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CAHL news & updates
November 2022
Spotlight:
Small Talks and Beyond

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Frequent, casual conversations about prescription medications, cannabis, tobacco, and other drugs can be just as effective. And don't be fooled; most kids will find themselves in a situation where dangerous substances are available. So keep at it! 

SmallTalksWI.org
What is "tobacco-free" nicotine?

Some nicotine-containing products in sweet and fruity flavors - e-cigarettes, pouches, lozenges, and gummies - are marketed as containing "tobacco-free nicotine." These flavored products are prompting concerns and causing confusion..

Read more
truthinitiative.org
Exploring Power
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pow·er /ˈpou(ə)r/

Power: The Most Fundamental Cause of Health Inequity? Power has been interwoven throughout health equity movements in research and practice. But, much like equity or opportunity, it seems amorphous. What does this concept of power really mean? 

healthaffairs.org
Director's Report
Hello, hello! Long time no see. I know it’s been a minute since we’ve graced your inbox with our presence, but I promise it’s not for lack of work. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. Since we last shared, we’ve:

  • Said “see you later” to a fearless leader
  • Welcomed new faces to the staff
  • Re-started programming, full steam ahead, after a COVID induced hiatus
  • Established first ever partnerships with State and National Programs
  • Hosted multiple wildly successful youth-focused events
  • Celebrated another successful Red Ribbon Week
  • And much, much more!

We’ll share more about a lot of these below, but here, I want to take a few moments to delve into some big ticket items of late. 

First, our farewell to Wendy. She was our guidepost for 15 years, leading us through numerous successes in that time. Without her leadership, CAHL is not the strong organization it is today. We’re so grateful for her, and that we get to continue partnering with her in her new role with the State Tobacco Prevention and Control Program.

Which leads to our next big items: staffing shifts and new-hires! As of July, I’ve stepped into the Executive Director role, to keep our momentum rolling. I know I have big shoes to fill, and I’m committed to taking that on. In addition to continuing the great work CAHL has done in the past, I’m excited to explore new opportunities that will allow us to fully execute the totality of CAHL’s mission. Thank you in advance for your support of this! 

To support our work and ensure we don’t lose momentum, we’ve brought on Carri Ciske as our first-ever Youth Prevention Specialist. In this role, Carri will provide youth-centered substance use prevention services to promote health, enhance protective factors and increase knowledge, skills, and attitudes for making healthy choices. She brings a wealth of knowledge and passion, which she’ll talk about below. But, suffice it to say, we’re ELATED to have her on the team!

With that, please enjoy the updates below. I promise to be somewhat more regular with our newsletter in the future; whatever “regular” means! In the meantime, never hesitate to reach out for anything you need: questions (big and small), resources (big and small) or simple hellos! You can find most of what you need at www.cahlinc.org, including how to contact us all!

-Emma
Drug Free Communities
RRRW2022
REACH Celebrates Red Ribbon Week
REACH kicked off RRRW with a Celebration on October 23 at Civic Park in New Holstein.  Nearly 60 people from across Calumet County attended. Everyone enjoyed fun activities centered around making healthy choices, snacks donated by local businesses and tours around town on the Hilbert Trolley Company.

Check out all the events and activities that took place during RRRW in this article by local news.
REACH Presents at Wisconsin Alcohol Policy Seminar
Annie von Neupert and Sergeant Joe Tenor, of the Calumet County Sheriff’s Office presented at the Wisconsin Alcohol Policy Seminar this October. 

Their session: Partnering with Law Enforcement to Implement Alcohol Age Compliance Checks, highlighted the strong partnership between REACH and the Calumet County Sheriff’s Office. The duo shared best practices and lessons learned so that others may be inspired to conduct compliance checks in their community. 

Check out their presentation here.
Tobacco Prevention
Tobacco Compliance Checks Results
Since July, CAHL has conducted 87 compliance checks across our 10 counties.

While sales rates overall look promising, there is still a lot of work to be done to lower our numbers.

We will continue to work with retailers, law enforcement and others in the community to keep tobacco out of kids' hands.
CAHL Updates
Welcome Carri!
Carri is our Youth Prevention Specialist. She will be working with CAHL youth in the areas of

  • Wisconsin WINS
  • REACH Youth Group
  • FACT

An avid learner with a deep passion for community engagement and human connection, Carri will undoubtedly take our Youth Programming to a new level. You can reach her at carri@cahlinc.org.