Happy Holidays! Before we ring in the new year we want to take some time to highlight all of the incredible work that has been going on during the final months of 2019. Snowball Chapters have planned and executed successful events, students and adults from across the state have attended trainings to further develop their leadership skills, and OS, Inc. has welcomed new members to the Operation Snowball Board of Directors - Check out some spotlights in the newsletter below. If this hard work is any indication of what to expect in 2020, Operation Snowball is going to have an incredible year ahead!
As you approach the arrival of winter break, we want to remind you that your accreditation renewal paperwork is due Friday, January 3, 2020.
Please check the schedule of trainings on the last page of the accreditation packet that are offered to lock that date in for 2020. Also, with your accreditation, OS Chapters are also eligible to bring teen Mental Health First Aid (tMHFA) training to your student leaders. Please check out the section below to find out more information about the tMHFA program.
We welcome you to contact Riley Blythe at
[email protected]
to discuss your specific Snowball needs!
The IABH/OS office will be closed Monday, December 23 - Wednesday, January 1. We will return on Thursday, January 2. Happy Holidays!
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2020 CGTI/OS MID-YEAR CONFERENCE
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Date
January 18 - January 19
Location
Marriott Hotel and Conference Center
Normal, IL
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*We are
NOT
accepting applications for the CGTI/OS Mid-Year Conference at this time, as we are at capacity. Please check back in at the beginning of the year to see if spots have opened up.*
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OS 2019-2020 ACCREDITATION TRAININGS
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STRATEGIES FOR YEAR-ROUND OS PREVENTION CAMPAIGN
Thursday, February 13
Location: North Suburbs
ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, AND OTHER DRUG TRENDS IN ILLINOIS
Thursday, February 20
Location: Libertyville High School
PREVENTING ALCOHOL USE
AMONG YOUTH
March -
Online Webinar
MENTAL HEALTH: TAKING CARE
OF YOU
April - Online Webinar
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*accreditation requirement to send 1 adult and 2 youth to a minimum of one OS, Inc. training per calendar year
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TEEN MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID (tMHFA)
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How to Bring tMHFA to Your
Snowball Chapter
CGTI was selected last Spring as one of eight original pilot sites across the country, the only agency in Illinois, to implement tMHFA training to students. With the expansion of the pilot for the 19-20 school year, we can now offer this training to our Snowball Chapters. With your OS Accreditation we are offering a discount to bring tMHFA to your youth leaders.
Things to Note:
- 30 students max per training group
- Implemented in 3X75 or 5X45 minute sessions
- 100% OS Adults must be YouthMHFA certified
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What is tMHFA?
The teen MHFA course teaches high school students how to provide mental health first aid to their friends. The course was developed in response to research indicating that young people have a preference for sharing problems with peers.
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In tMHFA, teens learn about the
following:
- Anxiety disorders
- Depressive disorders
- Eating disorders
- Alcohol and other drug use disorders
- Psychotic disorders
Mental health crisis situations covered in tMHFA are:
- Having thoughts of suicide
- Threatening violence or harm to others
- Engaging in self-injury
- Being very intoxicated on alcohol or other drugs
- Experiencing a traumatic event such as bullying, abuse, or assault
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For inquiries and scheduling requests please contact Riley Blythe
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OS, Inc. 2019 Training Highlights
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Adult Leader's Conference
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In October we gathered to offer ideas, resources and strategies for adults to take back to their communities to sustain and grow prevention activities. It was a great opportunity to learn from and network with Snowball and prevention peers from around the state of Illinois.
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Facilitation 202: Beyond Basics
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This session provided participants with advanced tools and techniques for facilitation, whether for use in meetings or trainings. The session actively involved participants in presenting, using roleplays and the opportunity for feedback.
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This training helped to raise awareness of mental health (particularly stress, depression and anxiety), provided tools and guidance for daily wellbeing-management, and aimed to remove the stigma surrounding mental health.
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OS Chapters are split into specific districts within the state. This grouping helps OS, Inc. provide location specific trainings and support to Chapters. As we move into 2020, OS, Inc. has been working on re-districting so the areas are equally spread and represented, we will now have three different districts (as opposed to the 10 we used to have). District 1 will be the Cook area, District 2 will be northern area, and District 3 will be central/southern area.
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Operation Snowball, Inc. is the central hub for our Chapters, and we love being able to visit and support your events however we can. Our Snowball family can easily expand across the state to other Chapters and this all begins with knowing what is going on around Illinois. Please go to our website to see when Chapter Snowball events are happening - send each other good luck wishes, and let's continue to see this positivity snowball.
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Many of our Operation Snowball Chapters held their BIG events this fall, here are a few highlights!
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Hinsdale
Operation Snowball
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Hinsdale High School OS had a jam-packed fall semester of planning. They held their annual Snowball on November 8, 2019. Their high school leaders were rock stars and the event had a great turn out!
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Rich Township
Operation Snowball
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Rich Township held their Snowball II event on November 8, with the theme FEAR (Face Everything And Rise). They will hold their Snowball I event in March 2020.
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Streator PAWS Operation Snowball
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This fall the Streator PAWS OS Chapter held their annual Color Run, grade school visits and lock-in events. Their event brought in 75 student participants and was staffed by 30 high school leaders. They discussed topics such as: mental health, vaping, and healthy behaviors. Great job Bulldogs!
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East Leyden,
& Elmwood Park
Operation Snowball
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East Leyden High School OS and Elmwood Park High School OS teamed up in October 2019 to hold their first Operation Snowball "Find Your Anchor" Family 5K Run/Walk. It was so successful they are already in the midst of planning for their 2020 5K. Incredible job working together to spread the word about the importance of mental health and healthy choices!
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Livingston County Operation Snowball
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Livingston County OS held their 2019 Snowflurry event for 50 energetic 4th and 5th graders in October. Junior high and high school staff members showcased what it means to be a leader and how much fun being the change and being drug-free can be!
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2020 OS BOARD OF DIRECTORS
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Cheyanne Kreusch
District 2
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Cierra Johnson
District 2
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Ryan Dickinson
At-Large Representative
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Katie Hyland
At-Large Representative
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Mackenzie Freund
IABH Appointee
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Laura Larson-Gibbons
IABH Appointee
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Alissa LaRose
IABH Appointee
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Natalie Maggiore
IABH Appointee
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Brandon Moran
IABH Appointee
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Emma Murphy
Youth Advocate
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Brittany Reed
Youth Advoate
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Vaping: Know the Facts Toolkit
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An awareness campaign and toolkit for parents, teachers, school administrators, and teens. As the real risks of “vaping” remain largely misunderstood by adults and teens alike, Vaping: Know the Facts boils down the latest science into a free, open-source toolkit that explains the harms associated with adolescent vaping and empowers audiences with the tools to take action.
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K-12 Toolkit for
Mental Health Promotion
and Suicide Prevention
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The
K-12 Toolkit for Mental Health Promotion and Suicide Prevention
was created by the Health Care Alliance for Response to Adolescent Depression (HEARD) in 2013 (updated in 2017), in response to a need for schools to promote student mental health and well-being, to prevent suicide and, in particular, how to respond after a suicide loss.
The toolkit convenes national best practices from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the National Center for School Mental Health (NCSMH), and several other organizations.
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If you or someone you know is in a suicidal crisis, call or text a suicide hotline (toll free, 24 hours/day, 7 days/week):
- Text HELLO to 741741 to connect with someone
- Call SAMHSA’s National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
- Call 1-800-SUICIDE (784-2433)
- Call 1-800-799-4TTY (4889) for hearing & speech impaired
- Call 1-866-488-7386 for the Trevor Project, a suicide hotline for LGBTQ youth
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MISSION STATEMENT:
Through the development of leadership skills, Operation Snowball shall be a youth and adult partnership, providing awareness and prevention of alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use, while encouraging healthy decision-making in an active community of caring.
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Operation Snowball, Inc.
937 South 2nd Street | Springfield, IL 62704
217.528.7335 ext. 27
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