
Rx Medication Take Back Day – Saturday, April 28th

This year I’ve had the pleasure of working with the Coalition for a Drug Free Nevada County to create The Outreach Team. Our team consists of amazing young college age adults and high school seniors who are positive role models with a passion for encouraging middle and high school students to make healthy choices. Our team has a schedule each month visiting six middle schools in Nevada County where we combine prevention education and activities in a fun and interactive way. Much of what we present is focused on highlighting that most teens are NOT using drugs and alcohol… dispelling common misperceptions that “everyone’s doing it”. We also share easy real life ways kids can respond to any situation where they are faced with the decision to use alcohol or any other drugs.
It is an amazing thing to experience so many students interested in improving their lives. Each visit the team gets around 50 students who participate and respond to the activities. Not only do they participate, but they do it open-mindedly and with a gigantic smile on their face. The students of Nevada County are absolutely amazing. And along with the students, the staff of each school middle school has been nothing but supportive of our activities. If it weren’t for the staff we wouldn’t be having these activities at lunch. With that being said the Outreach Team would like to give a big shout out to David Figuly; principle of Seven Hills, Teena Corker; principle of Pleasant Valley, Scott Mertz; counselor of Union Hill, Scott Lay; principle of Clear Creek, Chris Roberts; principle of Lyman Gilmore, and Thomas Bivens; principle of Ready Springs for being so supportive with what the team is doing.
The first couple of months of outreach have been a huge success, and we are excited to have the opportunity to continue visiting middle schools this next semester.
If you know anyone who might be interested in joining The Outreach Team please contact me, Shasta Spencer at: Outreach@CoRR.us, or call: 530-273-7956.
Promoting the Positive: Our posters have been displayed at middle schools throughout Western Nevada County
Outreach Locations:
Interested in joining the Team?
Are you an energetic, outgoing, and self-motivated young adult who enjoys being a positive role-model for middle school and high school students?
We are looking for Outreach Team Members interested in empowering youth to create a positive culture among their peers and to make healthy choices. Outreach will combine education that dispels myths and misperceptions around alcohol and other drug use with fun activities and healthy alternatives for youth in the community.
School site visits will be a time to build relationships with youth and inspire them to make a difference!
JOB DUTIES:
Please contact Shasta Spencer, Youth Outreach Coordinator to schedule an interview. (530) 718 – 0332
In March of 2013, the Coalition for a Drug Free Nevada County’s Alcohol Prevention Committee began a collaborative effort with local alcohol retailers and law enforcement to promote awareness and mitigate instances where youth are accessing alcohol with a signage campaign. The realization for this effort came as a result of Coalition participation in ABC and law enforcement operations (Minor Decoys, Shoulder Taps, etc) where it seemed that, while citizens were aware that it was illegal to buy, sell, or provide alcohol to persons under 21, there were no admonishments in alcohol retail establishments that this is a serious offense. Alcohol retail locations throughout the state of California were assessed through Healthy Stores for a Healthy Community surveys and visited by Coalition team members with the optional sign display warning patrons against “buying, selling, or providing alcohol to anyone under the age of 21…” For Healthy Stores data on Nevada County, click HERE.
With the incredible partnerships, willingness of retailers to participate, and support of the community, our Coalition has paved the way for the Truckee FWDD and Coalition for Placer Youth to replicate our template with great success in neighboring communities.
Existing projects between the ABC, local law enforcement, and the Coalition include assemblies addressing the risks and consequences of underage alcohol use and promoting positive messages about healthy choices.
The goal of our local campaign is to have the signage in all establishments throughout Placer County where alcohol is sold.
For additional information, visit www.drugfreenevadacounty.org
or call (530) 273-7956.
The Coalition for a Drug Free Nevada County brings together the collective expertise of the community, families and youth to support a community-wide prevention movement to reduce substance use among Nevada County’s youth.
Publicly held meetings are every other month on the second Wednesday, The Campus ~ 180 Sierra College Drive, Grass Valley, CA 95945 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm.
We, as a community collaborative coalition, welcome individuals from all sectors of the community to share their voice and attend these meetings.
During the holiday season, and year round, it is important that we celebrate safely by not driving under the influence of alcohol or any other drugs. We are all familiar with the terrible consequences of driving under the influence yet an often overlooked and ever growing issue, especially in teens and young adults, is the issue of drugged driving. Drugs, even those prescribed by a physician, can impair perception, judgment, motor skills, and memory.
New and young drivers are the most at-risk for crashes on the roads and are at risk for the most harmful effects of drug use. As teens take to the roads, parents can take action by talking about the dangers of drunk, drugged, and distracted driving. It’s important that our youngest drivers learn how to drive safely and make healthy choices.
“According to the data, 30% of all DUI arrests result in a finding of no alcohol, but, instead, the presence of pharmaceuticals. Only 10% of DUI arrests are alcohol-only events. This is a staggering number on the national level. Worse yet is the fact that law enforcement does not have the ability to confirm specific substances other than alcohol from the field without a blood or urine draw followed by an extended forensic process. Field tests and training are our best resource for the time being.” – Lincoln Police Chief, Rex Marks
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Holiday Treat: Join us in creating awareness about drinking responsibly and encourage hosts to offer delicious, non-alcoholic beverages to their guests. For adults, this is great way to model responsibility and demonstrate to youth that drinking alcohol is not necessary to have a good time. We know that this helps keep our streets safer through the Holidays.
The Holidays are the perfect time to introduce friends and family to the concept of Mocktails – visually appealing, non-alcoholic and delicious beverages to serve at parties, and to order while you are out on the town.
Click HERE for a list of recipes
Holiday Treat: CoRR, a Coalition partner, will be sponsoring Safe Taxi on New Year’s Eve again! Now in its fourth year of service, Safe Ride New Year’s Eve, is a joint effort between CoRR and Gold Country Cab & Courier to aid in the effort to reduce the number of impaired drivers on the roadways after celebrations.
Community Recovery Resources is teaming up with the owners of Gold Country Cab & Courier for the third year for Safe Taxi on New Year’s Eve sober cab rides. Looking back at the last 3 years, more than 150 local residents received free rides home to ensure a safe transport from their New Year’s celebrations. This year, we hope to see even more community members celebrating responsibly and not drinking and driving.
Holiday Tips
Mocktail Recipes
A Holiday Message from CoRR
DrugFreeNevadaCounty.org
CoRR.us
NHTSA.gov/impaired
To all of our volunteers, Parents, Youth and Community Allies…We are grateful to YOU! Thank you for taking the time to be involved this past year on behalf of young people in our community. You have emailed, surveyed, collected Rx medications for safe disposal, volunteered to staff booths, provided education, designed posters, attended meetings, trainings and focus groups, donated items, time or space, written opinion pieces for the paper that highlights that most youth in our community are making really great choices to NOT use alcohol or other drugs, and you join us in our vision that young people in our will be free of alcohol and other drug use, have a positive vision of their future and grow up to be healthy, productive and civic-minded adults.
Looking back at a year in prevention…
Here are some highlights in 2014:
If you’re a parent of middle or high school age students, then this free seminar for parents who want to intentionally raise their children for success is for you!
Parent U offers free registration, childcare, light morning refreshments, and lunch. Workshops are designed to empower parents with information, skills and resources.
Workshops are presented by incredible speakers such as Detective Zack LaFerriere (GVPD); Mental health and substance abuse professionals, Ginny Cutler, CPCC, LMFT (CoRR) and Rebecca Slade, LMFT (NCBH); educational and career professionals including Dean Stephanie Ortiz (Sierra College, Nicola Murphy (One Stop), Principal Thomas Bivens, and Rose Murphy (NJUHSD); national entertainer Barry Friedman; and featuring a Keynote address delivered by renowned author and nationally recognized professional speaker, Rick Pierce.
Space is limited, please REGISTER today at www.corr.us/parentu
Download flyer HERE.
On Saturday, September 27th , Grass Valley Police Department and the Nevada County Sheriff’s Department, partner with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Coalition for a Drug Free Nevada County in a nationwide prescription drug “Take-Back” day. This program allows members of the public to drop off potentially dangerous, expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs for safe disposal and destruction at the Corner of Neal and South Auburn in downtown Grass Valley.
This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Monitoring, securing and safely disposing of medications can prevent the abuse of prescription drugs and protect our environment. Many people are not aware that medicines that languish in homes are susceptible to misuse and abuse. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet.
In an effort to prevent unnecessary contamination of our ground water, we ask community members to refrain from flushing their prescription medications down the toilet. A 2008 study by the Associated Press found traces of pharmaceuticals in tap water across the U.S. and evidence suggest this water pollution may also have negative affects on wildlife.
DROP OFF LOCATIONS:
WHEN: Saturday, September 27th, 2014 10:00 am to 2:00 pm
For more information on Permanent Safe Disposal Sites, please visit: www.drugfreenevadacounty.org
Contact Information:
Shelley Rogers, Coalition Coordinator: shelley@drugfreenevadacounty.org 530-273-7956
Lt. Alex Gammelgard, Grass Valley Police Department: agammelgard@gvpd.net 530-477-6400
Coalition partners, the Nevada County Sheriff’s Department and The Outreach Team are continuing collaboration with a series of interactive school presentations about underage drinking consequences, reasons to choose a drug and alcohol free lifestyle and highlighting the positive choices youth are making today. With the help of ABC funding, the Sheriff’s Department is focusing on education, prevention and compliance enforcement to reduce youth access to alcohol and underage drinking. The funding also allows them a unique opportunity to collaborate with the Coalition in outreach and education presentations for local students.
The students of Grizzly Hill School on the North San Juan Ridge received a morning surprise after breakfast from guest speakers and a musical performance. The morning’s presentation began with local youth singer/songwriter, Sierra Skye who performed acoustic and vocals for the students. Sierra introduced Nevada County Sheriff’s, Corporal Brandon Corchero and Deputy Micah Arbaugh who presented information about the value of making healthy choices to choose not to use alcohol.
After the informative presentation by NCSO, Outreach Team members Shasta Spencer and Melissa Kelley, highlighted the positive choices youth are making including current California Healthy Kids Survey data showing that 90% of Nevada County middle school students did not use alcohol over the 30 day period prior to the self-reporting survey. The Outreach Team, currently recruiting new Team members to participate in activities hosted at local middle schools focused on positive messages for our community, engaged the Grizzly Hill students with an interactive balloon activity as well as education on the great choices Nevada County youth are committed to making.
NSJ Family Resource Center (FRC) advocate, Diana Pasquini promoted the vast array of services provided at the FRC and introduced special guest, Kuk Sool Won martial artist, Tony Reyna, for an interactive demonstration with the students. Mr. Reyna, who will be volunteering classes for local residents at the North San Juan Community Center, has been training in the Korean martial art, Kuk Sool Won for more than 30 years and “firmly believes that the etiquette, patience, self-discipline, and perseverance that are developed through martial arts training will help all Kuk Sool students in their daily lives. The positive environment of Gold Country Kuk Sool Won affects every student that trains there”. Reyna shared his personal life experience while promoting the massage that making positive choices can open doors to successful futures.
Musical guest, Sierra Skye, closed the presentation with a song she wrote, “Safety”, which spoke to her personal life experience.
The Coalition for a Drug Free Nevada County brings together the collective expertise of the community, families and youth to support a community-wide prevention movement to reduce substance use among Nevada County’s youth. The public is welcome to attend the bi-monthly community forum meetings. MEETING SCHEDULE
The Coalition would like to thank all who made this presentation possible including:
We are looking for Outreach Team Members interested in empowering youth to create a positive culture among their peers and to make healthy choices. Outreach will combine education that dispels myths and misperceptions around alcohol and other drug use with fun activities and healthy alternatives for youth in the community.
School site visits will be a time to build relationships with youth and inspire them to make a difference!
JOB DUTIES:
Outreach Locations:
Please contact Shasta Spencer, Youth Outreach Coordinator to schedule an interview. (530) 718 – 0332
This position is paid for through a monthly stipend by the Coalition for a Drug Free Nevada County.