Prevention WV

Financial Fitness in 2012

2012-01-18T11:17:00.000-05:00

Some of the most common New Year’s resolutions involve money. Reducing debt, increasing savings, and investing smarter are often at the top of our lists. On the current edition of Prevention West Virginia, Patricia Scott from the Kanawha Institute for Social Research and Action shares advice on saving, borrowing, and investing. Additional information about Prevention WV, including show times and locations, is available at http://www.prevnet.org/preventionwvTV/default.aspx.

January 2012 Health Observances

2012-01-03T06:58:00.004-05:00

•Cervical Health Awareness Month
•National Birth Defects Prevention Month
•National Glaucoma Awareness Month
•National Radon Action Month
•National Stalking Awareness Month
•Thyroid Awareness Month
•National Folic Acid Awareness Week (Jan 8-14)

Sources: National Health Information Center, Wellness Council of America

Early Intervention Program Reduces Youth Substance Abuse in WV

2011-12-08T10:58:00.001-05:00

A pilot program in Logan and Mercer counties is cutting down on youth substance abuse in the Mountain State. WV’s Substance Abuse Early Intervention Program (EIP) targets youth ages 12-18 who have just begun to use alcohol, tobacco, or other substances and/or are engaging in delinquent behavior often associated with substance use.

Since its inception in 2010, 65 youth have completed the program, which enhances accurate understanding of the risks of alcohol, tobacco, & other drug (ATOD) use and develops ATOD refusal skills. The program also provides an alternative option for youth who may be on their way into the juvenile justice system.

“WV’s Early Intervention Program is appropriate for youth who fall BETWEEN the stages of needing primary prevention services and those who need actual substance abuse treatment,” says Jamie Albert, WV EIP Statewide Coordinator. “Youth in need of counseling, therapy or other treatment services are NOT appropriate candidates for the EIP.”

Youth are referred to the local programs by the WV Department of Health & Human Resources (WV DHHR), school personnel, the court system, and parents. EIP Specialists conduct a screening assessment with referred youth to confirm eligibility to participate. Youth who opt to participate and their parents attend separate two-hour orientation sessions. Youth then experience a 12 hour evidence-based prevention education course. Classes are usually six two-hour sessions over a two week period. The curriculum addresses the consequences of substance use and decision making skills. A parenting and wellness workshop is also available to parents.

WV’s EIP is based on a similar statewide initiative in Kentucky, which has proven to prevent teen substance use. A recent evaluation report on the pilot programs in Logan and Mercer counties confirms increased risk perceptions of substance abuse, increased disapproval substance abuse, and decreased intentions to further
use drugs. The report is available at http://www.prevnet.org/earlyintervention/default.aspx.

WV’s EIP is funded by Drug Free WV grants (Purdue Pharma Asset Forfeiture Funds) and a federal Projects of Regional and National Significance grant. The program is administered by the WV Prevention Resource Center, an affiliate of Marshall University. Local contractors facilitate the EIP at the county level.

December Health Observances

2011-12-01T09:31:00.002-05:00

World AIDS Day (December 1)
WV Division of STD, HIV, Hepatitis
www.dhhr.wv.gov/oeps/std-hiv-hep/Pages/default.aspx

National Handwashing Awareness Week (December 4-10)

Safe Toys & Gifts Month

National Drunk and Drugged Driving (3D) Prevention Month

Stay safe this holiday season.
•Designate a sober driver before celebrations begin.
•Never serve those under the age of 21 alcohol.
•Plan safe parties, including providing non-alcoholic drink options to guests and not serving alcohol the last hour of the gathering.
•Be prepared to get everyone home safe in case your plans or individual circumstances change.

Sources: National Health Information Center; Wellness Council of America; Mothers Against Drunk Driving

Building Communities Through Green & Sustainable Jobs

2011-11-29T09:06:00.000-05:00

Currently on Prevention WV...

Going green isn’t JUST about recycling plastic bottles and newspaper. Green initiatives also mean community development, because they strive to improve community well-being. Sarah Halstead Boland joins me on the current edition of Prevention West Virginia to discuss West Virginia GreenWorks an organization that strives to create sustainable green jobs in local communities.

Additional information about Prevention WV, including show times and locations, is available at http://www.prevnet.org/preventionwvTV/default.aspx.

RX Abuse Prevention Strategies Workshop Dec 14

2011-11-28T15:00:00.001-05:00

The Northern WV Rural Health Education Center is sponsoring an RX Abuse Prevention Strategies Workshop December 14th @ Glenville State College.

This FREE workshop is intended for medical professionals (physicians, nurses, pharmacists); social workers; counselors; law enforcement; addiction & prevention professionals in BRAXTON, CALHOUN, GILMER, LEWIS & WIRT counties. Continuing education units will be available. There will be a nominal fee for some types of CEUs.

Please use the link below to view and/or print an 11x17 information flyer, which includes a detailed agenda, presenter info, and additional CEU details.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/18051075/2011-12-RX_Prevention_Glenville.pdf

To confirm your eligibility to attend and to register, please contact
Donna Steigleder
304.462.6292
donna.steigleder@nwvrhec.org

This workshop may be offered at additional locations this spring. Please call Jo Beyer @ 304.766.6301 ext 21 for additional information.

Health Observances in November 2011 & WV Resources

2011-11-01T10:05:00.003-04:00

•American Diabetes Month & World Diabetes Day (Nov 14)
WV Diabetes Prevention & Control Program

•Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Awareness Month & World COPD Day (Nov 16)
COPD Includes Chronic Bronchitis, Emphysema and Asthma

•Lung & Stomach Cancer Awareness Month
WV Comprehensive Cancer Program

•National Family Caregivers Month
WV Caregivers

•American Healthy Skin Month

•National Hospice Palliative Care Month

•Prematurity Awareness Month
March of Dimes WV Chapter

•Great American Smokeout (Nov 17)
WV Div. of Tobacco Prevention

•International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (Nov 25)
WV Coalition Against Domestic Violence

WV Wellness and Prevention Event Calendar
available @ www.PrevNET.org
Please send relevant event information to michele.burnside@marshall.edu.

WV Wellness and Prevention County Coalition Contact Information
available @ www.PrevNET.org
Please send relevant event information to michele.burnside@marshall.edu.

Take Care WV RX Abuse Prevention Campaign Website
available @ www.takecarewv.org
It is dangerous and illegal to share prescription medications with family and friends.

Sources: National Health Information Center, Wellness Council of America

RX Take Back Saturday, October 29th Across WV

2011-10-28T10:55:00.002-04:00

Keep your family, friends, and community safe by properly disposing of unused, unwanted and expired medication. RX Take Back locations will be available Saturday, October 29 from 10 am to 2 pm across West Virginia and the U.S.

Visit the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s website to find a location near you.

Remember, it is dangerous and illegal to share prescription medication. Learn more and find resources at the Take Care WV RX Prevention Campaign Website.

Currently on Prevention WV

2011-10-21T11:36:00.005-04:00

Substance abuse costs West Virginia more than $1.5 billion dollars every year. On the current edition of Prevention WV, Dr. Yetty Shobo of the WV Prevention Resource Center highlights the financial impact of substance abuse on the Mountain State.

The WVPRC’s cost of substance abuse reports are all available online at http://www.prevnet.org/Funding%20Study/reports.htm.

Additional information about Prevention WV, including show times and locations, is available at http://www.prevnet.org/preventionwvTV/default.aspx.

RX Take Back Oct 29

2011-10-14T11:48:00.003-04:00

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is once again coordinating a National RX Take Back Initiative. It is Saturday, October 29th from 10 am – 2 pm. The DEA's website includes a searchable database of take back locations (there are many locations in WV) and materials for planning and marketing a take back event at the local level.

WV’s Take Care RX Prevention Campaign website (http://www.takecarewv.org) also has many resources that can complement RX take back initiatives. Consider, for example, printing some of the various “Please don’t share RX drugs.” or “Proper RX Disposal” flyers to handout at your local event.

October Health Observances

2011-10-05T14:09:00.003-04:00

--American Pharmacist Month
--Breast Cancer Awareness Month
--Disability Employment Awareness Month
--Domestic Violence Awareness Month
--Down Syndrome Awareness Month
--Eye Injury Prevention & Home Eye Safety Month
--Lupus Awareness Month
--Physical Therapy Month
--Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Awareness Month

Oct 10: National Depression Screening Day
Oct 10: World Mental Health Day
Oct 9-15: Fire Prevention Week
Oct 9-15: WV Anti-Bullying Week
Oct 12-20: Bone/Joint Decade National Action Week
Oct 21: Mammography Day
Oct 23-31: Red Ribbon Week
Oct 26: Lung Health Day
Oct 31-Nov 6: National Drug Facts Week

Sources: National Health Information Center, American Institute of Preventative Medicine, Holiday Insights.com

Substance Abuse Costs WV’s Criminal Justice System More Than $429 Million

2011-09-21T11:33:00.000-04:00

According to the latest report from the WV Prevention Resource Center (WVPRC), the financial impact of drug and alcohol abuse on West Virginia’s criminal justice system was $429,771,027 in 2010. This is more than a $50 million increase since 2009. The report projects costs could rise to more than $695 million by 2017.

The Financial Burden of Substance Abuse in West Virginia: The Criminal Justice System, Series 2 is an updated, continuation of a series of reports that examine the cost of substance abuse on West Virginia’s criminal justice, healthcare, education, welfare and workforce systems. This report focuses on eight sectors of the criminal justice system – the Public Defender Program, Prosecuting Attorneys Institute, Parole Board, Law Enforcement, Judicial System, Division of Juvenile Services, Division of Corrections, and Regional Jail Authority.

“More than half of the budgets of most WV criminal justice agencies go toward substance abuserelated crimes,” said Yetty Shobo, WVPRC Evaluation Specialist and author of the report. Shobo can be reached at 501.310.8593.

The cost of substance abuse report series is available at www.PrevNET.org. The current report was funded through a federal Projects of Regional and National Significance Grant from the U.S. Center for Substance Abuse Prevention.

Complete Report
News Release

Parenting and Early Intervention...Currently on Prevention WV TV

2011-09-15T13:22:00.001-04:00

On the current edition of Prevention West Virginia, Jamie Albert and Michele Burnside discuss talking with your kids about drugs and substance abuse early intervention programs in Logan and Mercer counties.Show times and locations are available at http://www.prevnet.org/preventionwvTV/default.aspx.

New Substance Abuse Prevention Council

2011-09-07T09:43:00.000-04:00

Executive Order 5-11 rescinds the WV Partnership to Promote Community Well-Being and establishes the Governor's Advisory Council on Substance Abuse.

September Health Observances

2011-09-02T09:54:00.002-04:00

--Childhood / Ovarian / Prostate Cancer Awareness Month
WV Comprehensive Cancer Program

--Fruit & Veggies More Matters & Whole Grains Month

--Healthy Aging Month
WV Bureau of Senior Services

--Leukemia & Lymphoma Awareness Month

--National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month

--National Atrial Fibrillation Awareness Month

--National Cholesterol Education Month

--National Pediculosis (Head Lice) Prevention Month

--Newborn Screening Awareness Month
WV DHHR

Currently on Prevention WV: College Summit WV

2011-08-22T09:48:00.004-04:00

Nearly 50 percent of students in low income communities drop out of high school before graduation. One approach to solving this problem is building college-going culture.

On the current edition of Prevention West Virginia, Michele Burnside interviews Jen Wood to discuss how College Summit WV is working with high schools to prepare students for success beyond graduation.

Prevention West Virginia is a 30-minute news and interview-style television program that highlights prevention, wellness, and community development initiatives in WV. It is produced by the WV Library Commission and coordinated/hosted by the WV Prevention Resource Center. Show times includes Suddenlink Channel 17 (Thursdays @ 10:30 am and 10:30 pm; Fridays @ 4:30 am; Saturday @ 7:30 pm).

College Summit WV is one of many projects featured on Our Mountain State: Faces, Places and Stories of Community Development in WV.

August Health & Wellness Observances

2011-08-01T10:39:00.004-04:00

--Amblyopia (“lazy eye”) Awareness Month
--Cataract Awareness Month
--Children’s Eye Health & Safety Month
--Family Meals Month
--National Immunization Awareness Month
Resource: WV Immunization Network
--Psoriasis Awareness Month
--Spinal Muscular Atrophy Awareness Month
--World Breastfeeding Week
Resource: WV Breastfeeding Alliance

Sources: National Health Information Center; Food and Health Communications

July Health Observances

2011-07-11T10:40:00.000-04:00

Cord Blood Awareness Month
www.parentsguidecordblood.org

International Group B Strep Awareness Month
www.groupbstrepinternational.org

Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month
www.arthritis.org/ja-alliance-main.php

National Cleft & Craniofacial Awareness & Prevention Month
www.nccapm.org/

UV Safety Month
www.aao.org/aaoesite/eyemd/uv.cfm

WV Youth Create Underage Drinking Prevention PSAs

2011-06-27T15:19:00.000-04:00

More than two dozen West Virginia youth from Cabell, Greenbrier and Kanawha counties will star in new public service announcements (PSAs) designed to raise awareness of and prevent underage drinking. Earlier this year, the teams of youth from Cabell County’s Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition, the Marshall University Ad Club, Greenbrier East High School and the South Charleston Housing Authority submitted draft scripts for this year’s 2011 PSA Challenge. This summer, the youth will fine-tune their scripts and work with the Tri-State CW to produce the television spots. The WV Radio Corporation will use audio clips from the video shoots to produce the radio spots.

“Consumption of alcohol when you are under 21 is illegal; and underage drinking costs WV millions every year in medical care, work loss and other problems resulting from the use of alcohol by youth,” said Stephanie Southall, WV’s Underage Drinking Prevention Specialist. “Research shows peer influence is the most effective strategy for creating a culture where underage drinking is NOT the norm. That’s why the RU21 PSAs are created and produced by West Virginia youth.”

The underage drinking PSAs will be distributed statewide this fall to the media and county coalition contacts across WV. They will also be available via You Tube.

The PSAs are coordinated by the West Virginia Prevention Resource Center’s (WVPRC) Underage Drinking Prevention & Social Marketing Project, which is funded by the U.S. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) Enforcing the Underage Drinking Laws (EUDL) Grant Program administered by the WV Division of Justice & Community Services. Additional information about the WVPRC’s Underage Drinking Prevention & Social Marketing Project, including other messages created by West Virginia youth, is available at www.prevnet.org/ru21 and http://21means21.blogspot.com/.

Journalists are welcome to stop by the video shoots to interview students participating in the project.

• TUESDAY, JUNE 14 @ 3 pm - Video Shoot @ Little Creek Park COMPLETED
• FRIDAY, JUNE 17 @ 1:30 pm – Video Shoot @ Marshall University COMPLETED
• TUESDAY JUNE 28 @ 10 am – Video Shoot @ Huntington Middle School
• AUGUST Date to Be Announced – Video Shoot in Greenbrier County

Currently on Prevention WV: RiffRaff Arts Collective in Mercer County

2011-06-23T14:37:00.000-04:00

An infusion of arts and culture is bringing about change in Princeton, West Virginia. Lori McKinney-Blankenship highlights the Riff Raffs Arts Collective in Mercer County on the current edition of Prevention WV.

The Riff Raff Arts Collective is also featured on the Our Mountain State community development website.

Prevention WV is a monthly, television news and interview program that highlights prevention, wellness and community development initiatives across WV. Learn more about the show (including air times and channels) at www.prevnet.org/preventionwvtv.

June Health Observances & Resources

2011-06-01T12:31:00.000-04:00

Fireworks Safety Month (June – July 4th)
National Council on Fireworks Safety
WV Fire Commission

Cataract Awareness Month
Prevent Blindness America

Home Safety Month
Home Safety Council Toolkit

Men's Health Month & Week (June 9-13)

National Aphasia Awareness Month
National Aphasia Association

National Congenital Cytomegalovirus Awareness Month
The CMV Action Network

National Scleroderma Awareness Month
Scleroderma Foundation

National Rip Current Awareness Week (June 5-11)
National Weather Service Rip Current Safety

Currently on Prevention WV

2011-05-23T12:29:00.003-04:00

For fifteen years, A.B.L.E. Families has helped low-income residents of Mingo County make positive changes in their lives. Barry Hudock and Sister Patricia Murray guest on the current edition of Prevention WV to highlight the non-profit, faith-based organization in Kermit, WV.

A.B.L.E. Families is also featured on the new Our Mountain State Website.

Prevention WV is a monthly, television news and interview program that highlights prevention, wellness and community development initiatives across WV. Learn more about the show (including air times and channels) at www.prevnet.org/preventionwvTV/default.aspx.

Take Care Campaign Now Has RX Take Back Toolkit

2011-05-18T08:56:00.008-04:00

Data indicate social access (sharing) is a major contributor to the misuse of prescription drugs. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, most prescription drug abusers obtain their drugs from family and friends. In WV, 64% of nonmedical users of pain relievers reported getting the most recently used drug from a friend or relative for free, and another 7.6% reported buying them from a friend or relative. Recently, the White House released a national plan to address prescription drug abuse in the U.S. The plan includes public education components to raise awareness about the dangers of RX misuse.

The Take Care West Virginia Campaign was developed by the WV Prevention Resource Center and WV Partnership to Promote Community Well-Being to change social and cultural norms about sharing prescription drugs. Prescription misuse is dangerous, and sharing prescriptions is illegal. Initially launched in 2010, the Take Care Campaign features:

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS / WEBSITE: The primary component of Take Care WV is a series of research-based, professionally produced public service announcements (PSAs) including television, radio, and print spots. All of the PSAs are available to view and download via the campaign website, and they can also be viewed directly from You Tube. During a five-week paid media placement in the summer of 2010 and three-weeks in December 2010, the television PSAs aired more than 3,200 times on cable and broadcast stations across WV. The television PSAs have also aired for free via WV Library Commission programming, Marshall University Channel 25, Charleston Area Medical Center’s lobby TVs, and the University of Charleston School of Pharmacy TVs. Additionally, TV, radio and print PSAs have been distributed by local prevention and media partners thorough both paid and in-kind support. The campaign website features links to all the PSAs, RX drug facts/statistics, information about proper RX storage and disposal including a toolkit for RX Take Back events, and links to the WV Prescription Drug Abuse Quitline and WV Poison Center. Approximately 3,000 people have visited the website and/or viewed the PSAs via You Tube since the campaign was launched last year.

COMMUNITY DISCUSSION/PLANNING: Thirty-six (36) counties partnered with the WV Prevention Resource Center and WV Center for Civic Life last year to convene approximately 200 discussions and county-wide summits about what communities can do about prescription drug abuse. Resources (including a starter video, discussion guides, survey, etc.) for facilitating additional community discussions are available on the Take Care campaign website.

RX BAGS FOR PHARMACIES: All of WV’s 55 counties participated in statewide use of more than 1.5 million pharmacy bags with the Take Care WV logo/website/message. In the summer of 2010, county partners received large quantities of RX bags (the white paper ones you get your prescriptions in) to distribute to local pharmacies willing to participate. Most pharmacies, including many individual stores and major chains such as Rite Aid, Kroger, Walmart/Sam’s Club, and Fruth supported the initiative.

All Take Care WV campaign materials are available for public use, and most of the items can be edited to include local coalition information. Additional information is available by contacting michele.burnside@marshall.edu.

The Take Care WV Campaign was initially developed and implemented by the WV Partnership to Promote Community Well-Being and the WV Prevention Resource Center. It has been supported with funding from: 2009 Drug Free WV Grants, WV’s federal Strategic Prevention Framework State Incentive Grant (SPF SIG), and WV’s federal Projects of Regional & National Significance (PRNS) Grant. WV’s SPF SIG and PRNS grants are federal grants from the U.S. Center for Substance Abuse Prevention.

May Health Observances and Resources

2011-05-02T10:50:00.003-04:00

Arthritis Awareness Month

National Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month
WV Osteoporosis & Arthritis Program: www.wvbonenjoint.org

Better Hearing and Speech Month
WV Speech, Language & Hearing Association: www.wvsha.org/

Employee Health and Fitness Month
Wellness Council of WV: www.wcwv.org

Healthy Vision Month

Hepatitis Awareness Month / HIV Vaccine Awareness Day (May 18)
WV Div. of STD, HIV, & Hepatitis: 1-800-642-8244

Lupus Awareness Month

Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month
WV Comprehensive Cancer Program: www.wvcancer.com

Mental Health Month
Children's Mental Health Awareness Week (May 1 – 7)
WV Mental Health Consumers Association: www.wvmhca.org

National Celiac Disease Awareness Month
WV Gluten Intolerance Group: www.orgsites.com/wv/wvgig

National High Blood Pressure Education Month

Older Americans Month
WV Bureau of Senior Services: www.wvseniorservices.gov / www.wvseniors.org

National Alcohol- and Other Drug-Related Birth Defects Week (May 8-14)
March of Dimes: www.marchofdimes.com/westvirginia

World No Tobacco Day (May 31)
WV Division of Tobacco: www.wvdtp.org

Safely Dispose of Your Unused and Expired Prescriptions

2011-04-29T09:27:00.002-04:00

Please remember to safely dispose of unused or expired medications Saturday, April 30th, from 10 am - 2 pm during the national/statewide RX Take Back Day.

Find the location nearest you at www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback/index.html.

Please make sure all your family/friends/associates know about this opportunity to prevent RX abuse.

Substance Abuse Costs West Virginia More Than $1.6 Billion Annually

2011-04-20T10:49:00.004-04:00

According to the latest report from the WV Partnership to Promote Community Well-Being (WV Partnership) and the WV Prevention Resource Center (WVPRC), the financial impact of drug and alcohol abuse in West Virginia is more than $1.6 billion annually. The report projects costs could rise to more than $2.3 billion by 2017 if urgent actions are not taken.

This report is the final in a series of reports that examine the cost of substance abuse on West Virginia’s criminal justice, healthcare, education, welfare and workforce systems. This final summative report incorporates estimates from all these sectors as well as includes data from the Governor’s Highway Safety Program (GHSP) and the Commission on Drunk Driving Prevention (CDDP). Additionally, the report examines the magnitude of substance abuse in WV.

“The high costs of substance abuse presented in all of our reports are actually conservative, because they focus only on direct costs,” said Yetty Shobo, WVPRC Evaluation Specialist and author of the report. “Indirect cost of injuries to innocent parties by substance users and illness not directly due to substance use but that are complicated or extended due to substance use were not estimated. In addition, the cost of tobacco use and abuse is not included in any of the reports because that has been adequately examined in various studies.”

“The Financial Burden of Substance Abuse in West Virginia: Final Report in Series One” was funded with U.S. Center for Substance Abuse Prevention’s Prevention as Community Development: Projects of Regional and National Significance grant funds.

At a drug summit in November 2009, the Governor, the WV Partnership, and the WVPRC released The Governor’s Comprehensive Plan to Address Substance Abuse in WV. The plan outlines the necessary infrastructure and resources to effectively combat substance abuse. Guided by the Blueprint for States: Policies to Improve the Ways States Organize and Deliver Alcohol and Drug Prevention & Treatment, the plan specifically recommends investment of state funding to support county-level coalitions/initiatives, regional and state projects, prevention research and prevention system infrastructure. The WV legislature has expressed significant interest in this issue, however funding has not yet been allocated.

The WV Partnership, created by Executive Order 8-04, is WV’s Governor-appointed substance abuse prevention and early intervention planning body. The WVPRC staffs the WV Partnership and provides support for WV’s community prevention and well-being initiatives.

Additional information about the WV Partnership, the WVPRC, The Comprehensive Plan to Address Substance Abuse in WV, and the Costs of Substance Abuse Project is available at www.PrevNet.org.

Run for Adam Memorial Scholarship Run

2011-04-14T16:15:00.002-04:00

Teddy Johnson guests on the current episode of Prevention WV, which highlights Run for Adam, an annual memorial scholarship run in Huntington West Virginia.

Run for Adam is also featured on the new Our Mountain State Website.

Prevention WV is a monthly, television news and interview program that highlights prevention, wellness and community development initiatives across WV. Learn more about the show (including air times and channels) at www.prevnet.org/preventionwvTV/default.aspx.

April Health Observances and Resources

2011-04-01T21:00:00.005-04:00

Alcohol Awareness Month
Toolkit from the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration
WV Underage Drinking Prevention Initiative

National Autism Awareness Month
Autism Society of America – WV Chapter
WV Autism Training Center

National Child Abuse Prevention Month
Prevent Child Abuse WV
Pinwheels for Prevention

National Donate Life Month
Donate Life WV

National Minority Health Month
U.S. Office of Minority Health

Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month
WV Foundation for Rape Information

Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) Awareness Month
http://www.itsyoursexlife.com/gyt/

National Public Health Week (April 4-10)
WV Dept. of Health & Human Resources Bureau for Public Health
WV Public Health Association

World Health Day (April 7)
World Health Organization

National Infant Immunization Week (April 23-30)
WV Immunization Network

New Website Highlights Community Development Across WV

2011-03-21T14:27:00.002-04:00

A new online project showcases stories of community development throughout West Virginia. The Our Mountain State website features audio visual stories of home grown businesses, organizations, and programs that are making a difference in their communities. The project is a collaborative initiative of the WV Community Development Hub, WV Prevention Resource Center and Dream Catcher Creative.

“Our Mountain State was developed to draw attention to local efforts to bring about community change,” said Beth Campbell of the WV Prevention Resource Center. “Improving the well-being of a community happens through many venues including new businesses, art and cultural projects, volunteer opportunities, and health and wellness programs.”

“Too often, we focus on what is going wrong in our state,” said Kent Spellman, Executive Director of the WV Community Development Hub. “Our Mountain State archives positive stories from across West Virginia, and we hope it will encourage other communities to take action and tell their stories as well.”

Our Mountain State currently profiles initiatives in the following communities:
•Big Ugly (Lincoln Co.): Step by Step Organization
•Charleston (Kanawha Co): Pedaler’s Paradise & Spokes for Folks
•Dunbar (Kanawha Co.): Kanawha Institute for Social Research & Action
•Fayetteville (Fayette Co.): Fayette County Farmers Market & Gourmet on the Gorge Catering
•Huntington (Cabell Co.): Adam Johnson Memorial Run / Huntington Community Gardens / Gallery 842 / Trees for Tomorrow Volunteer Group
•Kermit (Mingo Co.): ABLE Families Non-Profit Organization
•Point Pleasant (Mason Co.): Main Street
•Princeton (Mercer Co.): RiffRaff Arts Collective
•Rand (Kanawha Co.): Rand Caring Center
•Rock Cave (Upshur Co.): Fish Hawk Acres
•Shinnston (Harrison Co.): Bocce Pavilion
•Statewide: College Summit West Virginia

Additional projects and communities will be chronicled in the future. Ideas for stories may be submitted to contact@ourmountainstate.org. Our Mountain State has been developed with federal funds from a Projects of Regional and National Significance Grant from the U.S. Center for Substance Abuse Prevention.

Our Mountain State is the topic of the current episode of Prevention West Virginia, which airs this month through mid-April on several cable channels including Suddenlink Channel 17 (Thursdays at 10:30 am, 4:30 pm, and 10:30 pm; Fridays at 4:30 am; and Saturdays at 7:30 pm).

RX Abuse Prevention Strategies for WV: April 7 Workshop

2011-03-17T16:44:00.003-04:00

The WV Prevention Resource Center’s monthly training series continues in April with:

RX Abuse Prevention Strategies for West Virginia
Social Marketing / Community Discussions / Proper RX Storage & Disposal / RX Take Back Events

Thursday, April 7, 2011
9:00 am – 3:45 PM
@ the WV Prevention Resource Center in Dunbar

Up to 6 CEUs for addiction/prevention, counseling, nursing & social work will be offered!

Please visit www.prevnet.org/trainings.aspx for additional information including a detailed agenda, cost and presenter information, and online registration.

March 16 Evaluation 101 Trainings in Dunbar and Morgantown

2011-03-07T13:00:00.003-05:00

March 16 from 10 am - 3 pm the WV Prevention Resource Center is offering EVALUATION 101 workshops at TWO LOCATIONS: the WVPRC in Dunbar or the Mountaineer Mall Community Room in Morgantown. ADDITIONAL DETAILS AND ONLINE REGISTRATION are available at: http://www.prevnet.org/trainings.aspx

2011 Youth-Created PSA Contest to Prevent Underage Drinking

2011-03-07T11:09:00.002-05:00

RU21 – WV’s Underage Drinking Prevention and Social Marketing Project – is seeking ideas for its latest round of public service announcements. West Virginia middle school, high school, and college students are invited to enter the 2011 PSA Challenge by submitting concepts for radio and television underage drinking prevention messages that emphasize “21 means 21.”

“Consumption of alcohol beverages by those under 21 is illegal,” said Stephanie Southall, WV’s Underage Drinking Prevention Specialist. “Research shows peer influence is the most effective strategy for creating a culture where underage drinking is NOT the norm. That’s why the RU21 PSAs are created and produced by West Virginia youth.”

ALL West Virginia students at the middle school, high school or college level are eligible to participate. Individuals or teams of up to 6 students may submit applications. More than 6 students may work together to develop scripts, but no more than 6 students from one organization will travel to Charleston for production. Each individual or group must have at least 1 (but no more than 2) adult sponsor(s).

APPLICATIONS ARE DUE to the WV Prevention Resource Center no later than MAY 2, 2011. The best projects (based on creativity, originality, message and overall presentation) will be selected by a team of media and prevention professionals. Winners will be announced May 9.

Selected participants (and adult sponsors) will travel to Charleston in June to fine-tune their scripts, tour the radio and television production facilities, and record the PSAs. Adult sponsors will be reimbursed for mileage costs. Travel and meals will be provided.

Later in 2011, the final PSAs will be distributed statewide to the media and county prevention partnerships and available via You Tube.

The RU21 project is funded by The U.S. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention’s Enforcing Underage Drinking Laws program, which is administered in West Virginia by the State Division of Justice and Community Services.

Announcement & Application

RU 21 Blog

March Prevention/Wellness/Health Observances

2011-03-01T13:34:00.002-05:00

National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month
WV Comprehensive Cancer Program

National Endometriosis Awareness Month
Endometriosis Research Center

National Nutrition Month & National School Breakfast Week (March 7-12)
www.eatright.org / www.schoolnutrition.org

Save Your Vision Month / Workplace Eye Wellness Month
Prevent Blindness America

Problem Gamblers Week (March 6-12)
The Problem Gamblers Help Network of WV

Patient Safety Awareness Week (March 6-12)
National Patient Safety Foundation

National Sleep Awareness Week (March 7 – 13)
National Sleep Foundation
CAMC General Hospital Sleep Center

National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (March 10)
www.womenshealth.gov

World Kidney Day (March 11)
National Kidney Foundation

Brain Awareness Week (March 14-20)
The DANA Foundation

National Poison Prevention Week (March 20-26)
WV Poison Center

World Salt Awareness Week (March 21-27)
www.worldactiononsalt.com

World Tuberculosis Day (March 24)
www.stoptb.org

American Diabetes Alert Day (March 25)
WV Diabetes Prevention & Control Program

Source: www.healthfinder.gov

Substance Abuse Costs WV's Workforce System $12 Million Annually

2011-02-15T14:26:00.001-05:00

The WV Prevention Resource Center has released its latest cost of substance abuse report. “The Financial Burden of Substance Abuse in West Virginia: The Workforce System” is now available online. Although drug and alcohol abuse seriously impact the workforce system in terms of productivity, efficiency, and other factors, data illuminating those costs have yet to be systematically collected. The present report, therefore, limits its scope to the cost of worker absenteeism related to drug and alcohol abuse. Worker absenteeism is defined as the extra days substance using workers are absent compared to non-users. This report estimates that drug and alcohol abuse-related worker absenteeism costs the state over $12 million a year.

News Release

Report

WV Summit on Prescription Drug Abuse

2011-02-11T08:35:00.007-05:00

Friday, February 25, 2011
University of Charleston – Ballroom – Geary Student Union

Register online now or call 1-800-659-8726 for assistance. The deadline for registration is February 18, 2011, and space is limited to 250 participants.

View the Official Invitation Letter from the U.S. Attorney's Office of Southern WV
at http://www.justice.gov/usao/wvs/training/rx%20summit%20invite_20110210114954.pdf.

Online Registration is available at https://spreadsheets0.google.com/viewform?formkey=dHNGZ3FUSzFmdDR5V3gtR0JGUTBSeEE6MA.

Event Contact
Deanna Eder (304) 345-2200

February Health Observances

2011-02-01T09:33:00.000-05:00

• AMD/Low Vision Awareness Month
• American Heart Month
• International Prenatal Infection Prevention Month
• National Children’s Dental Health Month
• National Wise Health Consumer Month
• Give Kids A Smile Day (Feb 4)
• National Wear Red Day (Feb 4)
• Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week (Feb 7-14)
• Children of Alcoholics Week (Feb 13-19)
• National Donor Day (Feb 14)

Tips to Plan a National Health Observance Event

Question, Persuade, Refer for Suicide Prevention: February 17 Workshop

2011-02-01T08:30:00.000-05:00

Help save lives and reduce suicidal behaviors through this innovative, practical, and proven suicide prevention strategy. The WV Prevention Resource Center's monthly training session will teach participants to Question, Persuade and Refer a suicidal person to a professional who can help. The February 17 workshop runs from 9:30 am - 3 pm at the WVPRC in Dunbar. Up to 4.5 continuing education units will be available for addictions/prevention, counseling, nursing, and social work. Additional information and online registration is available at www.PrevNET.org.

Currently on Prevention WV: Poison Prevention

2011-01-20T09:00:00.004-05:00

Dr. Elizabeth Scharman highlights services of the WV Poison Center, and Stephanie Anthony reviews WV's underage drinking issue and prevention initiatives.

Beyond New Year's Resolutions: Jan 18 Workshop

2011-01-03T09:00:00.006-05:00

The WV Prevention Resource Center's monthly training series continues this month with Beyond New Year’s Resolutions: Staying on a Path to Wellness in 2011. The January 18th workshop will address healthful eating, stress reduction, and daily fitness tips for you and your clients. CEUs will be available. Join us at the WVPRC in Dunbar Jan 18 from 10 am to 2:30 pm to start the New Year right. Additional information and online registration is available at www.PrevNET.org.

January Health Observances

2011-01-01T09:00:00.005-05:00

Cervical Health Awareness Month
Glaucoma Awareness Month
National Birth Defects Prevention Month
National Radon Action Month
Thyroid Awareness Month
National Folic Acid Awareness Week (January 4-10)

Source: www.healthfinder.gov

Currently On Prevention WV: Family Planning

2010-12-22T09:00:00.003-05:00

On the current edition of the Prevention WV television show, Denise Smith and Tisha Reed share information about WV’s family planning program (304.558.5388).

Additional information about Prevention WV, including show times and channels, is available at PrevNET.org.

National 3D Month

2010-12-02T10:47:00.002-05:00

December is National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month.

Additional information and resources are available at
www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety/Impaired_Driving/index.html.

Currently on Prevention West Virginia TV

2010-11-22T10:45:00.001-05:00

On the current edition of the Prevention WV television show, Rev. James Patterson of the Partnership of African American Churches discusses his organization’s community development and prevention efforts.

Additional information about Prevention WV, including show times and channels, is available at PrevNET.org.

WVPRC Continues Monthly Training Series

2010-11-10T11:20:00.000-05:00

December 9, 2010 (9 am - 4:30 pm) - WVPRC in Dunbar
Discovering Well-Being From The Inside-Out

Additional Details (including online registration):http://www.prevnet.org/trainings.aspx

Reports Highlight Prevention Capacity Growth

2010-11-10T11:15:00.001-05:00

Since 2004, West Virginia received and implemented a federal Strategic Prevention Framework Grant that resulted in the increased capacity of state and county coalitions that focus on substance abuse and other prevention initiatives.

The multi-year SPF grant ended this September, but many reports and documents are available that highlight our state’s accomplishments.

Of particular interest are:
--a scholarly journal article (The Power of Process: A Story of Collaboration and Community Change. Journal of Community Development);

--a dissertation (Regional Learning Opportunities: A Story of Place-Based Learning Among Adults in WV);

--and two end-of-project wrap up reports:
• WV SPF SIG Final Qualitative Evaluation Report
• WV SPF SIG Final Grant Closeout Report 2004-2010

Additional Info about WV’s SPF SIG Implementation is available at:
http://www.prevnet.org/spfsig/default.aspx

All evaluation reports are available at:
http://www.prevnet.org/spfsig/reports.aspx

November 2010 Health Observances & Resources

2010-11-01T10:24:00.012-04:00

•American Diabetes Month
RESOURCE: WV Diabetes Prevention & Control Program
•COPD Awareness Month
RESOURCE: WV Asthma Education & Prevention Program
•Lung/Stomach/Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month
RESOURCE: WV Comprehensive Cancer Program
•Prematurity Awareness Month
RESOURCE: March of Dimes, WV Chapter
•Pulmonary Hypertension Awareness Month
RESOURCE: American Heart Association
•Nov 8-14: Drowsy Driving Prevention Week
•Nov 8-14: National Drug Facts Week
•Nov 18: Great American Smokeout
RESOURCE: WV Div. of Tobacco Prevention
•Nov 20: National Survivors of Suicide Day
RESOURCE: WV Suicide Council

Source/Additional Info: www.healthfinder.gov

WVPRC To Offer Ethics Training w/ CEUs in November

2010-10-18T14:07:00.004-04:00

November 8, 2010 (9 am - 4:30 pm) - WVPRC in Dunbar

Ethics Seminars for Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC) and Approved Licensed Professional Supervisors (ALPS)

Additional Details (including online registration): www.PrevNET.org/trainings.aspx

Substance Abuse Costs WV’s Welfare System More Than $95 Million

2010-10-07T15:12:00.002-04:00

The financial impact of drug and alcohol abuse on WV's welfare sector is more than $95 million, according to the latest report from the WV Partnership to Promote Community Well-Being and the WV Prevention Resource Center (WVPRC). The welfare system includes programs providing income support and other social services to WV children and families.

Yetty Shobo, WVPRC Evaluation Specialist and author of the report, projects substance abuse could cost WV’s welfare system more than $300 million by 2017 if current trends persist and intervention does not occur.

“The Financial Burden of Substance Abuse in West Virginia: The Welfare System” -- available at www.PrevNET.org -- is a continuation of a series initially funded by a federal Office of Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention Block Grant administered by the WV Division of Justice and
Community Services. The present work is funded by the U.S. Center for Substance Abuse Prevention’s Prevention as Community Development: Projects of Regional and National Significance Grant and is the fourth in a series that examines the cost of drug and alcohol abuse to the criminal
justice, healthcare, education, welfare, and workforce systems in West Virginia. A comprehensive report, incorporating estimates from all these sectors, will be produced at the end of the project.

The WV Partnership to Promote Community Well-Being, created by Executive Order 8-04, is WV’s Governor-appointed substance abuse prevention and early intervention planning body. The Governor and the WV Partnership released a comprehensive, strategic plan for addressing substance abuse at a drug summit in November 2009. This latest funding study report was produced by the WV Prevention Resource Center, which staffs the WV Partnership and provides support for WV’s community prevention efforts.

Additional information about the WV Partnership, the WVPRC, and the Funding Study project is available at www.PrevNET.org.

October 2010 Health Observances and Related Resources

2010-10-01T09:00:00.000-04:00

Talk About Prescriptions Month
National Council on Patient Information & Education
WV Prescription Drug Abuse Quitline: 1-866-WV-QUITT
Take Care WV RX Abuse Prevention Campaign

Halloween Safety Month
Halloween Health & Safety

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
WV Comprehensive Cancer Program

National Dental Hygiene Month
American Dental Hygienists’ Association

Domestic Violence Awareness Month
WV Coalition Against Domestic Violence

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Awareness Month
www.firstcandle.org/

Red Ribbon Week (October 23-31)
National Family Partnership

Currently on Prevention WV

2010-10-01T08:00:00.003-04:00

The definition of bullying extends way beyond taking someone’s lunch money, and it happens more than you might think. Studies show between 15 and 20 percent of U.S. students are bullied. Impact includes school truancy, substance abuse and additional violence.

On the current episode of Prevention West Virginia, Tonya Barnett of Step By Step discusses bullying prevention in WV.

Take Care WV RX Abuse Prevention Campaign Continues

2010-09-08T08:33:00.004-04:00

County Summits Convene and Pharmacies Use RX Bags w/
Don’t Share Message This Month

Data indicate social access (sharing) is a major contributor to the misuse of prescription drugs. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, most prescription drug abusers obtain their drugs from family and friends. In WV, 64% of nonmedical users of pain relievers reported getting the most recently used drug from a friend or relative for free, and another 7.6% reported buying them from a friend or relative.

Take Care WV, a statewide prescription drug abuse prevention campaign, continues this month through county summits and pharmacy distribution of RX bags with the “Don’t share RX medication.” message.

“This campaign is aimed at changing social/culture norms about sharing prescription drugs,” said Dr. Andy Whisman, Senior Evaluation Specialist with the WV Prevention Resource Center. “West Virginians are a caring people who want to help one another out when the can. Sharing prescriptions, however, is illegal and can be dangerous.”

COMMUNITY DISCUSSIONS/ COUNTY-WIDE SUMMITS: Three dozen (36) counties have partnered with the WV Prevention Resource Center and WV Center for Civic Life to convene multiple discussions and county-wide summits about what communities can do about prescription drug abuse. The community discussions took place across the state this summer, and the summits are set for this month. Additional information about these events (including dates/times/locations/forum participant booklets/forum starter video) is available at www.prevnet.org/communityforums.aspx.

RX BAGS FOR PHARMACIES: All of WV’s 55 counties are participating in statewide use of pharmacy bags with the Take Care WV logo/website/message. Earlier this summer, county partners received large quantities of RX bags (the white paper ones you get your prescriptions in) to distribute to local pharmacies willing to participate. Most pharmacies,
including many individual stores and major chains such as Rite Aid, Walmart/Sam’s Club, Kroger, Fruth, are participating in this effort to make sure all West Virginian’s know it is illegal to share prescription medication, and RX misuse and abuse can be just as dangerous and deadly as illicit drug use. The bags also include the statement: Only take prescription medication as advised by your doctor.

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS / WEBSITE: In addition to the forums/summits and RX bags, the Take Care WV campaign includes public service announcements (PSAs) and a website. Television, radio, and print ads were developed and are available to download online. During a five-week paid media placement earlier this summer the television PSAs aired more than 3,000 times on cable and broadcast stations across WV. The PSAs are also being distributed by local prevention and media partners. The website links to all PSAs, RX drug facts/statistics, information about proper RX storage and disposal, and a link to the WV Prescription Drug Abuse Quitline.

The Take Care WV Campaign, developed and implemented by the WV Partnership to Promote Community Well-Being and the WV Prevention Resource Center, has been supported with funding from the following grants: 2009 Drug Free WV Grant, WV’s federal Strategic Prevention Framework State Incentive Grant (SPF SIG), and WV’s federal Projects of Regional & National Significance (PRNS) Grant.

WV's 2010 Drug Free Communities Grant Recipients

2010-09-07T12:58:00.002-04:00

2010 Drug Free Communities grant funding though the Office of National Drug Control Policy has been awarded to the following prevention coalitions in West Virginia:

•Brooke/Hancock Drug Prevention Coalition (via Brooke/Hancock Family Resource Network)

•Cabell County Substance Abuse Prevention Partnership (via United Way of the River Cities)

•Jackson County Anti-Drug Coalition (via Jackson Co. Health Dept.)

•Marshall County Anti-Drug Coalition (via Marshall Co. Family Resource Network)

•Mercer County’s Creating Opportunities for Youth (C.O.F.I) Coalition (via Community Connections)

•Mingo County’s Strong Through Our Plan (S.T.O.P.) Coalition

•Morgan County Partnership

•Ohio County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition (via Youth Services System)

Additional information is available and/or will be added to www.ondcp.gov/dfc/grantee_map.html.

Congratulations!

September Health Observances/Resources

2010-09-01T10:21:00.000-04:00

Childhood / Ovarian / Prostate Cancer Month
Fruit / Veggies / Whole Grains - More Matters Month
Leukemia & Lymphoma Awareness Month
National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month
National Atrial Fibrillation Awareness Month
National Cholesterol Education Month
National Infant Mortality Awareness Month
National Pediculosis Prevention Month/Head Lice Prevention Month
National Sickle Cell Month
National Yoga Awareness Month
Reye's Syndrome Awareness Month
Sports and Home Eye Safety Month
National Suicide Prevention Week (Sept 5 -11)
National Celiac Disease Awareness Day (Sept 13)
National School Backpack Awareness Day (Sept 15)
National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day (Sept 18)
National Farm Safety & Health Week (Sept 19-25)
National Rehabilitation Awareness Celebration (Sept 19 - 25)
World Alzheimer's Day (Sept 21)
Rape/Abuse/Incest National Network (RAINN) Day (Sept 23)
Family Health & Fitness Day USA (Sept 25)
National Mesothelioma Awareness Day (Sept 26)
World Rabies Day (Sept 28)
National Women's Health & Fitness Day (Sept 29)
World Heart Day (Sept 30)

SOURCE: www.healthfinder.gov

Currently On Prevention WV: Pharmacists and Community Health

2010-09-01T10:18:00.001-04:00

They don’t just dispense medication. Pharmacists are increasingly playing a larger role in the healthcare arena. A recent New York Times article highlights their expanded services, including catching prescription overlap and dangerous interactions, recommending more cost effective medicine, and buffering against the anticipated primary care doctor shortage. On the current edition of Prevention WV, host Michele Burnside talks with Dr. Krista Capehart, pharmacist and assistant professor at the University of Charleston’s School of Pharmacy, who shares insight about the important role pharmacists play in keeping communities healthy. Additional information about Prevention WV is available at www.PrevNet.org.

WVPRC Annual Report

2010-08-16T13:00:00.001-04:00

The WVPRC is pleased to announce the availability of its FY 2009-2010 annual report.

WV Medical Journal - Special Edition on Substance Abuse

2010-07-27T15:16:00.002-04:00

The latest edition of the WV Medical Journal is a special edition focusing on substance abuse.

Content includes:

--Take Care WV RX Abuse Prevention PSA (PAGE 17)

--Bringing All the Players to the Table: The WV Controlled Substance Advisory Board (PAGE 22)
--Understanding the Cultures of Prescription Drug Abuse, Misuse, Addiction and Diversion (PAGE 64
(articles by WV Partnership member Dr. Mike O’Neil)

--Citation of the Governor’s Plan to Address Substance Abuse in WV (PAGE 28)

--Preliminary Evaluation of the WV Prescription Drug Abuse Quitline (PAGE 38)

--A Comprehensive Checklist for Prevention (PAGE 54)

Community Resiliency Conference August 19-20 @ Days Hotel in Flatwoods

2010-07-02T16:32:00.000-04:00

Just as basic principles exist in mathematics, physics or any other science, there are basic Principles that drive the working of all human Psychological functioning, regardless of environment or background. As with any science or discipline, once we understand the basic principles, we can learn to work out any problem.

We invite you to join us to learn more about the applications of these principles in multiple areas such as community and system development, prevention, treatment, leadership, mental health fields, schools systems and individual/personal.

July Health Observances

2010-07-01T10:32:00.000-04:00

-Cord Blood Awareness Month
-International Group B Strep Awareness Month
-Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month
-UV Safety Month

Source: National Health Information Center

Currently On Prevention WV: Take Care Campaign & RX Abuse in WV

2010-06-22T16:49:00.001-04:00

On the current edition of the Prevention WV, we continue our summer long focus on prescription drug abuse.

West Virginians fill an average of 18.7 prescriptions annually compared to the U.S. rate of 12. Between 1999 and 2004, unintentional poisoning deaths in WV increased 550% - more than double that of any other state. Data also show that most prescription drugs abusers obtain their drugs from family and friends.

On the latest edition of Prevention WV, Michele Burnside of the WV Prevention Resource Center highlights the Take Care WV RX Abuse Prevention Campaign, and Dr. Mike O’Neil of the WV Controlled Substance Advisory Board discusses prescription drug abuse and WV’s culture of sharing.

Additional information about the Prevention WV television show, including show times and channels, is available on PrevNET.org.

Tune in and Take Care West Virginia.

WV Students Create Public Service Announcements to Prevent Underage Drinking

2010-06-14T16:39:00.000-04:00

Take Care WV Campaign Launched to Address RX Abuse in WV

2010-06-02T14:02:00.005-04:00

Everyone knows drugs are dangerous. But did you know that sharing prescription drugs can be just as dangerous and deadly too? Sharing prescription drugs is also illegal.

Data indicate social access (sharing) is a major contributor to the misuse of prescription drugs. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, most prescription drug abusers obtain their drugs from family and friends.

This issue demands an approach aimed at changing cultural/social norms about RX drugs,” said Dave Potters, Executive Director of the WV Board of Pharmacy. “In response, the WV Partnership to Promote Community Well-Being and WV Prevention Resource Center have launched a social marketing/media campaign that focuses on the message ‘Please don’t share prescription drugs.’”

Additional Info:
News Release
Campaign Website

Currently On Prevention WV: Community Issues Forums on RX Abuse

2010-05-28T11:51:00.001-04:00

On the current edition of Prevention WV…

Doug Walters (WV Center for Civic Life’s Board of Directors) discusses the importance of public dialogue, and
Stephanie Anthony (WV Prevention Resource Center) highlights the role of community forums in the Take Care WV: RX Abuse Prevention Campaign.

Additional information about the Prevention WV television show, including show times and channels, is available at http://www.prevnet.org/preventionwvTV/default.aspx.

Obama Drug Strategy Stresses Evidence-Based Prevention

2010-05-18T10:03:00.000-04:00

Obama Drug Strategy Stresses Evidence-Based Prevention

Future of Prevention Funding Lies in Broad, Public-Health Approach

2010-05-17T12:40:00.000-04:00

Future of Prevention Funding Lies in Broad, Public-Health Approach

Take Care WV: Don't Share RX Drugs

2010-05-12T10:32:00.003-04:00

Everyone knows drugs are dangerous. But did you know that sharing prescription drugs can be just as dangerous and deadly too? Sharing prescription drugs is also illegal.

Data indicates social access (sharing) is a major contributor to the misuse of prescription drugs. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, most prescription drug abusers obtain their drugs from family and friends. In WV, 64% of non-medical users of pain relievers reported getting the most recently used drug from a friend or relative for free, and another 7.6% reported buying them from a friend or relative.

Please don't share prescription drugs. Only take prescriptions as advised by your doctor.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

The WV Partnership to Promote Community Well-Being and the WV Prevention Resource Center are launching Take Care WV – a social marketing campaign to spread the word that sharing prescription drugs is illegal, and it can be just as dangerous and deadly as illicit drugs.

How can you help support this campaign and reduce the misuse of prescription drugs in our state?

-Please visit www.takecarewv.org to view/listen to campaign messages, read facts and statistics about RX drug misuse/abuse, and learn about proper RX storage and disposal.

-Participate in your county’s discussions about RX abuse. Community Forums/Discussions on RX abuse are being scheduled across the state this summer. Dates will soon be posted on the WV Prevention Training & Events Calendar available at www.PrevNET.org. Contact information for your County Prevention Partnership is available at PrevNet as well as www.takecarewv.org.

-Encourage your local coalitions/media/businesses/schools/civic groups to air/print the PSAs as much as possible. All the PSAs can be downloaded at www.takecarewv.org.

Some specific ideas for distributing the campaign messages include:

-Email/talk to all your professional and personal contacts about this campaign. Feel free to forward this message as is, but also consider adding your own personal touch.

-Print some of the PSAs as flyers and distribute/post them in your community. Ask your doctor, dentist, child care provider, church, employer, etc. to post flyers in their waiting areas, exam rooms, lunch rooms or bathrooms.

-Facebook/Twitter the following message: Take Care WV: Please don’t share prescription drugs. Learn more at www.takecarewv.org

-Include the print PSAs in newsletters, church bulletins, meeting packets, mailings, etc.

-Talk to your local pharmacist about the campaign. Ask if they’ll post some of the flyers, and tell them later this summer we plan to have RX bags (with the campaign logo/message) for all WV pharmacies to use for a limited time. We’re working on corporate permission for the chains right now. MORE ON THIS COMING SOON

Thanks in advance for your support of Take Care WV.

May Health Observances

2010-05-10T14:28:00.005-04:00

•American Stroke Month
•Better Hearing and Speech Month
•Clean Air Month
RESOURCE: WV Clean Indoor Air Program
•Healthy Vision Month
•Hepatitis Awareness Month
•Lupus Awareness Month
•Lyme Disease Awareness Month
•Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month
RESOURCE: WV DHHR: Comprehensive Cancer Program
•Mental Health Month
RESOURCE: WV Mental Health Consumers’ Association
•National Arthritis Awareness Month & National Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month
RESOURCE: WV DHHR: Osteoporosis & Arthritis Program
•National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month
RESOURCE: WV DHHR: Asthma Education and Prevention Program
•National Foster Care Month
RESOURCE: Mission WV Frameworks
•National High Blood Pressure Education Month
•National Physical Fitness and Sports Month
•National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month
RESOURCE: WV DHHR: Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Initiative
•National Alcohol- and Other Drug-Related Birth Defects Week (May 9 – 15) RESOURCE: WV March of Dimes
•National Women's Check-up Day (May 10)
•HIV Vaccine Awareness Day (May 18)
RESOURCE: WV DHHR: HIV/AIDS & STD Program
•World No Tobacco Day (May 31)
RESOURCE: WV DHHR: Division of Tobacco Prevention

SOURCE/ADDITIONAL INFO: National Health Information Center

Currently On Prevention WV: Foster Care in WV

2010-04-23T12:53:00.000-04:00

Nearly half a million children are in foster care in the United States. May is National Foster Care Month. On the current edition of Prevention WV, guests Carrie Robey (Mission WV) and Nate Emch (Adoptive and Foster Parent in Charleston) discuss foster care in West Virginia. Additional information about the Prevention WV television show, including show times and channels, is available at PrevNET.org.

Substance Abuse Costs WV’s Education System More Than $13 Million

2010-04-20T17:14:00.000-04:00

More than $13 million of West Virginia’s education system budget was consumed to provide drug and alcohol related prevention and treatment services in 2009, according to a new report released this month by the WV Partnership to Promote Community Well-Being and the WV Prevention Resource Center.

“The Financial Burden of Substance Abuse in West Virginia: The Education System” examines the impact of drug and alcohol use on West Virginia’s education system including elementary, secondary and institutions of higher learning. It is the third in a series of reports examining the cost of drug and alcohol use in WV. A comprehensive report, incorporating estimates from criminal justice, health care, education, child welfare, and workforce systems, will be produced at the end of the project, and all reports will be updated annually. The reports are part of a larger Family Funding Study project, which is funded with U.S. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Block Grant money administered by the WV Division of Criminal Justice (DCJS).

“Substance abuse issues, unfortunately, are a challenge to learning environments,” said Don Chapman, Assistant Director of the WV Department of Education’s Office of Healthy Schools and member of the WV Partnership to Promote Community Well-Being. “In addition to educating our state’s children, we must keep them safe and healthy.”

The WV Partnership to Promote Community Well-Being, created by Executive Order 8-04, is WV’s Governor-appointed substance abuse prevention and early intervention planning body. The Governor and the WV Partnership released a comprehensive, strategic plan for addressing substance abuse at a drug summit this past November. This latest funding study report was produced the WV Prevention Resource Center, which staffs the WV Partnership and provides support for WV’s community prevention efforts. The WVPRC is an affiliate of Marshall University and funded through various grants including a federal Substance Abuse Prevention & Treatment Block Grant administered through the WV DHHR's Bureau for Behavioral Health and Health Facilities and a federal Strategic Prevention Framework State Incentive Grant and the Governor’s Drug Free WV Grants administered through the WV Division of Criminal Justice Services.

Additional information about the WV Partnership, the WVPRC, and the Funding Study project is available at www.PrevNET.org.

April Health Observances

2010-04-01T13:12:00.008-04:00

According to the National Health Information Center, April 2010 is:
•Alcohol Awareness Month
•Foot Health Awareness Month
•Irritable Bowel Syndrome Awareness Month
•National Autism Awareness Month
WV RESOURCE: Autism Training Center
•National Cancer Control Month
WV RESOURCE: WV Comprehensive Cancer Program
•National Child Abuse Prevention Month
WV RESOURCE: WVDHHR; Prevent Child Abuse WV
•National Donate Life Month
•National Facial Protection Month
•National Minority Health Awareness Month
•National Sarcoidosis Awareness Month
•National Youth Sports Safety Month
•Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month
WV RESOURCE: WV Foundation for Rape Information and Service
•Sexual Assault Awareness Month Day of Action (April 8)
•Sports Eye Safety Month
•Women’s Eye Health and Safety Month
•National Public Health Week (April 5-11)
•World Health Day (April 7)
•National Alcohol Screening Day (April 8)
•National Infant Immunization Week (April 24 - May 1)
WV RESOURCE: WV Immunization Program
•March for Babies April (24 & 25)
WV RESOURCE: March of Dimes – WV Chapter
•World Meningitis Day (April 24)

Underage Drinking Prevention PSA Contest DEADLINE EXTENDED

2010-03-29T10:20:00.000-04:00

WV's Underage Drinking Prevention PSA Contest Deadline has been extended to April 30. Filming will take place in June after school is out. Due to so many snow days this winter, the Underage Drinking Prevention Workgroup of the WV Partnership to Promote Community Well-Being made this change. Additional information is available at the RU21 website.

WV Partnership Facebook PAGE

2010-03-25T13:36:00.002-04:00

The WV Partnership to Promote Community Well-Being's new Facebook PAGE is now up and running. The page features basic info (such as our tagline and website address), photos, video, and a "wall" for posting news and commentary.

The new WV Partnership Facebook PAGE, replaces a previously created WV Partnership Facebook GROUP.

If you Facebook, please consider becoming a fan of the page if you support this Governor-appointed alliance of folks concerned about the well-being of our state.

A link to the WV Partnerhip Facebook PAGE has been added to the WV Partnership menu on PrevNET.

Grants Available to Counties for RX Community Forums/Discussions

2010-03-22T13:54:00.001-04:00

Data indicate social access (sharing) is a major contributor to the misuse of prescription drugs. Almost two-thirds of those using prescriptions non-medically obtained their drugs from family and friends. This issue demands an approach aimed at changing cultural/social norms about prescription drugs. The WV Partnership to Promote Community Well-Being (WV Partnership) is coordinating a Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention Social Marketing Campaign that includes public service announcements, other social marketing materials and community-level forums/discussions across the state. All County Prevention Partnerships in WV are invited to apply for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention Community Forums/Discussions Grants to help get communities talking about and involved with developing community-based solutions to the problem of prescription drug abuse. Additional information is available at http://www.prevnet.org/spfsig/RXcommunitydiscussions.aspx.

2010 WV Legislation Related to Substance Abuse

2010-03-22T09:29:00.000-04:00

The topic of substance abuse garnered generous media coverage during WV’s 2010 legislative session. Lawmakers considered several pieces of legislation aimed at preventing drug abuse and providing more resources for treatment. The following is a brief summary of related bills. Additional information is available on the WV Legislature’s website.

PASSED
TOBACCO RELATED
•HB 2773 - Increases the penalties for access and usage of tobacco products by minors.

PRESCRIPTION DRUG RELATED
•SB 362 - Prohibits providing false information to obtain controlled substances prescription.
•SB 81 - WV Official Prescription Program Act providing prescriptions be written on tamper proof pads.
•SB 365 – Requires pharmacies to provide their personnel with online access to the state controlled substances database.
•SB 514 - Clarifies certain language in the Controlled Substances Monitoring Act.

DUI RELATED
•HB 4167 - Procedures for revocation and suspension of driver license for Driving Under the Influence of alcohol, controlled substances, or drugs.
•SB 186 - Creating Administrative Law Judge Office in DOT responsible for oversight of administrative license revocation hearings .
•HB 4018 - Making illegal possession of a mixture or preparation containing salvia divinorum intended for human consumption.

Did NOT Pass
•HB 4666 - Establishing grant funding program in DHHR for substance abuse prevention, early intervention, treatment, and recovery.
•Beer Tax Bills - Various measures attempting to place an additional tax on a barrel of beer with proceeds directed at funding of substance abuse efforts

Prevention WV TV Episode #70 Highlights 2010 Legislation & Treatment

2010-03-18T10:50:00.000-04:00

On the current edition of Prevention WV, guests Jamie Albert (WV Prevention Resource Center) and Bob Hansen (Prestera Center for Mental Health Services and the WV Behavioral Health Care Providers Association) discuss 2010 legisation related to substance abuse and treatment options in WV. Additional information about the Prevention WV television show is available at PrevNET.org.

WV Partnership Meeting Scheduled in Morgantown

2010-03-12T14:34:00.001-05:00

For some time, local prevention coalition members and staff have requested more opportunities to access/interact with the WV Partnership to Promote Community Well-Being. In response, the next meeting of The WV Partnership is scheduled for 9 AM Friday, April 16th, at the Waterfront Hotel in Morgantown. If you wish to attend to represent your local coalition, please contact Melissa Crawford (304.766.6301 x 12; 304.553.3593; melissa.crawford@marshall.edu) by Tuesday, March 23rd.

Parenting Perspectives: Juvenile Justice Edition Now Available Online

2010-03-05T13:43:00.001-05:00

The latest edition of Parenting Perspectives (Winter 2010 – Focus on Juvenile Justice in WV) is available via the WV System of Care website. Parenting Perspectives(is a quarterly newsletter that provides alcohol/tobacco/other drug prevention and mental health information to parents of school aged children.

HB 4666 Moves to Senate Health & Human Resources Comt.

2010-03-05T09:20:00.000-05:00

House Bill 4666 was introduced in the WV Sentate yesterday and moved into the Sentate Health and Human Resources Committee.

House Bill 4666 Passes

2010-03-04T09:45:00.000-05:00

House Bill 4666, which establishes a funding source for prevention, intervention, treatment and recovery passed the House yesterday (March 3) and has been communicated to the Senate.

Additional information is available at www.legis.state.wv.us.

HB 4666 Moves to 3rd Reading on House Special Calendar

2010-03-02T16:02:00.000-05:00

House Bill 4666 has moved to 3rd reading on the House Special Calendar. The bill establishes a funding source for prevention, intervention, treatment and recovery. Additional information is available at www.legis.state.wv.us.

House Bill 4666 Moves Out of Finance

2010-03-01T16:40:00.000-05:00

House Bill 4666, which establishes a funding source for prevention, intervention, treatment and recovery, has moved out of the House Finance Committee. The bill is on the House Calendar for its second reading tomorrow (March 2). Additional information is available at www.legis.state.wv.us.

Health Observances in March

2010-03-01T08:06:00.001-05:00

Health Observances in the month of March include: National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month; National Endometriosis Awareness Month; National Nutrition Month; Save Your Vision Month; Workplace Eye Wellness Month; National Problem Gambling Awareness Week (March 7 - 13); National Sleep Awareness Week (March 7 - 13); National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (March 10); National Poison Prevention Week (March 14-20). Source: National Health Information Center

Tonight @ 6:30 on The Legislature Today: Substance Abuse in WV Segment; Interview w/ the WVPRC's Dr. Wayne Coombs

2010-02-25T12:28:00.000-05:00

WV Public Broadcasting's 2/25 edition of The Legislature Today will feature information about substance abuse in WV. The segment includes footage and interviews from the Governor's Drug Summit and a recent interview with WVPRC Director Wayne Coombs. Tune in to WV Public Broadcasting tonight at 6:30 pm.

The Legislature Today is WV's source for daily legislative news and information. If features reports from the Senate, House and committee meetings with in-depth interviews about the issues facing the state.

WV's Beer Tax Discussion

2010-02-23T11:06:00.005-05:00

As WV discusses the topic of a proposed beer tax increase, the following resource may be helpful: The Cost of Substance Abuse in WV. The "Costs" webpage also includes links to the following articles: Raising Taxes Reduces Harm; Taxes Myth vs. Reality; Responses to Misleading and Inaccurate Beer Industry Propaganda on Excise Taxes.

Public Hearing on Beer Tax Bill Today @ 5 pm

2010-02-22T07:45:00.001-05:00

A Public Hearing regarding an increase in the beer tax is scheduled for Monday, February 22 at 5:00 p.m. in the House of Delegates Chambers. The Hearing is being held by the House Committee on Health and will focus on House Bill 2100. This bill, in its amended form, will generate revenues to the state from an increase in the beer tax, which hasn’t been increased since 1966. The revenues will be used to meet the needs of the state’s substance abuse continuum of care: Prevention, Early Intervention, Treatment and Recovery. Monies will be administered by the WV Supreme Court of Appeals and distributed based on decisions of a multi-disciplinary board in a manner consistent with the Governor’s Comprehensive Strategic Plan to Address Substance Abuse in WV and the recommendations of the WV Partnership to Promote Community Well-Being.

February 14-20th is Children of Alcoholics Week

2010-02-12T15:08:00.003-05:00

The National Association for Children of Alcoholics (NACoA) encourages you to take part in grassroots efforts in your community to raise awareness that children of addiction can be encouraged and supported just knowing there are safe people who can help. Visit the NACoA website to learn more about what you can do support this national observance. Source: U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration E-Network

WV Participates in National Anti-Drug Conference

2010-02-08T10:55:00.000-05:00

West Virginia will be represented at the 2010 Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America's (CADCA's) Annual National Leadership Forum, which is this week in National Harbour, Maryland. Cabell County's Anne McGee and Marshall University's Carla Lapelle are among the presenters of the "Campus and Community Collaboration: Working Together to Prevent Substance Abuse Among College Students" workshop. Also, WV's CADCA Association will be presented with the National State Association Award at the award luncheon.

WV Partnership Bill Moves Along

2010-02-01T13:49:00.002-05:00

House Bill 4150 passed TR 1/28/2010 in the House Judiciary Committee and has been referred to the House Committee on Finance.

February Health Observances

2010-02-01T10:00:00.003-05:00

Health Observances in the month of February include: American Heart Month, International Prenatal Infection Prevention Month, National Children's Dental Health Month, Children of Alcoholics Week (Feb 14-20), and National Donor Day (Feb 14). Source: National Health Information Center

WV Partnership Bills Introduced

2010-01-22T12:03:00.003-05:00

Two identical bills have been introduced in the WV Legislature that will create the WV Partnership to Promote Community Well-Being in code: SB 330 and HB 4150. The WV Legislature’s website contains the bills in their entirety and information on their status, which will be updated as the bills proceed through the legislative process.

WV Partnership Releases Annual Report

2010-01-05T14:00:00.003-05:00

The WV Partnership to Promote Community Well-Being's 2009 annual report is now available online.

New SAMHSA Administrator Sworn In

2009-12-30T08:47:00.002-05:00

The new Administrator for the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) was sworn in this week. Pamela S. Hyde, J.D., brings more than 30 years of health and human services experience to the post. Hyde previously served as secretary of the New Mexico Human Services Department, and director of the Ohio Department of Mental Health, the Ohio Department of Human Services, and the Seattle Department of Housing and Human Services. She also has worked as a CEO of a private nonprofit behavioral healthcare organization. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius says "Pamela Hyde has worked tirelessly on behalf of the people of New Mexico to expand access to health and human services programs and improve their quality…. Pamela's health policy expertise and management experience will be invaluable to our department." SAMHSA is the federal agency that provides most of the funding for prevention in WV. Additional info is available at www.samhsa.gov.

Happy Anniversary Prevention Research!

2009-12-28T07:48:00.004-05:00

2009 marks the 35th anniversary of The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). Created by Congress in 1974, NIDA brought "the power of science" to the field of substance abuse. NIDA Director Nora Volkow summarizes their accomplishments at www.nida.nih.gov/NIDA_notes/NNvol22N6/DirRepVol22N6.html.

Welcome to the New PrevNET

2009-11-24T16:00:00.002-05:00

Welcome to the new PrevNET.org. We hope you like the new design and find the reorganization helpful. In addition to revamping the "face" of PrevNET, we have added a new feature. Prevention WV Online, which is what we are calling this blog, will bring you the latest in WV prevention news. It is intended to complement our Prevention WV television show and also replace PrevNet Magazine.

Share The Vision 2009 - Keynote Video Clips

2009-11-18T14:00:00.007-05:00

Share The Vision 2009 - WV's 17th annual statewide substance abuse prevention conference - brought together hundreds of individuals from across WV Nov 17 and 18 at the Charleston Civic Center. Bringing Home the Governor's Plan To Address Substance Abuse was the theme of this year's two-day learning and networking event. This year’s conference followed the 2009 Governor’s Drug Summit, which unveiled Governor Manchin and the WV Partnership To Promote Community Well-Being’s Comprehensive Strategic Plan to Address Substance Abuse in WV. Share The Vision Conference keynotes and workshops provided information and skills needed to implement the Governor’s Plan at the community level. Video clips from several keynote speakers have been posted on the STV - Keynote Speakers webpage.

Share The Vision is coordinated by the WV Prevention Resource Center (WVPRC) and funded with federal Substance Abuse Prevention & Treatment Block Grant funds administered by the WV DHHR’s Bureau for Behavioral Health & Health Facilities. Additional support for the 2009 conference is being provided by the WV Prescription Drug Abuse Quitline.

Additional information including presenter handouts is available at www.PrevNET.org/stv.

Governor Manchin Unveils Substance Abuse Plan

2009-11-16T12:00:00.003-05:00

Governor Manchin unveiled today his Comprehensive Strategic Plan To Address Substance Abuse in West Virgina. Substance abuse is arguably the most pervasive problem facing WV and the nation. In WV, substance abuse problems cost us more than $1.8 billion in direct and indirect costs in 2006 alone. Addressing substance abuse is therefore a crucial issue for WV and its communities. Governor Joe Manchin and The WV Partnership To Promote Community Well-Being have developed a plan to guide all substance abuse efforts in our state.

Drug Free WV Grants Available

2009-11-10T10:00:00.005-05:00

The WV Partnership to Promote Community Well-Being is pleased to announce the availability of Drug Free WV Grants available through Purdue Pharma Asset Forfeiture Funds. Additional information is available by contacting Melissa Crawford.

Substance Abuse Costs WV Healthcare $116M

2009-10-15T09:00:00.004-04:00

More than $116 million of West Virginia’s healthcare system budget was consumed to address drug and alcohol related diseases in 2007, according to a new reportreleased this month by the WV Partnership to Promote Community Well-Being. The report also projects the cost could increase to more than $201 million by 2017.

“The Financial Burden of Substance Abuse in West Virginia: The Healthcare System” examines the impact of drug and alcohol use on West Virginia’s healthcare sector, which includes hospitals, prescription providers, substance abuse treatment centers, prevention providers, behavioral health providers, and federally qualified health centers.

It is the second in a series of reports examining the cost of drug and alcohol use in WV. A comprehensive report, incorporating estimates from criminal justice, health care, education, child welfare, and workforce systems, will be produced at the end of the project.

The reports are part of a larger Family Funding Study project, which is funded with U.S. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Block Grant money administered by the WV Division of Criminal Justice (DCJS).

“Now is the time to invest sufficient state monies in a unified, carefully planned comprehensive approach to the problem in order to implement strategies that are proven effective in combating substance abuse,” said Mike Lacy, Chair of the WV Partnership to Promote Community Well-Being and Director of Probation Services for the WV Supreme Court of Appeals.
“Some might say we can’t afford to allocate new state funds to the problems of substance abuse. The fact is we can’t afford not to,” said Lacy.”

The WV Partnership to Promote Community Well-Being is WV’s Governor-appointed substance abuse prevention planning body. The Governor and the WV Partnership will release their comprehensive, strategic plan for addressing substance abuse at a drug summit next month.

This latest funding study report was produced by the WV Partnership to Promote Community Well-Being’s staff at the WV Prevention Resource Center. The WVPRC is an affiliate of Marshall University and funded through various grants including a federal Substance Abuse Prevention & Treatment Block Grant administered through the WV DHHR's Bureau
for Behavioral Health and Health Facilities and a federal Strategic Prevention Framework State Incentive Grant and the Governor’s Drug Free WV Grants administered through the WV Division of Criminal Justice Services.

It's Time To Talk To Your Kids

2009-08-12T09:00:00.002-04:00

Back-To-School time is the perfect time to talk with your kids about drugs. The Partnership for a Drug Free America has a new tool to help. Transitions & Teens: A Guide For Parents is available online. The tool kit includes scripts to help you figure out what to say and how to say it, and the information is tailored to different age groups. The approach for grade school kids, for example, is a little different than when talking with kids heading off to college.

Substance Abuse Costs WV's Criminal Justice System More Than $330 Million Each Year

2009-07-09T11:30:00.005-04:00

More than $330 million of WV’s criminal justice system budget was consumed to address alcohol and drug involved offenses in 2008, according to a new report released this month by the WV Partnership to Promote Community Well-Being.

Updated Directory of Drug/Alcohol Abuse Treatment Programs Now Available

2009-06-15T11:00:00.002-04:00

A new, updated guide to finding local substance abuse treatment programs is now available from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The National Directory of Drug and Alcohol Abuse Treatment Programs 2009 provides information on thousands of alcohol and drug treatment programs located in all 50 states.