Prevention through Connection
November 2015
Prevention Starts in our Homes 
Awareness is Key  

Since 2010, Manhasset CASA has been on the frontline of the prescription drug abuse epidemic engaging parents and residents to dispose of unnecessary medications in the prevention of teen prescription drug misuse. We  work with many of our sector members to promote initiatives such as the NYS Senate's Shed the Meds program at Shelter Rock School, the Town of North Hempstead's 
S.T.O.P. program at North Hempstead Beach Park, and the Nassau County 3rd Precinct Police Center's community drop box where residents can easily dispose of medications. In our efforts to combat opioid and heroin misuse, we will again partner with the Nassau County Office of Mental Health and Chemical Dependency and host Saving the Life Of A Loved One: A NARCAN/Opioid Education & Training Program on Wednesday, March 9, 2016 at 7:30 p.m. at the Manhasset Public Library.

While take back events and education programs are two tools we use to combat teen prescription drug misuse, we also urge parents and residents to  Lock Your Meds: Be Aware. Don't Share  as 70% of teens who abuse prescription drugs access them through friends and family.  While Manhasset teens self report low opioid medication misuse across the 8th, 10th and 12th grades, use of prescription stimulants - without a doctor's prescription is self-reported at 5.2% for our 12th grade students - above the 4.1% national norm.  According to a 2013 poll, many parents are unaware of their teens misuse of "study aid" drugs like Adderall or Ritalin.

When used as prescribed, such as for the medical condition of  ADHD, prescription stimulants are safe drugs that help millions of teens. Prescription stimulants include medications such as methylphenidate (Ritalin® and Concerta®) and amphetamines (Dexedrine® and Adderall®). 
However, use of these drugs without a doctor's prescription is dangerous and addictive.
Abusing prescription stimulants can result in increased blood pressure, heart rate, and body
temperature, as well as nausea, headaches, anxiety, psychosis, seizures, stroke, and heart failure. Many teens report abusing prescription stimulants because they mistakenly believe that prescription drugs are a "safer" alternative to illicit drugs. Teens report a busing prescription stimulants to get better grades, to try to lose weight or to increase wakefulness and attention. Resea rch, however, shows that stimulant abuse is actually linked to poorer academic performance because people who abuse stimulants often take other drugs and engage in behavior that puts their academic performance at risk (National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, & US Department of Health and Human Services).

Please join our efforts to ensure our teens grow up healthy and safe and remember to always Lock Your Meds throughout the year.  For more information about how you can talk with your child about the dangers of taking medication without a doctor's prescription, click here.

Manhasset CASA Executive Board
Thank You Strathmore Vanderbilt CC Women's Club
Hosts Fundraiser for Manhasset CASA
 
Special thanks to Jeannie Kim, Regina Shin and Andrea Deignan, and the entire Strathmore Vanderbilt CC Women's Club for nominating North Shore Child and Family Guidance Center and Manhasset CASA as beneficiaries of its recent philanthropic event. We also thank the many community residents who supported our organizations.

Manhasset CASA was graciously chosen as a recipient because of our work in the prevention of bullying. Why bullying?  Studies show that there are links between bullying and substance use: middle and high school students who bully their peers or are bully victims are more likely than students who are aren't involved in bullying to use alcohol, cigarettes, and marijuana. 

Thank you for your generosity and dedication to the children of our community.
CASA Coffees begin in December!
Candid Conversation with fellow Parents

Join us for Coffee & Conversation as we "Navigate the Teen Years" and engage in a candid discussion about the challenges of Raising Teens! Our first CASA Coffee is on  Wednesday, December 2nd at 10:30 a.m. at Michelle Selby's house.  The small group meeting will be led by  Dr. Laurie Segal who will facilitate discussion about the emotional rollercoaster of the teen years!

Red Ribbon Week Takes a Village!
Boxes Out Bullying & Drugs!

The Manhasset SCA and CASA delivered another successful  Red Ribbon Week in Manhasset Public Schools and raised awareness about bullying and substance abuse as important issues faced by our youth. Research indicates that bullying affects everyone-those who are bullied, those who bully, and those who witness bullying and it is linked to many negative outcomes including impacts on mental health, substance use, and suicide (stopbullying.gov).

At the helm of the elementary school celebrations were SCA Red Ribbon Week Committee Co-chairs Celeste Sforza and Miriam DiOrio (Shelter Rock) and Heidi Franchetti and Jennifer Johnston (Munsey Park).  The committee worked diligently with parent volunteers and decorated the schools with red ribbons, provided all elementary students' with Box Out Bullying take-home art projects, and distributed educational materials to parents as well as ribbons to decorate homes. The Red Ribbon Week Parent Outreach Packet (K-6) provided parents with resources like SAMHSA's KnowBullying App for mobile phones which highlighted conversation starters for talking with their children about bullying prevention. 

This year, with the help of local Girl and Boy Scouts, Plandome Road businesses also displayed the Red Ribbon symbol in support of promoting a safe and healthy community.  Manhasset Girl Scout Daisy troops #542 and #522 and Boy Scout Pack #101 worked together to adorn the exterior of Shelter Rock School with red ribbons in advance of Red Ribbon Week at the Manhasset Public Schools.

Manhasset CASA's Red Ribbon Week Prevention Mailing to Secondary School Parents (7-12) provided tips and resources on how parents can talk with their teens about the dangers of prescription drugs. The mailing also highlighted the Manhasset Youth Committee Club's recent Stop then Send internet safety program hosted by the Nassau County DA's office on Monday, November 2nd.  The c lub also decorated Manhasset Secondary Schools' campus with red ribbons to show support for National Substance Abuse Prevention Month. 

As part of CASA's Lock Your Meds: Be Aware Don't Share Prescription Drug Prevention Campaign, CASA promoted the November 8th Town of North Hempstead S.T.O.P. event. Residents disposed of 960 lbs. of unwanted pharmaceuticals in an environmentally safe manner! 
Active Parenting for Teens is CLOSED!
Tremendous Interest in Parent-Teen Communication Workshops!

Thanks to the generous funding of Senator Jack M. Martins and the Manhasset Public Library, close to 60 Manhasset parents are participating in the evidence based Active Parenting for Teens Parenting Program which started Thursday, October 29th and will run three consecutive Thursdays in the Community Room at the Manhasset Public Library.

The 3-part parent education series provides parents with practical tools to 
  • Communicate effectively with teens (it can be done!).
  • Understand a teen's goals - which is key to avoiding power struggles. 
  • Give your teen the tools to behave in a responsible way.
  • Reduce the risks of the teen years, including alcohol,drugs, sexuality and violence.
  • And much more!
Parents will have another opportunity to participate in CASA's Parent Education programming in the winter and spring in CASA's Power of Parenting series.  Stay tuned for more details in our December E-newsletter.
Manhasset Community 
Coalition Against Substance Abuse (CASA), Inc. 
P.O. Box 392
Manhasset, NY 11030
(516) 267-7548
  
Manhasset CASA exists as a resource to reduce the illegal, underage use of alcohol, tobacco, & other drugs among its youth, before they are in trouble, by connecting parents, schools and the community as partners in the common goal.  In 2013, CASA was honored to receive its second five year Drug Free Communities Support Grant (DFC) by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP).  Our goals are to reduce substance abuse among youth and, over time, among adults; and to establish and strengthen collaboration among communities, private nonprofit agencies, and federal, state, and local governments to support the efforts of our community coalition to prevent and reduce substance abuse among youth.