February 2021
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February 2021: Spreading Kindness
There is no such thing as a small act of kindness, every act creates a ripple with no logical end. Try adding a little bit of kindness to your day by spreading smiles and gratitude.
OSAP Highlight
Rebecca Young was awarded the Outstanding Service Award. Becky is the Heath Education Team Supervisor at the Ottawa County Department of Public Health. Becky has been involved in OSAP since the beginning of the coalition. She’s been a leader for the coalition serving on the coalition, the steering committee, the ROADD Taskforce, Marijuana Subcommittee and more. Throughout the years, Becky has provided her expertise, her leadership and her vision to advancing the work of OSAP. Becky has provided her staff to participate on a myriad of committees, projects and even to partner to provide individual programming throughout Ottawa County. The amount of time Becky and her team have dedicated to the work of the Coalition demonstrates her commitment to youth and families in our community and our state. Becky will be embarking on a new journey out of the country. It won’t be just OSAP that will miss Becky, but our community will miss her. Our community is better for her participation, and her leadership.

Announcing a New Partnership
Four of West Michigan’s leading hospitals and health care entities have teamed up to expand access to the free, award-winning youth drug prevention resource, TalkSooner (www.talksooner.org). Cherry Health, Metro Health – University of Michigan Health, Mercy Health and Spectrum Health are helping parents take the often difficult first step in having the “drug talk” with their children by providing TalkSooner’s free educational resources to parents of children/youth in their practices.The goal of TalkSooner is to delay the onset of substance use through encouraging positive, honest conversations with youth that are centered on factual information. More than 100 physician offices, lobbies and waiting rooms now feature bilingual posters, wallet cards and screen savers inviting parents to turn to TalkSooner’s website and/or free app to jumpstart the “drug talk” with their child/children or teen(s). Spectrum Health is embedding digital links to TalkSooner resources in all of its well child visit summaries. Parents can also visit talksooner.org anytime or download TalkSooner’s free app from the Apple and Google app stores.

LOCK IT UP
As we continue to stay at home, youth have easier access to alcohol, marijuana and prescription drugs, putting them at a higher risk of experimenting. According to the results of the 2019 Youth Assessment Survey (YAS), 11.6% of youth surveyed accessed alcohol at home, 4.1% took prescription drugs from home, and 43% said it would be easy for them to obtain marijuana. Making sure that all these items are safely secured in your home helps to lessen any chance that experimentation and use can happen.
For more information on the 2019 YAS, click here. The YAS is given every two years to 8th, 10 and 12th graders in Ottawa County so we as parents, community partners and community members can have insight what issues are affecting their mental and physical health.
Red Project
The number of overdose deaths have increased during the pandemic. Opioid overdoses can be reversed with the use of Naloxone (Narcan). Narcan is a nasal spray that once administered works to block the opioid receptors in the brain and reverses the symptoms of an opioid overdose.
The Red Project offers Naloxone (also known as Narcan) for FREE to individuals, family members, and friends who want to be prepared for loved one who may be at risk. The prescription, a brief training, and the medication is provided on site by knowledgeable Red Project staff and volunteers.

Ottawa County drop-in hours:
Fridays | 10am – 12pm
Grand Haven CMH
1111 Fulton St # 1, Grand Haven, MI 49417

Fridays | 1pm – 4pm
Skips Pharmacy
700 Michigan Ave, Holland, MI 49423

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact Megan Rocha-Adams at megan@redproject.org.

The BRY Lunch Series is back for 2021
Tuesdays 12-1 PM
2/16 Toxic Masculinity
2/23 Child Trauma
The Building Resilient Youth lunch series is back with a slate of educational, inspirational and actionable topics that will make your Tuesday lunch hour into a weekly event you won't want to miss.
February topics include: Toxic Masculinity and Child Trauma. Go to the BRY events page to register. See you Tuesday at noon!


Strong Connections
The pandemic has been hard on everyone, especially our teenagers, who are already navigating many challenges in their lives. To help address this need, Arbor Circle is launching the Strong Connections Teen Group. This group gives teens who may be struggling an opportunity to learn various life/coping skills and to become more familiar with mental health issues. It also gives them a chance to connect with their peers, something that can be difficult right now. Forming connections is crucial to teen social and emotional development.
Examples of topics to be covered are:
Managing Stress and Anxiety
Effective Communication
 Building Relationships
    Decision-Making
Goal Setting
The Strong Connections Teen Group meets once weekly on Tuesdays from 4:00 to 5:00pm. All meetings are held virtually through Zoom. The group is open to any teenagers between the ages of 13-17.
To register for the program or to make a referral, please contact Colin Moylan at cmoylan@arborcircle.org

Crisis Resources--available 365 days/year
If you feel like you are in a crisis, or that anyone in your family is in crisis, here are some important numbers:
  • 24 hour Ottawa County Hotlines: in Grand Haven: 616-842 HELP (4357); in Holland: **616-396-HELP(4357) all other areas 1-866-512 HELP(4357)
  • Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
  • Arbor Circle in Holland: 616-396-2301
  • Catholic Charities: 616- 796-9595
  • Wedgewood Christian Services: 616- 930-5004
  • Ottawa CMH: 616-392-1873
  • DHHS Warmline: 1-888-733-7753 10am-2am help for anxiety, depression, and trauma, staffed by peer support specialists.
  • AA meetings online: https://www.aaonlinemeeting.net/
  • NA meetings: https://virtual-na.org/
  • Alanon meetings: https://al-anon.org/al-anon-meetings/
  • Resource help: http://211.org/
  • Positive Options is ready to serve you if you are experiencing an unplanned pregnancy. It offers free pregnancy testing, options counseling and early ultrasound (upon eligibility). Visit mypositiveoptions.org or call a center near you. (Holland - 616 396-5840; Grand Haven - 616 842-7510; Allendale - 616 895-1893; Allegan - 269-686-7111)
Ottawa Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition
Contact Leigh Moerdyke at lmoerdyke@arborcircle.org


Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/OSAPCoalition
Talk Early. Talk Often. Learn How. www.talksooner.org