Spring 2023 Newsletter

Welcome to the 2023 Spring Edition of Prevention in Putnam, our quarterly newsletter. Please share with your colleagues, friends and family. We know you are inundated with information, however we hope our newsletter provides you with reliable and helpful tools and resources regarding substance use, preventing and reducing harm as well as youth problem gambling prevention that you will find useful.

Best wishes for a healthy and spring season!

Be well.

Yours in Prevention,

Kristin McConnell

About

Resources

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April Alcohol Awareness Month

Alcohol Awareness Month is a public health program organized by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence as a way of increasing outreach and education regarding the dangers of alcoholism and issues related to alcohol. The program was started in April 1987 with the intention of targeting college-aged students who might be drinking too much as part of their newfound freedom. It has since become a national movement to draw more attention to the causes and effects of alcoholism as well as how to help families and communities deal with drinking problems.

Catch My Breath

On February 23^rd and 24^th 2023, the Prevention Council of Putnam partnered with Carmel Central School District to provide vaping prevention education to George Fischer Middle School students utilizing the CATCH My Breath curriculum. CATCH My Breath is an evidenced based youth nicotine vaping prevention program for grades 5-12 that has been proven to substantially reduce students’ likelihood of vaping. The program was presented to 837 students over the two days. We look forward to our continued partnership with the Carmel schools to prevent and reduce youth vaping.

Watch video: https://youtu.be/Jj7mT1Bs9mA

Ride Health

The Prevention Council of Putnam is working with Coordinated Behavioral Health Services (CBHS) in collaboration with Ride Health, to provide transportation to individuals in the Mid-Hudson Valley who are receiving services in the behavioral health system and in need of transportation. The platform has been reported as being extremely user friendly.

The transportation service can cover multiple uses, including but not limited to court, grocery store, hospital discharge, benefit appointments, probation, etc.

NOTE: If an individual is eligible for Medicaid transportation and that service is available (i.e. medical transportation), this service should not be utilized.

Please call Victoria at 845-225-4646

Visit their website for more information.

Volunteers Needed

The Prevention Council of Putnam is looking for volunteers to help us complete a Putnam County-wide Community Scan. To sign up please select one of the links below or email Lauren Johnson at [email protected] for more information.

Brewster: 4/19 1-4pm Link to Register

Putnam Valley: 5/3 9-12pm Link to Register

Carmel: 5/4 9-12pm Link to Register

Cold Spring/Philipstown: TENTATIVE 5/10 1-4pm Link TBD

Mahopac: 5/11 11-2pm Link to Register

Medication Take Back Coming April 29, 2023.

Putnam County’s Medication Take Back Day will be on April 29, 2023 this spring.

Syringes, lancets and sharps will be accepted.

Medication Take Back

Fentanyl Test Strips Available

Fentanyl Test Strips: Fentanyl test strip allow individuals to test any substance they are using for the presence of fentanyl. Fentanyl is a potent synthetic opioid responsible for tens of thousands of overdose deaths in 2022. To get a free Fentanyl Test Strip Kit, please contact the Prevention Council.

Visit Our Website

Have you met our wonderful team.

From left to right - Lucy Guarino - Office Manager, Lauren Johnson - Community Engagement Facilitator, Sheila Hanley - Coalition Coordinator, Victoria Metz - Certified Recovery Peer Advocate, and our leader, Kristin McConnell - Executive Director.

About Us

Naloxone Training

Naloxone, also known by its brand name Narcan, is a medication that can reverse an opioid overdose. The New York State Department of Health has designated sites as Opioid Overdose Prevention Providers (OOPPs) which allows these sites to provide naloxone trainings and kits at no cost to recipients. The Prevention Council of Putnam (PCP) is a designated OOPPs provider and has been providing naloxone trainings to Putnam residents, organizations, schools, police departments, etc. In addition, PCP has furnished 149 naloxone boxes across Putnam County thanks to our HEALing Communities Study (HCS) grant, which allow for public access of naloxone in identified high risk areas.

If you are interested in receiving a free naloxone training and kit, please visit our website to submit a request.

Naloxone Training

Victim Impact Panel

The Putnam County Victim Impact Panel (VIP) Program is a collaboration between The Prevention Council of Putnam, Putnam County Probation Department and Putnam County STOP DWI. The program provides bi-monthly forums on the consequences of drunk driving from people whose lives have been impacted by a drunk driver. Other panel members include people in

The VIP is still being held virtually. To register please click link below.

Victim Impact Panel

The Prevention Council of Putnam

67 Gleneida Avenue

Carmel, New York 10512

Phone: 845-225-4646

Email - [email protected]