STEPS Newsletter - November 2017

SOUTHINGTON STEPS COALITION NEWSLETTER

November 2017

IN THIS ISSUE:

PREVENTION AWARENESS | LISA, INC.| PARAPHERNALIA PROJECT|

PREVENTION AWARENESS

Prescription Drugs

Misuse of prescription drugs means taking a medication in a manner or dose other than prescribed; taking someone else's prescription, even if for a legitimate medical complaint such as pain; or taking a medication to feel euphoria (i.e., to get high). To read more about prescription drug misuse from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, click here.

Some of the ways STEPS makes prescription drug abuse prevention a priority in Southington:

Educating local Doctors & Dentists
Permanent Medication Drop Box
Educating Students & Teachers
Participating in State-wide Initiatives

Teens that use prescription drugs, for non-medical reasons, are usually introduced to the drug by their doctors, who have prescribed the medication for a specific reason. Some teens then become addicted and move from prescription drugs to cheaper alternatives such as heroin. Youth who learn about the dangers of substance abuse at home are 50% less likely to use.

To learn more Southington specific facts on youth perception of prescription drug abuse, visit our website.

STEPS PARTNERS WITH LISA, INC.

A generous grant through the Bradley Henry Barnes & Leila Upson Barnes Memorial Trust at the Main Street Community Foundation has flourished a new partnership between the Southington STEPS Coalition, Southington Youth Services Bureau and Lisa, Inc., a local non-profit agency.

The STEPS Coalition has been working hard for the past ten years to make substance abuse prevention a priority and develop relationships within the Southington community. This unique opportunity to create a partnership with LISA, Inc.has enabled the Coalition to continue with prevention but also help individuals that may need early intervention with substance abuse and offer support to families coping with a substance abuse addiction of a loved one.

To read more about the partnership with Lisa, Inc., visit this press release.

PARAPHERNALIA PROJECT

STEPS was able to bring substance abuse prevention to educators on Tuesday, November 7, 2017. Pictured here is Ana Gopoian, Founder & Director of TriCircle, Inc. Through the 'Paraphernalia Project,' educators were able to learn about substances, paraphernalia & intervention methods. To learn more about Ana, visit her website here.

HOPE & SUPPORT

This group is facilitated by Ana Gopoian, featured above.

CALENDAR DRIVE

Please support this unique initiative led by STEPS Advisory Board Member, Rachel Wache.

STEPS EDUCATES

STEPS Advisory Board members and staff presented to the Dental Society of Greater Southington. A very special thank you to Stephanie Urillo for giving us the opportunity to speak with the group about prescription drug prevention and ways to collaborate. Follow this link to read an article on Dental Management of Patients with a History of Substance Abuse.

PERMANENT MEDICATION DROP BOX

Since being installed in 2012, the Permanent Medication Drop Box has collected over 5,276 pounds of medication. Visit our website to learn more about the implementation of this initiative in our town.

The STEPS Coalition is proud to be partners with the

Southington Police Department.

STEPS ADVISORY BOARD NEWS

Please join us in wishing James McAloon a fond farewell as he retires from the STEPS Advisory Board. A special thank you to James for his dedication to our Coalition the past few years.

We would also like to welcome our new Advisory Board member, Frank Stamilio. As a proud Southington resident and SHS football coach, we know that Frank will be a real ASSET to our Coalition! Welcome, Frank!

KINDNESS CALENDAR

We invite the entire Southington community to join us in a month of kindness. This extraordinary calendar, created by STEPS Advisory Board member, Gina Tremaglio, was distributed throughout the Southington Board of Education and other community sectors with the hopes of spreading kindness & compassion through the holiday season!

For a printable version of the calendar, click the link below.

https://files.acrobat.com/a/preview/feb499fe-9442-4780-8117-50909c4ca07b

COMMUNITY EVENTS

Annual Southington Interfaith Thanksgiving Service, by SICA

Tuesday, November 21, 2017 at 7 PM - 8:15 PM

First Lutheran Church of Southington

232 Bristol St, Southington, Connecticut 06489

For more information, visit the Facebook page here.

White Christmas in the Village

Friday, December 1, 2017

A Free Family Fun Event

For more information, visit the Facebook page here.

LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS

Helping in the Community

Are you looking to volunteer in the Southington community? Are you an organization looking for volunteers to help out at an event or on a community project? Visit the Southington Serves section of our town's website to find opportunities or the form to submit your volunteer requests.