February 2022
AC4C Monthly Roundtable
Spotlight on the Jones County Safe and Healthy Youth Coalition!

The Jones County Safe and Healthy Youth Coalition began its work in 2005 with a focus on underage drinking through a Federal Dept. of Ed. Grant to Reduce Alcohol Abuse. For a little over 10 years, starting in 2008, the Coalition received the Drug Free Community grant to focus on underage drinking, youth marijuana and tobacco use, as well as youth prescription drug misuse. Between 2011 and 2015, the Coalition also benefitted from the Strategic Prevention Framework State Incentive Grant focused on underage drinking and adult binge drinking. Between 2018 and 2021, they implemented the CARA (Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act) grant to focus on youth methamphetamine use and youth prescription drug misuse, also leveraging other funding sources to bring diversion services to the community and evidence-based programs into the schools.

During the past 17 years, the data for the priority drugs has decreased greatly. When the Grant to Reduce Alcohol Abuse began, 52% of the Jones County 11th grade students reported binge drinking in the past 30 days, according to the Iowa Youth Survey (IYS). By 2018, that number had decreased to 7%. The 11th grade reported marijuana use decreased from 16% to 5% between 2008 and 2018. Youth tobacco, prescription drug misuse, and meth use have all decreased during the years they were addressed, except e-cigarettes increased drastically between 2016 and 2018, A recent 2021 Core Measure Survey showed the decreases have continued for alcohol, tobacco, marijuana and prescription drug misuse. The Coalition is looking forward to comparing the 2021 IYS trends and getting new data on vaping and other risk and protective factors.

As of January, for the first time in its 17 years, the Coalition no longer has federal grant funding, but does receive funding through individuals, businesses, cities, the county, and through a few main fundraisers each year. They will continue their niche in the community of analyzing the data, updating logic models, and writing new action plans using as many evidence-based strategies as they are able, utilizing prevention partnerships through the Area Substance Abuse Council and others. They continue to work on building and maintaining the capacity of their membership through trainings and other outreach efforts.

Upcoming activities for the Jones Co. Coalition include participating in the AC4C Day on the Hill, hosting a Youth Mental Health First Aid Training with Abbe Health at a local church, conducting TIPs (Training Intervention Procedures) responsible beverage service trainings, and hosting Project SAFE's suicide prevention community conversation in the spring.
Drug Endangered Children (DEC) Conference -April 11, 2022
8 AM to 4:30 PM, Altoona, IA
AC4C would like to encourage our members to attend the Iowa DEC Conference. Speakers and topics include Ira J. Chasnoff, MD, speaking on "Prenatal Alcohol and Drug Exposure" and Jermaine Galloway, (The Tall Cop) presenting "High in Plain Sight."

If you want to attend, but do not have the funding available for the registration fee, please let AC4C know. We are currently talking with the Iowa DEC Alliance on how to pay for a group of members within their Unity Point registration system. Please email ia.ac4c@gmail.com by March 2, if you could use assistance in attending. The conference is approved for 6.5 ATOD CEUs by IBC.
Mark Your Calendars!
Upcoming Retreats and Events: 
 
  • March 22 & 23, 2022 (See agenda below.)
  • June 28 & 29, 2022
  • Sept. 14 & 15, 2022
(Registration is open for all of these retreats at MCTC's Course Calendar HERE.
AC4C
Day on the Hill
February 24, 2022
See the agenda for the day below!
Resources to Share and Links to check out... 

Members, keep up with the latest in the news


Looking for a training

 
 
 

Do you know about RALI Iowa?
Check out this organization and information about their virtual trailer HERE
 
More resources...

 
 
 

Mid-America Prevention Training Transfer Center (PTTC) featured AC4C on their Podcast. Check it out and their website for training opportunities and other resources to support prevention here in Iowa. 

Methamphetamine in Iowa: A Webinar for Prevention Providers 
March 4, 2022
1:00-2:30 pm

Dr. Cass Dorius and Dr. Shawn Dorius will review the results from the “Methamphetamine Use in Iowa” report, including focus group discussions among treatment providers and people with lived experience, as well as share national and local trends about methamphetamine use.

Participants will work in facilitated breakout groups to brainstorm new approaches to methamphetamine prevention efforts in Iowa. CEUs have been applied for with IBC. Register HERE.

AC4C Youth Substance Use Prevention
Day on the Hill-
February 24, 2022

"It's Not a War on Drugs, It's a Defense of our Mental Health"
Agenda for the Day:
 10:00 – Arrive at Jessie Parker building
10:15-11:30 – Youth training and pizza
11:30-11:45 – Go to the Capitol, go through security and be ready for the press conference in the 1st Floor Rotunda – East/North Wing
 11:45-Noon – Meet in the 1st Floor Rotunda – East/North Wing
Noon-12:30 – Press Conference

Speakers include:
-Prevention Specialist talking about theme
-Outstanding America Miss Iowa Teen
-School Principal
-NAMI Iowa
-Law Enforcement
Invite your legislators to the press conference!
12:30 - ? Meet with your legislators and experience the Capitol until you need to head home
Check out the Day on the Hill TOOLKIT with all the details to help you be ready to attend and bring youth. Please register your group today by sending the names of all attendees to jhusmann@asac.us by Monday, Feb. 21.

The next AC4C Quarterly
Work Retreat! March 22-23
Native American PTTC
and Ben Cort

We have a couple amazing trainings and an event scheduled during our retreat this time. Day 1 will be at MCTC with the afternoon training by Sean Bear from the National American Indian and Alaskan Native Prevention Technology Transfer Center out of the University of Iowa. This will be an overview of their services as well as a cultural competency training.

Day 2 will be at the Capitol and Department of Public Safety building. Ben Cort will be presenting to the legislators about marijuana issues that morning at the Capitol before we start our meeting. He will also join our meeting that morning at the DPS building to provide more marijuana prevention strategy training for us! Register for the Retreat HERE.

Here is the 2-day agenda:

Tuesday, March 22, 2022- Hybrid
DAY 1: 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

8:30-9:00 – Registration, coffee, and networking at MCTC or Zoom
9:00-9:30 - Orientation
9:30-10:00 - Introductions
10:00-10:30 - Elections- (See the bottom of the newsletter! We need you!)
10:30-10:45- Break- Networking
10:45-11:00- New staff, assistant(s) and updates
11:00-12:00 – Action Plan approval or other business (sustainability, etc.) and/or Action Team and Workgroup report out 
12:00-1:30 - Lunch Break
1:30-3:45 – Sean Bear and Anne Helene Skinstad, Native PTTC- 2.0 Racial/Ethnic CEUs approved by IBC (with break)
3:45-4:00 – Highlights from the day, preview of tomorrow’s agenda
 
Wednesday, March 23, 2022
 DAY 2: 7:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

7:00-9:00 – Set up, arrive by 7:15 a.m., Legislative Learning Event at the Capitol- Ben Cort speaking at about 7:30 a.m. (Park at DPS before, walk back to the DPS after)
9:30-10:00 – Introductions- hybrid meeting at DPS for the rest of the day
10:00-12:00- Ben Cort address AC4C with more to know (CEUs will be requested)
(Ben Cort is pictured to the right.)
12:00-1:15- Lunch at nearby restaurants
1:15-3:15 - State Partner Sharing
3:15-3:30- Upcoming Events and Wrap Up 

If you need assistance with funding for lodging for the work retreat, please send an email to ia.ac4c@gmail.com .
VISION:

Connected Communities.
Effective Coalitions. 
Healthy Iowans. 

 MISSION:

Unifying Iowans to reduce youth substance misuse
on a state
and community level.
Join an Action Team or Work Group session every month!

Access the action team meetings on Mondays. Login information here
 
Other Substances Action Team
Next meeting- March 7 @ 9:30
Marijuana Action Team
Next meeting- March 14 @ 9:30
Nicotine Action Team 
Next meeting- March 21 @ 9:30

Alcohol Action Team
Next meetings- February 28 @ 9:30
and March 28 @ 9:30
_______________________________

Policy Work Group
 
Chair:  
Co-Chair: 
4th Wednesday at 2:00 pm

Meeting information can be found here
Click here for meeting minutes

Purpose: To collaborate with the community and statewide entities to advocate and educate on substance abuse legislation, policies, and related issues.
_________________________________

Marketing and Communications Work Group (currently meeting with Capacity Work group)

Seeking a new Chair. Let Jennifer or an AC4C Board Member know if you are interested.

Purpose: To build skills and provide resources to members of AC4C 
_________________________________

Capacity Work Group (currently meeting with Marketing & Communications Group)

Chair:
3rd Monday at 2:00 pm

Click here for meeting minutes

Purpose: Create a network of professionals that have a diverse knowledge, experience and interest
2021 AC4C Board
Top row - L to R: Lorelle Mueting- President,
Kristin Frank- VP,
Kris Rankin- Secretary

Bottom row- L to R: Julie Furne-
At Large,
Jackie Preston-
At Large,
Stacie Schroeder- Treasurer

There are four open positions on the Executive Board. If you are interested in being on the Board please let Jennifer or Lorelle know by March 15. We will be having elections on March 22 at the AC4C Quarterly Work Retreat.
AC4C
319-462-4327 x661
ia.ac4c@gmail.com
https://ac4c.org/
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