

See unedited coverage of committee hearings, testimony, floor debate, press conferences, and much more. Search the archive for recorded events or tune in live!

Training resources

Learn about the legislative process from Prevention Voices WA and Foundation for Healthy Generations

How to Read a Bill Video

Understanding the WA Legislative Process Video

How to Use the Legislative Website Video

How to Use the Legislative Website Advanced Tips Video

*Storing medicine in a locked location is the single most effective deterrent to accidental poisonings, overdose, medicine theft, and misuse that can lead to prescription drug addiction. Stay informed and talk with loved ones about the risks for ingesting or taking medicine not prescribed for them and benefits of safeguarding your medications. Learn more at www.LocksSaveLives.org.

• Assess Data: Clark County Public Health is creating an online dashboard of rural Healthy Youth Survey results that will be published in June, allowing users to easily access cross-tabs and detailed results from the report in a visual and accessible way.
  
• Build Toolkit: We have Spanish and English surveys available to distribute to youth groups in rural areas across the state. We want to engage youth in conversations around the Find Your Good campaign and get captions/pictures from them. Spanish Survey, English Survey
  
• Build Toolkit: The Toolkit Workgroup led by Logan Morrow meets monthly to update the Find Your Good campaign with rural elements, captions, and images. Email Logan.morrow@esd112.org to get involved!
  
• Change Policy: We trained rural youth groups statewide at the Youth Advocacy Training in December, then connected with Senator Shelly Short, Republic Floor Leader to host a legislative Q&A.
  
• Offer Training: Special thanks to Jason Anderson and The Montana Institute for providing training at our March meeting about Positive Community Norms and the Science of the Positive.
• Offer Training: Thank you to Dr. Janessa Graves for presenting on rural mental health and Group Concept Mapping in February! In November and January we learned about policymaking.
  
• Offer Training: We sent several rural coalitions to the CADCA Forum in February to learn about prevention, connect with lawmakers, and build capacity.
  
• Promote Equity: We published Spanish translations of the entire Making the Connection Toolkit. Learn more at: https://bit.ly/connectiontoolkit.
  
• Promote Equity: We published Spanish translations of the entire Making the Connection Toolkit. Learn more at: https://bit.ly/connectiontoolkit.
  

For a full grant progress timeline visit www.preventcoalition.org/rural/our-work/.

The Rural Toolkit can be found at www.preventcoalition.org/rural/toolkit. Access to the Rural Toolkit is password protected. The password is: ruralrocks!

ELEVATE Youth Prevention Forum

April 11, 2023

10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m

Location: ESD 112 Conference Center, 2500 NE 65th Ave, Vancouver, WA

Youth training hosted by CADCA! This day-long event focuses on youth empowerment, advocacy, policy, and prevention basics.

SW Regional Network Meeting

Thursday, April 13, 2023

2:00 -3:30 p.m.

Online conference call by invitation.

For southwest regional network members.

Coalition Coordinators Meeting

Wednesday, April 19, 2023

9:30 -11:00 a.m.

Online conference call by invitation.

For southwest region coalition coordinators.

Drive-thru Drug Take Back Events

Saturday, April 22, 2023

10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Location: Various locations in Clark County Washington

Bring unused prescription and over-the-counter medication for safe, free disposal.

Coalition Coordinators Meeting

Wednesday, May 17, 2023

9:30 -11:00 a.m.

Online conference call by invitation.

For southwest region coalition coordinators.

Rural Network Office Hours

Wednesday, May 3, 2023

1-2 p.m.

Online conference call

For Rural Network members to receive technical assistance

Rural Steering Committee

Wednesday, May 3, 2023

3-4:30 p.m.

Online conference call

Develop the plan, guide the implementation, evaluate the results.

Rural Network Office Hours

Wednesday, June 7, 2023

1-2 p.m.

Online conference call

For Rural Network members to receive technical assistance

Rural Steering Committee

Wednesday, June 7, 2023

3-4:30 p.m.

Online conference call

Develop the plan, guide the implementation, evaluate the results.

All times are Pacific Standard Time (PST)

Click for full calendar of coalition and community events.

Relevant events not sponsored by Prevent Coalition:

Youth Leadership Institute

(hosted by YCCTPP, WA Dept. of Health, and Rede Group)

Youth and Adult Partnership for Positive Community Change

(Virtual Workshop)

April 19, 2023

9am-12pm, PST

No fee, click here to visit registration page

This workshop will cover two key areas: fundamentals of youth development and building equitable youth and adult partnerships. This fun and interactive workshop will cover philosophy, practice, provide tools that can be applied to existing programs and in communities.

Rede Group

TopCon

(Virtual Conference)

May 8-10, 2023

$255, early registration ends April 30,2023. Click here to visit event web page.

This national conference features emerging topics in commercial tobacco prevention along with a separate day focusing on the fundamentals of the work. With dynamic content for professionals at any stage in their career, ToPCon will be a site for dialogue around prevention best practices, strategies for policy change, health equity, working with community, and much more.

NW PTTC

What Does & Does Not Work in Prevention

(Webinar)

May 17, 2023

1-2:30pm PST

No fee, click here to visit registration page

This webinar will identify interventions that have been shown through research to not be effective in preventing substance use, evidence-based interventions that can be used as effective alternatives to the ineffective strategies, and describe strategies to address resistance to discontinuing ineffective prevention strategies. Presented by Alicia Sparks, PhD, MPH, and Rick Collins.

YCCTPP & Rede Group

The Need for Addressing Tobacco in Behavioral Health

(In-person. Virtual option available)

May 25, 2023

9:30am-3:30pm PST

No fee, click here to visit registration page

Presented by Dr. Jill Williams, director of addiction psychiatry and professor at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Jersey. This event will review data and effects of commercial tobacco on behavioral health patients and provide vital information to help clinical staff working in behavioral health settings address tobacco use with their clients. Topics include epidemiology of smoking in behavioral health populations, consequences of tobacco use, clinical approaches to working with commercial tobacco, practical techniques for assessment and treatment, and more! In-person event held at ESD 112 Conference Center in Vancouver, WA.

The 2023 Montana Summer Institute

The Paradox of the Positive: Preventing Harm by Promoting Health

(In-person at Big Sky Resort, Montana. Virtual option available)

June 20-23, 2023

Registration: click here to visit event web page

Dr. Jeff Linkenbach, Dr. Jason Kilmer, and The Montana Institute training team will dive into the Paradox of the Positive and learn how we can prevent harm by promoting health. Our exciting lineup of presentations and workshops will explore the Science of the Positive, Positive Community Norms, and Health Outcomes from Positive Experiences.

CADCA

Mid-Year Training Institute 2023

(In-person, Dallas, TX. Virtual option available)

July 16-20, 2023

Cost: $745-$955 through June 5th, 2023

Registration: click here to visit event web page

Training from top experts in the field, information, tools, and strategies to take your prevention work to the next level. The latest science, news, and trends on substance misuse issues and the opportunity to network with thousands of advocates passionate about prevention. Specialized youth leadership training sessions held too!

National Prevention Network (NPN)

National Conference

(In-person, Birmingham, AL)

August 15-17, 2023

Cost: TBA. Click here to visit event web page

The purpose of the NPN Conference is to highlight the latest research in the substance use prevention field. It provides a forum for prevention professionals, coalition leaders, researchers, and federal partners to share research, best practices and promising evaluation results for the purpose of integrating research into prevention practice.

PAVe

Clear the Vapor Conference

(Webinar)

October 24-25, 2023

Times TBD

No fee, click here to visit registration page

Clear the Vapor is PAVe’s annual high-level and highly accessible youth vaping event. It is a unique, parent-powered and volunteer-led FREE event intended to provide both an overview and a deep dive into all aspects of this ongoing adolescent public health crisis, with an emphasis on practical solutions.

NW PTTC

Ethics in Prevention Foundations

(Virtually moderated 6-hour course)

Repeats monthly, visit website for next session!

No Fee, Limited Space Available

This two-week, asynchronous moderated course, adapted from the original SAMHSA Center for Application of Prevention Technologies (CAPT) course, explores the six principles of the Prevention Code of Ethics. The course also introduces a decision-making process to help practitioners apply this code to a variety of ethical dilemmas, and an online discussion area to facilitate discussion with other course participants. Course meets requirements for prevention specialist credentialing.

View ongoing training and events at https://pttcnetwork.org.

NW PTTC

Special Topics in Prevention of Substance Misuse

(Self-paced courses)

A large selection of online, on-demand courses that explore special topics in prevention of substance misuse that will better-equip prevention professionals & coalitions to serve their communities.

Access the courses via the HealtheKnowledge.org website.

NW PTTC

Pharmacology for Prevention Professionals

(Self-paced course)

Explore the basics of how substances impact major brain regions and the acute and chronic symptoms associated with different substances. Certificates of 1.5 hours for each of the following four courses: Basics of Pharmacology and Alcohol, Basics of Pharmacology and Opioids, Basics of Pharmacology and Psychostimulants (Cocaine & Methamphetamine), and Basics of Pharmacology and Cannabis.

Learn more and enroll via the HealtheKnowledge.org website.

Supported by the fiscal agent ESD 112, Prevent is a regional coalition formed in 2003 to increase collaboration, awareness, and reduce youth substance use in Southwest Washington. Prevent also implements initiatives for rural communities across Washington state. As a community mobilizer, the coalition creates a culture promoting healthy choices; advocates for policies and regulations that protect, empowers and nurtures youth; and facilitates positive opportunities for youth to be involved and thrive.

Email: preventcoalition@esd112.org
Website: www.PreventCoalition.org
Location: 2500 NE 65th Ave., Vancouver, WA, USA
Phone: 360-952-3457
Facebook: Facebook.com/PreventCoalition
Twitter: @supportyouthnow