Sharon Boyd, CYC Director Mandy Alexander, CYC Project Coordinator 4/30/2019

1. Bridging the Gap Between Prevention and Treatment of Opioid and Substance Misuse:Lessons Learned from Coolidge Youth Coalition, a Drug-Free Communities Program Sharon Boyd, CYC Director Mandy Alexander, CYC Project Coordinator 4/30/2019

2. Working with communities to address the opioid crisis • SAMHSA’s State Targeted Response Technical Assistance (STR-TA) Consortium assists STR grantees and other organizations, by providing the resources and technical assistance needed to address the opioid crisis. • Technical assistance is available to support the evidence-based prevention, treatment, and recovery of opioid use disorders.

3. Working with communities to address the opioid crisis • The STR-TA Consortium provides local, experienced consultants to communities and organizations to help address the opioid public health crisis. • The STR-TA Consortium accepts requests for education and training resources. • Each state/territory has a designated team, led by a regional Technology Transfer Specialist (TTS) who is an expert in implementing evidence-based practices.

4. Contact the STR-TA Consortium • To ask questions or submit a technical assistance request: • Visit www.opioidresponsenetwork.org • Email str-ta@aaap.org • Call 401-270-5900

5. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Funding for this initiative was made possible (in part) by grant no. 6H79TI080816 from SAMHSA. The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services; nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

6. Coolidge Youth Coalition: Best Practices for Prevention and Coalition Work • Coolidge Youth Coalition (CYC) is a long-standing 501(c)(3) charitable organization whose mission and vision is to prevent substance misuse among youth and to promote a safe, healthy and drug-free community for all of our families in Coolidge. • As a Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Coalition with me, Sharon Boyd, as Director and Mandy Alexander as Project Coordinator, we are tasked with reducing substance misuse among youth and establishing and strengthening collaborations among our key stakeholders, such as healthcare professionals like you, to work towards a common goal of keeping our communities safe and drug free.

7. What Is A Coalition And How Do They Work? • A coalition is defined as a formal arrangement for collaboration among groups or sectors of a community in which each group retains its identity but all agree to work together toward a common goal. Effective coalitions, as we will learn in this webinar, • engage in collaborative problem solving and community development; • have deep connections to the local community and • are seen as a catalyst or “change agent” in mobilizing and transforming our local communities to change the way we respond to threats such as the opioid addiction crisis. (CADCA Primer)

8. Coalition's Work to Fight Opioid Epidemic • This is the good news. The National Institute on Drug Abuse is reporting that teen’s use of most illegal drugs is at an all-time low. • Pinal County is showing that same trend. Pinal teen’s use of opioids, alcohol and tobacco (excluding vaping) is at an historic low. Past 30-day use of Rx Pain Pills has gone down in Grades 8, 10 and 12 since 2014, with the highest percent of past 30-day use at 5.8 for 8th graders.1 • In 2017, 3,048 youths (age 15-24) died of Heroin and illicit opioids overdose, while an additional 1,031 died of prescription drug overdose. 2 • In 2018, Pinal County had 149 overdose deaths (County Health Rankings) AYS 2018 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. Underlying Cause of Death 1999-2017 on CDC WONDER Online Database, T40.1-4, released 2018. Available at http://wonder.cdc.gov.

9. How CYC Is Addressing The Opioid Threat: • What is it? Rx opioids: Oxycodone, hydrocodone, morphine, methadone, hydromorphone, fentanyl and codeine. • Illicit Opioids: Heroin • Death Toll in AZ: In Arizona, heroin deaths are up 600% in the past 10 years (HIDTA AZ) • In 2018, there were 1,375 suspected Opioid deaths in Arizona1 1. AZ Dept. of Health Svc, 2018 Opioid Response Report

11. How CYC addresses opioid epidemic & who’s at risk • CYC is educating our community through infographics/ door hangers, social media • Rx 360 Curricula for students and adults on using the RX Drug Dump Box at the Coolidge Police Department for any unused/expired medication; asking parents/caregivers not to store pain medication in the open. In 2018, 381 pounds of pills were collected. • Most of our kids are getting their opioids on the “friends and family” plan. Our teens report obtaining pills from friends, parties and at home.

12. Collaboration is Key • We are working with our first responders in Coolidge making sure that all of our police, fire and EMTs are equipped with Naloxone, which reverses opioid overdoses. • Collaborate with the University of Arizona, where qualified people can receive free Naloxone administration training. • We work with our PD School Resource Officers on trainings for adults and students. Resource Officer Mandi Childers uses Naloxone 2-3 times a week in Coolidge.

13. Partnerships Work • Pharmacists from SAMs Club have trained Coolidge Teachers and stakeholders on the symptoms of Opioid Use Disorder • SAMs pharmacists have trained our community on alternative solutions for pain such as healthy eating, yoga, mindfulness, biofeedback and exercise to combat chronic pain

14. Healthcare Providers On Board • CYC partners with the AZ Criminal Justice Commission to inform pharmacists and health care providers about the mandatory use of the Controlled Substances Prescription Monitoring Program, a database that tracks controlled substance prescriptions in the state. • PMPs can provide health authorities timely information about prescribing and patient behaviors that contribute to the epidemic.

15. The Importance of Youth Leaders in Substance Abuse Prevention • DFC (Drug Free Communities) coalitions must include a member/representative from each of these 12 community sectors. • Bringing young people to the table and having them be a part of the solution is imperative to create community-level change

16. CYC Changing Attitudes • The Coolidge Youth Coalition offers programs and trainings for young people, teaching them how to effectively make a difference in their communities, whether it be with prevention work, leadership skills or other forms of character building. These changes can include decreased levels of favorable attitudes and norms toward the substance, and, of course, decreased use and abuse of the substance.

17. CYC Youth Programming Initiatives: Education, Awareness, Action • Allowing youth to have a voice in the decisions made is key to the success of the programs. CYC provides youth training opportunities on leadership and substance use prevention strategies so they have the skills to develop youth-led prevention activities.

18. CYC Youth Initiatives: Education • Prevention in the Schools • CYC partners with Coolidge PD School Resource Officer to educate Middle & High School Youth on risks/consequences of Rx Prescription Pills, Opioids, Marijuana, Alcohol • Youth Empowerment Partners • Youth Empowerment Partners focuses on providing young people with the knowledge and the tools that will encourage them to make healthy choices and find resiliency in the face of modern-day challenges. • Youth-led leadership training offering prevention education on Bullying, Domestic Violence, Substance Abuse & Mental Health Concerns, as well as other adverse childhood experiences & challenges faced by young people. CYC, Pinal County Attorney, School Superintendents, Behavioral Health Partners come together to provide education and resources for youth people in Pinal county.

19. CYC Youth Initiatives: Education • Social Media • PSAs – Drugged Driving, Texting and Driving, • Save A Life – Stop Underage Drinking – Binge Drinking, Underage Drinking and Driving • Teen Law School • Teach teens what they need to know about the local, state and federal laws that govern them. Our trained professionals and local attorneys help teens understand the penalties and the real life consequences of breaking the law, plus the basic principles of legal rights protection

20. CYC Youth Initatives: Awareness • Town Halls • Town Halls serve as a gathering place for members of the community to come together and talk about issues they find important with the ultimate goal of working together for solutions. • CYC recommends including at least 1 young person on the Panel. • Social Norm Campaigns – Go Green, Don’t let Drugs Pollute Your Life • Youth-led Skits – “I’m only 17” Prevention performance act

21. CYC Youth In Action • Job Shadowing Program • Safe and Sober Grad Night Lock-In Event • Grad Night events are organized by committed groups of parents/coalitions joining together with the support of the community to give their high school graduates a safe, sober, and spectacular graduation celebration. Grad Nights build a community connectedness among graduates and members of the community as they work together to put on this drug-free event on potentially the most dangerous night of their lives. • Green Zone Anti Bullying Program • Reward program/incentives for good behavior/positive reinforcement

22. CYC Youth In Action • Sticker Shock • A Sticker Shock Campaign is a project where the community, youth and alcohol retailers all work together to reduce minors’ access to alcohol • Beatification Projects/ Clean Up • A visually appealing community increases property values, attracts businesses, and improves the neighborhood's image. Beauty is one of the three most influential factors in community attachment, which means loyalty, to your particular town or city. Some research even shows that a nice-looking neighborhood promotes good behavior. • CYC Community Gardens • Promoting Nutrition & Healthy Lifestyle Choices

23. CYC Youth Promote Kindness • Kindness Rocks/Murals & Mindfulness • Reasons our kids in Coolidge gave for using substances over the last 30 days: Deal with stress, keep from feeling sad, lose weight. • CYC started a Leadership Club for 7th and 8th graders to enhance leadership skills and teach young people to become ambassadors in their school and community. • CYC is “going younger” with our prevention message.

24. Prevention Works • “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” ~ Benjamin Franklin • Prevention shapes the world around youth. • Even the student who simply says, “No thanks, I’m good” when offered a prescription pill, is an example of prevention working. When they don’t drink at a party because they have a game the next day, that is prevention working.

25. Resources • Pinal County: • Pinal Hispanic Council • Casa Grande Banner Medical Center • Sunlife Family Health Center • Statewide: • Arizona Department of Health Services • Arizona Governor's Office Youth Faith & Family • Arizona High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area • National: • Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration • National Institute on Drug Abuse • National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

26. Tools for Preventing Opioid Use Disorder - trifold (front)

27. Tools for Preventing Opioid Use Disorder - trifold (back)

28. Thank you! • Thank you for your time & allowing us to help bridge the gap between prevention and treatment.