Prevention through Connection
January 2017
Power of Parenting & Community
Working Together to Develop Results
  
Coalition work does take a village ... and many champions too!  

During CASA's recent Sector meeting, we recognized the efforts of the Honorable Jack M. Martins during his tenure in the New York State Senate.  As a champion for the Manhasset community and New York State, he passed legislation to combat the growing heroin, opioid and prescription drug epidemic, implemented the  Shed the Meds program in Manhasset and provided funding for Manhasset CASA's Power of Parenting Series at the Manhasset Public Library. With his assistance, Manhasset CASA has been able to deliver an inclusive family education programming for the community.   

Our Generation Rx Safe Medication Practices for Life initiative depends on the collaboration of many community champions!  Since December, Anton News has underwritten a portion of CASA's Generation Rx newspaper ads promoting disposal of medications at any Nassau County precinct at any time or day of the week.   The ads are running across seventeen Anton Newspapers through March and will reach over 85,000 households across Nassau County with the timely prevention message. We thank Angela Anton for her commitment to community and families across Nassau County.
 
By bringing people together from different sectors of our community, the coalition works effectively to develop comprehensive solutions to help our t(w)eens grow up healthy and safe. The Power of Parenting Series as well as our Generation Rx Safe Medication Practices for Life initiative builds on this collaboration to provide parents and residents the tools and resources necessary to combat youth substance misuse and deter risk behaviors in our youth.

We also need your support, participation and membership as our success is dependent upon the entire community. 
To join CASA's membership, click here or visit us at 

Manhasset CASA Executive Board
Health on the Plate
Serving Up a School-Home Connection

The winter months are a great time to talk with our t(w)eens as many come in from the cold and sit by fireplaces or enjoy family dinners. Below are topics being discussed in health class as well as resources to encourage dialogue with your child on these important topics affecting adolescents. 

8th Grade Health:
In the words of the Surgeon General's Call to Action To Prevent and Reduce Underage Drinking, "Underage alcohol use is everybody's problem - and its solution is everybody's responsibility." Most young people ages 12 to 17 do not drink. In 2014, about 2.9 million adolescents (or 11.5 percent) reported using alcohol in the past month. Health 8 classes will be learning about the dangers of underage drinking and other drug trends. In addition, our focus will be to help them understand and value that they do not need to drink to fit in, have fun, or deal with the pressures of growing up. 
Health at the Dinner Table Discussion: 
Early adolescence is a time of immense and often confusing changes for children which makes it a challenging time for families. Understanding what it's like to be a teen can help you stay closer to your child and have more influence on the choices he or she makes - including decisions about using alcohol and other drugs.  CONVERSATION STARTERS: 
Discuss family rules about alcohol. Make it clear that it is your expectation that your child will not use alcohol if they are underage. Enforce the rules that you set. 

For more information as well as discussion starters, click here to visit Too Smart to Start!

10th Grade Health: 
The alternating day Health sections have recently completed group presentations after researching different types of depression.  The students researched Seasonal Affective Disorder , Dysthymia , Major Depression , Psychotic Depression , Adjustment Disorder and Postpartum Depression . While researching these topics, students learned about common warning signs and symptoms of these disorders as well as effective ways to treat them. For more information about mental health conditions or disorders, click here for the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

Thank you to Manhasset Secondary School Health Teachers Jasmine Ostrom (Grade 8) and Lauren Sadeh (Grade 10) for your dedication to reinforce the school-home connection!
Power of Parenting at Manhasset Public Library
Dewey and CASA Youth Kick Off Series

The Power of Parenting Series begins this Thursday, January 26th at 7:30 p.m. at the Manhasset Public Library with Dr. Stephen Dewey's  Alcohol, Drugs and the Teen Brain Presentation. All youth, parents and residents are invited to attend.  One hour of community service is available to students and Mandarin translation will be provided by our partners from the National Guard Registration is required through our SignUpGenius link :   click here to register!

Sara Wong, Vice President, Manhasset High School (MHD) CASA Youth Committee Club,  will begin the evening with a brief overview about our Generation Rx Initiative and why safe medicine practices are so important for families and the entire community. Thanks to our friends at Public Access Television (PATV), the presentation will be recorded and available on CASA's website as well as our Prevention through Connection television series which airs on PATV on Mondays at 6:00 p.m. and Wednesdays at 4:00 p.m. on channels 20 Cablevision and 37 Verizon FIOS.  

This week, January 23-27, 2017,  also marks  National Drug & Alcohol Facts Week (NDAFW) , a national health observance for teens to promote the use of science to SHATTER THE MYTHS about alcohol and drugs.  As part of a school wide youth effort, MHS's Art Honor Society, led by Advisor Myrna Schein, worked in the early morning hours to decorate banners which are hung throughout the school.  Additionally, students from the MHS Key Club, led by AdvisorLauren Sadeh  and Kristen Tadlock, developed Drug and Alcohol Facts Posters detailing little known facts about the dangers of alcohol and drugs to youth.
 
Bach Harrison Prevention Survey
Parent Participation Requested!

Manhasset CASA asks for your participation in a survey for parents or guardians of 7th through 12th grade students in Manhasset Secondary Schools. The survey is completely voluntary and anonymous, as is the student survey being given currently in grades 8, 10 and 12. 

This is not a test, so there are no right or wrong answers to these questions! We simply want to learn about your opinions and experiences. Your participation is very important in obtaining an accurate picture of the community attitudes and parental perceptions about youth substance use.  Thank you for your participation! 
Non-medical Use of Prescription Stimulants
Study shows no academic benefit to misuse

Many young adults and teens believe that using prescription stimulants (without a doctor's prescription) will help their study habits as well as improve their grades. A new study indicates there is no academic benefit for college students without ADHD to use non-prescribed stimulant medications ( Addictive Behaviors July 2016 ).    

According to the recent Surgeon General's Report, 5.3 million (2.0%) Americans aged 12 or older have misused stimulants in the past year with the average age of initiation at 22.3 years.   In Manhasset, 5.2% of seniors self report using prescription stimulants or amphetamines (such as Adderall, Ritalin, or Dexedrine) without doctor's prescription as compared to 1.1% of Nassau County and 1.6% of New York State 12th grade students (2015 Bach Harrison Prevention Needs Assessment Survey Results and 2014-15 NYSOASAS Nassau County Youth Development Survey).

Non-medical use of prescription stimulants carries short and long term consequences of use. Short-term health effects include increased alertness, attention and energy; euphoria, insomnia, wakefulness, increased blood pressure, body temperature, metabolism, and heart rate; narrowed blood vessels; increased blood sugar; agitation; opened-up breathing passages; and violent and erratic behavior. High doses cause dangerously high body temperature and irregular heartbeat; seizures; and death from heart failure or suicide. Amphetamines cause paranoia, picking at the skin, preoccupation with one's own thoughts, and auditory and visual hallucinations. Long term health effects include heart problems, psychosis, anger, paranoia, addiction, and chronic sleep problems. 

We encourage parents to dispose of unwanted medications at the Nassau County 3rd Precinct Police Center, 100 Community Drive, Manhasset, as well as talk with their t(w)eens about the dangers of taking medications without a doctor's prescription. Too much is at stake.  
 
Positive Alternatives in Manhasset
Congregational Church Provides Options for Youth 

GIRLS AT THE MOVIES - Friday, February 3rd
Girls Movie Night will be held where teens will meet at a local theater to see the award winning film, "Hidden Figures". "Hidden Figures" is based on a true story about a team of African-American women who provided NASA with important mathematical data needed to launch the program's first successful space mission. 
Please contact Reverend Lori Burgess for more information at 

OPEN GYM - Friday, FEBRUARY 10th
All youth, grades 6 - 12 are invited to join for a few hours of fun for open gym night. The gym will be open from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. for pick up games of basketball, soccer, or kick ball. Friends are always welcome and pizza will be provided. RSVP to Reverend Lori Burgess by Feb. 8th at Loricburgess@yahoo.com .
SAVE THE DATES
Upcoming CASA Prevention Programs

Wednesday, February 15, 2017 10:30 a.m.  
CASA Coffee
Join us for Coffee & Conversation and Navigate the Teen Years! Our neighborhood parent coffee will focus on Drug Trends: What Parents Do and Don't Want to Know as well as strengthen parent networking to guide our teens toward making healthy decisions when it comes to alcohol and the high school social scene.  Our facilitator will be Jamie Bogenshutz, LCSW, CASAC, Executive Director, Yes Community Counseling Center (YCC)! 

Wednesday, March 8, 2017 7:00 p.m. Manhasset Public Library
Saving the Life of a Loved One 
Residents are invited to learn about today's opioid epidemic that has affected so many families across Long Island. Abuse of opioids like Oxycodone, 
Hydrocodone and Heroin will be discussed and residents can learn what to do in case of an overdose and how to administer the life-saving, overdose reversal
agent called naloxone. Registration info will be available in the coming weeks.

Tuesday, March 14, 2017 7:30 p.m. Manhasset Public Library
Teens & Screens: How to Thrive not just Survive!
Partnering with Manhasset SEPTA, Manhasset CASA continues its Power of Parenting Series with Dr. Edward Hallowell, a child and adult psychiatrist, and leading authority in the field of ADHD and co-author of the ground-breaking New York Times best-seller, Driven to Distraction. He has been frequently featured on 20/20, Oprah, 60 Minutes, CNN, PBS, NPR, and in Newsweek and the New York Times.

To sign-up for the Power of Parenting Series, click here to register!
POPULARITY
Is it all that ... for children?

CASA is happy to connect parents with insight from the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County's Family Health and Wellness Program. The program seeks to strengthen family well-being and healthy lifestyle choices through parent education.

A recent article by Maxine Roeper Cohen, M.S., notes that the "so-called "popular" child can be seen as empathetic and friendly to everyone, or they can also be the mean girls and boys from the 'cool' crowd and use their popularity to demean others."   Read more  about how parents can guide their children to be "more caring" as well as look for like-minded friends." 
Family Education Series focuses on Addiction 
Open to all Residents 

Seafield Center's Family Education Series continues for residents who are impacted by addiction.  The free family program provides information regarding various aspects of addiction, treatment, therapy and codependency and enabling behaviors.  

Thursday, February 2, 2017 at 7:15 p.m. 
Discussion focuses on treatment options for family members: Family therapy, Al-Anon, Nar-Anon, Families Anonymous

Thursday, February 16th, at 7:15 p.m. 
Codependency/Enabling behaviors  
Presented by Clinical Director: Pedro Pereira CASAC  

All residents are invited to attend the Seafield Center's Family Education Series which runs weekly at 585 Plandome Road, Manhasset. For more information, contact Pedro Pereira, CASAC, Clinical Supervisor at (516) 812-9944.
Manhasset Community 
Coalition Against Substance Abuse (CASA), Inc. 
P.O. Box 392
Manhasset, NY 11030
(516) 267-7548
casa_org@manhassetschools.org
  
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.