Healthy Acadia, Partnerships for Success Plan September 23 Prevention Day
For immediate release please
Date: September 9, 2020
Program Contact: Sara McConnell, sara@healthyacadia.org, (207) 255-3741 Ext.
Media Contact: Tracey Carlson, tracey@healthyacadia.org, (207) 667-7171 Ext. 112
Healthy Acadia, Partnerships for Success Plan September 23 Prevention Day
Healthy Acadia is thrilled to announce its Downeast Partnerships for Success (PFS) First Annual Prevention Day. The inaugural event, celebrating the completion of year one of a five-year, Partnerships for Success initiative funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), will be held virtually on Wednesday, September 23, 2020, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and feature learning sessions for both youth and adults.
The Partnerships for Success initiative is a federally funded and nationwide effort to prevent youth substance use that focuses on expanding community-driven, collective efforts to prevent substance use and promote the health and well-being of youth aged 9 to 20. The Prevention Day event is being coordinated by Healthy Acadia’s Downeast Partnerships for Success Project Coordinator Sara McConnell. “We are thrilled to take time on the afternoon of Wednesday, September 23rd to provide educational sessions for the community,” said McConnell, “as well as have an opportunity for this year's grantees to connect, talk, and collaborate about current projects and possible future projects.”
Healthy Acadia and Project partners have implemented multiple strategies using the evidence-based Icelandic Model for Youth Substance Prevention and tailored to the needs, challenges, and opportunities in rural Downeast Maine, to increase protective factors and decrease risk factors associated with youth substance use, specifically alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana. Prevention Day 2020 will focus on virtual educational sessions for youth and adults. Participants can choose to attend one session or as many that will fit in their schedule.
Breakout Sessions will include:
Restorative Practices. This workshop will focus on the restorative practices of curiosity, community, and root causes and how to incorporate them into work, school, and home environments, with the goal of restoring relationships with the school community, children, and young adults.
ENDS - Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems, aka VAPES. Learn what ENDS devices are, their chemical content, the flavors, the brands, big business target marketing, and the increase in usage of these devices among our nation's youth.
Drug Impairment Detection. Explore the latest student survey data, risk and protective factors for student substance use, and the impact of substance use on the developing adolescent brain. This session will empower individuals to have a general awareness of the signs and symptoms of impairment.
Sidekicks. Youth interested in learning how to talk with peers about tobacco use and vaping will be introduced to the Sidekicks program and gain knowledge to take back to their school or group to decide if they would like to have Healthy Acadia present the fuller curriculum to their audience.
Goal Setting. This session helps participants form a better understanding of strategies for effectively setting goals and offers a common language so youth can coach others to effectively set and reach their goals, too.
Register online at https://forms.gle/1VHWxxoN7ya1gJvV9.
Requests for funding proposals for year two of the Downeast Partnerships for Success project mini-grants will be sought beginning in October. Schools and youth-serving programs interested in collaborating with Healthy Acadia to provide more opportunities and activities for youth in Hancock and Washington counties are encouraged to apply. Applications will be available on Healthy Acadia’s website, www.HealthyAcadia.org, in early October for schools or youth-serving programs interested in applying for a mini-grant for the 2020-21 academic year.
For more information about Prevention Day and Downeast Partnerships for Success, contact Sara McConnell at Sara@HealthyAcadia.org.
Healthy Acadia is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that engages in a broad range of initiatives to build healthier communities and make it easier for people to lead healthy lives across Washington and Hancock counties, Maine. Learn more at www.HealthyAcadia.org.