We are excited to bring you the April 2008 newsletter for the Alliance of Coalitions for Healthy Communities. We're united in preventing and reducing substance abuse, violence and other high risk behaviors and the promotion of healthy communities.
We would also like to welcome all the additional members to the ACHC monthly newsletters. If you missed out on our first newsletter, it will be available on the ACHC website shortly.
What's Happening Now
Positive Youth Connection Challenge
Clarkston, MI hosts the "Positive Youth Connections Challenge," where members in the community are encouraged to spread the word of positive experiences they have had with youths in the local communities. The Clarkston Coalition for Youth is requesting members from the surrounding local communities to share their positive youth experience on their website. Submit your entries here!
Trends
Bill Passed for Tighter Regulations for the Tobacco Industry A bill was approved on Wednesday, April 2nd by the House Energy and Commerce Committee, to grant further control to the Food and Drug Administration over the tobacco industry. If passed the FDA would lower the amount of advertising and marketing, ban flavored cigarettes and prohibit many of the misleading labels that the tobacco industry has been using in recent years. Read More
Smoke Free Michigan
The Campaign for Smokefree Air, sponsored by the American Cancer Society, with help from the Public Sector Consultants has compiled analysis of the economy in numerous other states that have all gone smoke free. The results conclude that Michigan's economy, in particular the restaurant and bar industries, will not sufferer as a result of the new legislation. Read More
Current Research
Teens with Money Drink More
Research has been conducted with teenagers on the amount of alcohol they consume related to the amount of money they have access to. The findings report that, teens with more disposable income coming from their parents are more likely to spend it on drugs and alcohol. Read More
Binge Drinking Continues to Show its Effects, Days Later
There are growing concerns for the brain development in teens that consistently binge drink. Studies have been conducted showcasing the damages to short term memory loss in teens ranging from the ages of 17 to 19 years old. Read More
Prescription Drug Abuse is More Likely by Those Who Abuse Alcohol
Young adults are at a higher risk for abusing both alcohol and prescription drugs simultaneously. Those who abuse alcohol are 18 times more likely to then use prescription drugs in a non-medical fashion. Read More
Coalition Spotlight
Royal Oak Community Coalition
The ROCC is a grass roots 501c3 organization that seeks to reduce substance abuse by strengthening and sustaining a safe and healthy community. The coalition has a 16 year history of successful operations and has grown from a one part time staff person that now includes an infrastructure comprised of:
Three part time staff, two independent consultants, a nine member Executive Board, thirteen member Board of Directors and over 100 volunteers, sponsors and partners that contribute toward the successful accomplishments of the coalition.
The coalition is housed at the Churchill Community Center in Royal Oak. Our office space, small and large meeting rooms are provided by Royal Oak School District for the last 5 years. The City of Royal Oak and the County of Oaklandcontribute toward our operational funds. Memberships and community donations of services and supplies help offset expenses. In 2005, the coalition was awarded a federal grant for 100,000 per year for five years. The goals for this grant are:
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Build the coalition infrastructure and demonstrate efforts being made toward developing long-term sustainability beyond the term of the grant
- Strengthen the capacity of community sectors to address substance abuse prevention issues
- Decrease substance abuse using multiple strategies over multiple sectors.
Smaller grants are periodically submitted for printing and to offset expenses associated with hosting community events, seminars and education. The Coalition is licensed by the State of Michigan Department of Community Health.
The framework used to advance our mission is based on the U.S. Offices of Drug Control Policy's Strategic Prevention Platform, which entails building capacity of our target sectors, assist with planning and implementation of activities and evaluate the process and progress of outcomes.
The mechanism used by coalition is to develop multiple strategies that reach multiple sectors based on increasing protective factors and decreasing high risk factors associated with building healthy families and communities.
The coalition serves to coordinate efforts to address community needs, create opportunities for collaboration and provide technical assistance for the twelve sectors in their prevention efforts.
One of our most powerful prevention initiatives is promoting the Search Institute's 40 developmental assets. These power building blocks are associated with positive youth development. Years of research indicates the more assets a young person has, the less likely they will make destructive decisions.
The vision of the Coalition is to continue to expand efforts that focus on increasing it’s infrastructure and create a service center that offers more assistance to strengthen and sustain a safe and healthy community.
Calendar
- Substance Abuse Treatment and Spirituality Conference - Friday April 18
- Underage Drinking - Town Hall Meetings
- Madison Heights, Saturday, April 26 10:00 a.m. at the Breckenridge Room, Madison Heights Public Library, 240 West 13 Mile Rd, Madison Heights, MI 48071
- Clinton Township, April 22 at Henry Ford High School - Sponsored by the Chippewa Valley Coalition for Youth Families
- Richmond, May 1 at Richmond High School - Sponsored by the Northwest Zero Tolerance Coalition
- Prevention Academy Training - Sponsored by the Alliance of Coalitions for Healthy Communities & Oakland County Health Division/ Office of Substance Abuse
- Dates include:
- Day 4 - April 24 2008
- Day 5 - May, 22 2008
- Promoting a healthy life style 5k walk/run - Saturday April 26
- Physical Challenge Day
- Royal Oak Middle School - April 26
- Call 248.623.4313 for more information
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