CAHL news & updates
December 2021
Spotlight: Behavioral Health & Tobacco Dependency.

Find resources designed to help integrate tobacco dependency treatment in behavioral health facilities and clinical programs.
Spotlight: Advancing Health Equity

We know that the data we collect can be imperfect and at times even worsen health inequities many people face if not used correctly. The Morehouse School of Medicine Health Equity Tracker can help identify the resources and support affected communities need to be able to improve health outcomes.
Coping with Holiday Stress without Substances
The holidays can bring joy, but it’s not uncommon to experience stress, depression and anxiety as well.

Here are 6 tips for managing the extra stressors that may accompany "the most wonderful time of the year." Read more
Exploring Intersectionality

in·ter·sec·tion·al·i·ty /ˌin(t)ərsekSHəˈnalədē/
noun (view diagram)

the interconnected nature of social categorizations such as race, class, and gender as they apply to a given individual or group, regarded as creating overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination or disadvantage.

"through an awareness of intersectionality, we can better acknowledge and ground the differences among us"
Director's Report
Happy Holidays!
I hope this message finds you and your family healthy! The holidays definitely bring on a whole new level of excitement (and exhaustion) in the VZ household. We have our decorations and tree(s) up, cookies and candy made, most of the shopping done, and I have been falling asleep every night at 9 - this has even made our Elf on the Shelf exhausted, as one night she didn’t even fly back to the North Pole - she just stayed in her spot in the tree, sleeping away for two days! If you know, you know, right? 
 
I looked at the CAHL newsletter from last December and had to laugh, as this is a direct quote from me in 2020: “My kids are desperately trying to talk their dad into buying a fun Christmas inflatable for our front yard. It’s getting harder and harder for him to keep saying no (although Laila has been asking for a dog and sometimes she produces actual tears about it and he seems to keep saying no to that!)”. I am happy to report, we never got that inflatable, but we did get this cute dog! Meet the newest member of the VZ family, Gia. Gia is a Havaton. We got her May, and she fits into our family perfectly! 
 
Next, I’d like to take a moment of gratitude - a moment to thank all who continue to support this organization. Thank you to our board members and staff who continuously show up, to the coalition members who are always happy to help out the cause, to the new partners we’ve gained through the years, and to those who read our newsletter and think of us in that moment, thank you. You all make our organization shine and for that we are grateful. We hope you have the best holiday! We look forward to continuing to work hard with you by our side in 2022.  
 
Take care of yourself, take care of others, and have fun!
 
Sending love,
Wendy
Drug Free Communities
REACH Hosts Successful Roundtable Discussion on Alcohol Culture in Calumet
The November 10th event brought together coalition members. law enforcement, school staff, public and behavioral health staff, as well as elected representatives to discuss Calumet County’s history of excessive and binge drinking rates.

As a result, REACH is forming a committee to plan next steps and begin to address identified problems. The committee will utilize resources developed by Alliance for Wisconsin Youth and Wisconsin Alcohol Policy Project to reduce the burden of alcohol within Calumet County.

Contact Annie von Neupert to get involved today!
Summer Internship Design Unveiled!
In July, seven REACH interns worked diligently to create a substance misuse campaign incorporating the principles of universal prevention and focusing on inclusivity. The group presented two concepts to the coalition and a slogan was chosen by vote. The final design work is complete, and we are excited to share!

Look for it at Calumet County schools and in the community starting in January!
Tobacco Prevention
Welcome, Kimberly High School!
We're excited to officially welcome Kimberly High School into the tobacco prevention movement. Students from Lifeforce (a youth group at KHS) under the leadership of Johny Scott are excited to continue to spread the truth about tobacco to their peers, and reduce the burden of tobacco among teens.
Area Tobacco Compliance Checks to Resume in 2022
The pandemic has put compliance checks on pause since March of 2019. We're excited to get back into some of our communities, starting in 2022, to work with retailers to address increasing underage tobacco sales. A limited number of checks will be done with increased safety and COVID mitigation strategies in place.

Thank you to all our partners who have stepped up to assist with checks in 2022!
Tobacco21 Policies Work, When Done Right
A new Tobacco 21 bill has been reintroduced into the Wisconsin Legislature to raise the state legal minimum age to purchase tobacco from 18 to 21. While it would raise the minimum sales age, it also contains some language and components that are not best practice public health policy. Learn more about best practices and why it's important to get policy right.
CAHL Updates
Welcome, David!
Hi all! My name is David Yanda and I’m so excited to have joined the REACH team. I am a graduate of the community health education program at UW-La Crosse and I’m glad to be adding to the list of Eagles who’ve contributed to this organization. I look forward to building youth prevention efforts with the help of everyone around me.

You can reach David at [email protected].