vernonia prevention coalition
august14
2012
15
The content on this page is provided by the Vernonia Prevention Coalition
Be a Piece of the Puzzle:
By DeAnna Pearl
Drug use, misuse, abuse
and dependence are a prob-
lem that involves communities as much
as it does individual users. The family
unit is impacted by increasing stress,
crime and significant health problems.
Unfortunately, the economic impact to
a community can be just as damaging:
increased property crime, mail theft,
RX theft, personal theft, increased po-
lice presence, emergency call volume,
vandalism, community discord, and de-
creased personal and rental property val-
ues. Fatalities related to drug abuse may
also affect a community with regards to
deaths stemming from violent crimes by
substance abusers and or the overdoses
affecting drug users themselves.
Regrettably, a death of a young
person, by accident or suicide, greatly
impacts their social circle, school envi-
ronment and the many mentors whom
have spent time with them. The com-
munity is left with, guilt, anger, disbe-
lief and questions about fault. Parents
are left to speak to their children about
an unthinkable outcome resulting from a
lapse of judgment. School staff is left
to wonder what they could have done in
class to help the victims’ make differ-
ent choices. Police are left to figure out
what led up to the incidents. Commu-
nity members are left to wonder how this
happened in their town.
Sadly each year, drug abuse and
addiction cost taxpayers nearly $534
billion in preventable health care, law
enforcement, crime, and other costs. Ac-
cording to NIDA (National Institution
on Drug Abuse), the key word in this as-
sessment is “preventable.” The best ap-
proach to reducing the tremendous toll
substance abuse exacts from individuals,
families, and communities is to prevent
the damage before it occurs. Prevention
is the most cost-effective.
Research has demonstrated
that research-based drug abuse preven-
tion programs are cost-effective. Each
dollar invested in prevention achieves
National Suicide
Prevention Lifeline
1-800-273-TALK (8255)
suicidepreventionlifeline.org
Are you feeling desperate, alone or
hopeless? Call the National Suicide
Prevention Lifeline a free, 24-hour
hotline available to anyone in suicidal
crisis or emotional distress. Your call
will be routed to the nearest crisis
center to you.
Veterans Suicide
Prevention Hotline
1-800-273-TALK (8255) Press 1
Collective Impact of Drug Use, Misuse, Abuse & Dependence
a savings of up to $7 in areas such as
substance abuse treatment and criminal
justice system costs, not to mention their
wider impact on the trajectory of young
lives and their families. For the great-
est impact, prevention efforts need to be
focused between 3-8th grade.
Prevention programming is an
important means by which members of
a community can instruct others about
the pitfalls of using drugs. These pro-
grams are designed to reduce risk fac-
tors within a community by encouraging
partnerships: by parents with children,
by policymakers with parents, by educa-
tors with students and even by children
with their peers. Children who belong to
households in which a parent or family
member is dependent on drugs are often
encouraged by these prevention pro-
grams to make informed and indepen-
dent decisions, serving to guard them
against imitating the mistakes of such
adults.
However, this takes a commu-
nity--wide response for long term solu-
tions. Prevention practices have to be
consistent but it comes in many forms
engaging more than just police, city gov-
ernment and schools. Changing the cul-
tural context on substance abuse could
mean having to open an honest discus-
sions with community leaders, parents,
youth, faith based, business owners, civ-
ic organizations, youth serving organiza-
tions, health professionals, etc.
The Executive Office of the
President, Office of National Drug Con-
trol Policy (ONDCP) defines a commu-
nity response to support an environmen-
tal strategy of prevention. This strategy
limits access to substances, changes the
culture and context within which deci-
sions about substances are made and
reduce the prevalence of negative con-
sequences associated with substance
abuse such as but not limited to: Un-
derage Drinking (UAD), DUII, buzzed
and drunk driving, sexual assault, theft,
school dropout, physical abuse, unwant-
ed pregnancy, bullying, gang activity,
suicide, overdose and death.
Want to know what you can do
to help achieve change in our communi-
ty? Here are some proven strategies. You
can start at home. Work small and begin
to network with families you know and
community leaders to keep all of our
Vernonia youth safe and free of alcohol
and drugs.
Seven Strategies to Achieve Community
Change
Gather information – Down load edu-
cational presentations, workshops or
seminars or other presentations of data.
Pick up brochures and pamphlets ad-
dressing issues like teen substance abuse
and prevention.
Enhancing skills – Participate in work-
shops, seminars or other activities de-
signed to increase the skills of parents
and caregivers.
Providing support -- Create opportu-
nities to support people in your network
and community organizations. Encour-
age other parents and families to attend
family friendly events in your commu-
nity.
Enhance access/reducing barriers -
Creating options and opportunities for
our youth to make healthy social choic-
es. Volunteer with community organiza-
tions, churches and outreach facilities to
host safe and healthy out of school ac-
tivities.
Changing consequences (incentives/
disincentives) - Let our youth know the
consequences before they make their
choices. Reward good behavior. Support
and follow through with consequences.
Physical design - Changing the physical
design or structure of your environment.
Limit access to alcohol (and prescrip-
tion drugs) in your home and ask other
families to do the same. Place signage in
parks and public meeting spaces noting
ATOD free ordinances.
Modifying/changing policies - Know
your local laws, school policies and state
laws. Talk to community leaders about
enforcing and strengthening our laws to
help keep kids safe.
Currently neither Columbia
County nor the City of Vernonia, has a
social hosting ordinance to hold land-
lords, home owners or property owners
accountable for gatherings, which attract
minors, when something goes wrong:
ie contributing to a minor, overdose or
death of a child. These types of ordi-
nances are not to deter regular gather-
ings, monitored by responsible adults,
from occurring. But they are to hold
people accountable for gatherings, pri-
vate or public for knowingly contribut-
ing to minors other than their own.
While, it is hard to believe that
an adult would provide a space for a mi-
nor and friends to experiment with drugs
and alcohol, it is not hard to understand
the tragic outcome when it does happen.
Who is responsible? WE ALL ARE if
we do not learn from this all too common
occurrence and hold people accountable:
starting with ourselves.
The Vernonia Prevention Coalition
works with like minded individuals
whom are addressing these and other
issues. Meetings are held on the first
Wednesday of every month at 3pm in the
Vernonia Community Learning Center.
If you are interested in finding out how
you can help, contact DeAnna Pearl at
(503) 369-7370 or email her at DeAn-
na@vernonia-or.gov.
