March 2024

National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week 2024

National Drug and Alcohol Facts Awareness Week (NDAFW) will be held March 18-24, 2024. NDAFW is an annual, week-long observance that inspires open communication about the science of drug use and addiction among youth. The sharing of accurate facts and data helps the public to be more informed when making choices concerning drug and alcohol use. NIDA and NIAAA have many federal, state, and local partners working together to get the facts about drugs to teens in communities all over America.

Scientists, students, educators, healthcare providers, and community partners come together during NDAFW to address youth drug and alcohol use in communities and nationwide. This unique collaboration is a chance for many to share their diverse perspectives and experiences.

NDAFW has a list of resources for parents, caregivers, and teachers to use when providing youth with information about drugs and alcohol.

Teens can take the National Drug and Alcohol IQ Challenge test to assess their knowledge about youth drug misuse.

Any organization interested in hosting an NDAFW event can register here. Registering with NDAFW will ensure your event is listed on the map, giving it more exposure. Registering with NDAFW will enable your organization to contact NIDA staff for assistance.

How can you promote NDAFW online? Tweet, blog, and update your Facebook status to help spread the word about your NDAFW event if you are hosting one. If not, you can still share information with your family and friends that will inspire dialogue about preventing youth drug and alcohol use.

If you tweet about NDAFW, be sure to use the hashtag #NDAFW.

Prevention First is pleased to amplify the prevention work of NDAFW to build healthy communities and support positive decision-making.

Alcohol and Cancer

National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week is March 18–24, 2024. To celebrate, the APRC would like to share a few facts about alcohol and cancer. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the less alcohol you drink, the lower your risk for cancer. Alcohol is a known carcinogen. The types of cancer associated with alcohol include:

Head and Neck – mouth, throat, and voicebox
Esophagus
Liver
Breast in women
Colorectal

An article published in Chemico-Biological Interactions studied the interaction between alcohol policies and alcohol-attributable cancer mortality in the United States. The authors concluded, “Strengthening alcohol policies is a promising prevention strategy for alcohol-related cancer.” Alcohol policies that can be implemented at the local level include alcohol outlet density regulation and limiting the hours and days of alcohol sales.

The Alcohol Policy Resource Center can assist with analyzing your data, scanning your community, and matching policy/strategy to assessment findings. If you have any questions or need more information, please contact Jody Heavilin.

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism announces content on Kahoot!

In honor of National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week, March 18-24th, test your knowledge about underage drinking with an online quiz, now available from Kahoot! The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has partnered with Kahoot!, an online learning platform, to provide free interactive quizzes and games for educators and learners. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) is excited to have content available in NIH’s Kahoot! quiz collection .

National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is coming up in April!

National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is April 27th. Start preparing now by gaining a better understanding of prescription drug and opioid misuse by taking the Preventing Prescription and Opioid Drug Misuse online self-paced training. During the course, participants will learn about the most commonly misused prescription drugs, including opioids, use rates and trends among U.S. and Illinois teens, factors that contribute to prescription drug and opioid misuse, and effective prevention strategies and applicable resources.

The National Drug Take Back Day aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of medications.

Youth Advisory Board Applications Are Now Available!

Applications for the 2024-2025 YPRC Youth Advisory Board (YAB) are available now! YAB members play an active role in developing resources and identifying solutions to the issues facing their peers. They undergo training and have opportunities to speak with and to various stakeholders that impact our shared work. We will be looking for applicants from each of the 5 IDHS regions across the state. We are looking for a diverse group of youth to serve on our Youth Advisory Board, including youth with different racial identities, socioeconomic status, gender identity and sexuality, and housing status. To ensure a geographically diverse board, acceptance onto the YAB may be limited to only 1 student per high school if the applicant pool is large.

Take a look at the roles and responsibilities of the YAB below. If you know a youth who would be a good fit for the board, please share this application link with them. Please contact us with any questions you may have.

YAB Member Role and Expectations

Term will begin on June 1, 2024, and end on May 31, 2025.
Attend an in-person, 2-day orientation and training retreat in Chicago on June 28-30.
Attend and actively participate in at least 8 of the 11 monthly YAB virtual meetings. (75%)
Assist and advise the YPRC team in developing new resources and program elements as needed.
Advocate for healthy communities and serve as role models for those in your schools and communities.
Partner with other programs at Prevention First as needed.
As a YAB member, the main responsibility will be to remain engaged with and responsive to fellow YAB members and the YPRC team between our monthly meetings.

Are you ready for National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week?

The YPRC, with the direction of our current Student Advisory Board, has created a social media toolkit for coalitions, community groups, and youth groups to use during NDAFW. There are graphics and copy that groups can use to post on their social media channels. The graphics can be downloaded and customized with any group's logo, and custom hashtags can be added to the copy provided.

Click here to download the toolkit and add these posts to any events you’re already planning for National Drug and Alcohol Week!

The YPRC partners with youth leadership groups across Illinois to create and provide personalized training to enhance their programming. We also offer training to increase protective factors for youth, such as Mental Health First Aid for Youth and Adults. To discuss your group’s training needs or to get assistance creating a personalized training presentation, email Bryant Laiche, YPRC Administrator.

Reimagine Youth Development Training, Technical Assistance, and Support (RYD-TTAS)

The Reimagine Public Safety Act (RPSA) promotes and supports collaboration as a part of a comprehensive approach to reducing gun violence. The Reimagine Conveners of Chicago and Greater Illinois Violence Prevention Council Coordinators bring diverse stakeholders, expertise, and resources to address complex issues, promote positive outcomes, and generate lasting impact across Illinois.

Dr. Darrin Hicks, Professor of Communication Studies, Director of Debate, and Affiliate Faculty in Conflict Resolution research on collaboration, focuses on the dimensions of high-quality processes that include inclusion, equity, transparency, and authenticity. This practice is vital when working with groups to guide decision-making and create policies for breaking systemic barriers.

The Prevention First RYD-TTAS Team recently hosted a learning community to enhance coordination and collaboration. Facilitating Collective Strategy Planning and Communicating and Collaborating with Law Enforcement facilitated by subject matter expert Nigel Wrangham enlightened RPSA Providers with ways to engage in strategic planning and establish relationships and rapport with local law enforcement. Look here for these archived webinars later this month.

The Prevention First Reimagine Youth Development TTAS Team provides training and technical assistance for youth development and violence prevention professionals funded by the IDHS Office of Firearm Violence Prevention. For more information, contact us.

Alternatives to Suspension for Cannabis Vaping Recorded Webinar Now Available

Our February 6 webinar with Dr. Bonnie Halpern-Felsher, Stanford REACH Lab, has been posted to our website for viewing.

Vaping has become a significant public health concern, and youth using on-campus challenges schools and communities to create effective policies and response strategies. When intervention is warranted, the use of alternatives to suspension programs has been shown to have a greater effect than removing students from school. This webinar describes the frameworks of alternatives to suspension programs, demonstrates their effectiveness, and displays Stanford REACH’s cannabis vaping alternatives to suspension program, Healthy Futures.

Click here to view the recording.

Leadership Center Harm Reduction ECHO Save the Date!

The Prevention First Leadership Center Harm Reduction ECHO Series Two starts again on April 29th from 10:00 – 11:00 am CST! More information soon! If you’d like to receive information, click here.

Leadership Center Newsletter!

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Together for Youth Summit

The Together For Youth Summit at John A. Logan College in Carterville is on March 26th-27th. The event is focused on issues impacting youth. Day 1 features a keynote speaker and multiple breakout sessions. We will also be showing Screenagers: Under the Influence. Cost is $30. Lunch and CEUs will be provided. Registration is limited to 250 people.

Day 2 is for Youth Mental Health First Aid and is limited to the first 60 people to register. There is no cost for this day. Individuals who want to attend both days must complete both registrations. For more information, contact the Together for Youth Summit.

Mental Health First

Aid at Work

Mental Health First Aid at Work is the newest MHFA training curriculum. It focuses on how to recognize signs and symptoms of mental health challenges in work colleagues and what to do and say to help link them with appropriate professional help. Kate Spade New York has partnered with the National Council on Mental Wellbeing to provide MHFA at Work training to more than 900 store leaders this year. Read the full article here. For a spotlight on Kate Spade New York and MHFA at Work, click here.

Spring is Almost Here!

As the long, cold winter days turn to warm, sunny days, many people feel refreshed and ready to socialize and be outside. However, those with a mood disorder diagnosis or suicidal thoughts may actually experience an increase in symptoms like depressed mood, withdrawal, and thoughts of suicide. According to a 2018 study published by Cho and Lee, symptoms of mania and suicide rates showed an increase in spring. The study focused on understanding how the amount and intensity of sunlight affect the brain. They found that the circadian rhythm (commonly known for regulating sleep) can negatively affect mental health when misaligned. The study’s implications suggest that these spikes in symptoms may be less extreme if specific preventative measures are taken throughout the winter. The researchers suggest that exposure to early morning sunlight throughout the winter months may help regulate mood come spring. To read a more detailed summary of this important research, please click here.

Now is a great time to check in on others who may be experiencing a mental health challenge. If someone you care about seems sadder or more withdrawn than usual, please take the time to check on them and ask about their mental health. Just asking and listening can provide much-needed relief to a friend or loved one. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, call 988 for immediate support from a mental health professional.

Citation:

Cho CH, Lee HJ. Why Do Mania and Suicide Occur Most Often in the Spring? Psychiatry Investig. 2018 Mar;15(3):232-234. doi: 10.30773/pi.2017.12.20. Epub 2018 Mar 16. PMID: 29566464; PMCID: PMC5900367.

Don't Forget: The Southern Illinois Drug Awareness Conference is this month!

Southern Illinois University will host the Southern Illinois Drug Awareness Conference at the SIU Carbondale Student Center March 13-14, 2024. This two-day seminar provides an opportunity to bring local agencies together to discuss the intersectionality of substance misuse, mental health, and homelessness issues that southern Illinois is experiencing. Many community stakeholders will be presenting solutions that are being implemented. Participant, vendor, and sponsor registration forms are available online.

Save the Date! “Connections in Prevention” Conference

Prevention First is excited to announce that we will host the Connections In Prevention Conference!

Join Prevention First September 25-27, 2024, at the Chicago Marriott Naperville for the Connections in Prevention Conference. The agenda will include a pre-conference program, keynotes, workshops, a youth track, and networking opportunities for anyone working across the continuum of care. Programming and registration information will be available soon. Sign up to receive conference updates. We hope to see you there!