Prevention Programs

Since 1986 a local group known as the AHM Substance Abuse and Violence Prevention Task Force have worked together to minimize the impact of drug and alcohol use and abuse in the regional community. Today our efforts are increased to incorporate community wellness with an emphasis on helping to keep youth drug free. Our former task force is now called the Coalition for a Healthy Empowered Community, or CHEC.

Through the efforts of the CHEC Coalition, AHM was awarded a federal grant, one of fewer than 200 nationwide communities to help combat local underage drinking, prescription drug abuse and the prevention of marijuana use. The grant award, which is for five consecutive years, is funded through the Office of National Drug Control Policy and the Drug Free Communities Support Program.

For more information about the CHEC Coalition and the way to get involved, please contact AHM’s Executive Director, Tressa Giordano, at TressaG@ahmyouth.org.

April is Alcohol Awareness Month! Follow our social media channels for tips and resources!

For information on our Smart Recovery Support Groups, visit our Clinical Services page!

Resources

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Youth Voice Counts Survey Report

AHM Youth Voices Count Survey Results Presentation 1.7.21

Join us for National Take-Back Day!

Drop off your unwanted prescription and over the counter drugs at Elmer Thienes-Mary Hall Elementary School at 25 School Street, on Saturday, April 24th from 10am-2pm!

The National Takeback Event is done biannually across the country, with the goal of removing unwanted and unneeded prescription pills from households. Most people who abuse prescriptions, obtain them from a family or friend. Removing these types of medications from households, decreases the chances of abuse in teens and adults.

Once collected, the drugs are then destroyed safely by the DEA. By participating in these events, you are helping your community by decreasing access to addictive substances. We hope to see you on Saturday April 24th!

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Read more about National Take-Back Day!

Sticker Shock Campaign Launches!

Members of AHM’s Drug and Alcohol Prevention Coalition (CHEC), and teens from the RHAM/AHM Youth Group RALLY partnered with Hebron Wine and Spirits last week, to do a Sticker Shock Campaign. The campaign is meant to remind customers during the holiday season, that providing alcohol to minors is a crime. Hebron Wine and Spirits Manager Chantelle stated “This is just a way for us to give back to the community in a simple way….and it can keep kids safe”. A lot of alcohol used by teens, is obtained through older, legal- aged friends. Teens and CHEC members spent a couple hours putting stickers on almost all alcohol products in the store, particularly the products which are more likely to be consumed by underage drinkers. These could include drinks such as: fruity liquors, twisted teas, beer, alcoholic ice pops, and others.

Five youth participated, with two CHEC members. AHM Prevention Coordinator Brendan Grimm said “It is important to continually send the message to parents that underage drinking is a risky behavior, so decreasing access to alcohol for teens is a huge step in seeing a decrease in use.” This campaign coincides with a related campaign, called the Social Host Campaign, for which signs are up outside at RHAM, at the intersection of 85 and 66, and on the green in Marlborough. This campaign informs parents that allowing an underage drinking party is illegal, and can have serious legal consequences, among others.

Our October Take-Back Event was a great success!

On Saturday, October 24th 2020, The CT State Police and AHM once again teamed up this year to host the semi-annual Take Back event, in partnership with the National DEA. Through the efforts of the CHEC Coalition, a new record was set this year with 281 pounds of medications taken in for safe disposal! This event aims to remove prescription pills from the community and to decrease drug misuse, and abuse. The safe disposal of medications is also an environmentally friendly way to rid households of unwanted medications. Many households have medications that are accessible to children, teens, and other adults, posing a risk of first-time use of a drug, addiction, and/or overdose.

The Takeback Event at RHAM High School has helped dispose of just under 2300 pounds of prescriptions in the past 7 years. Special thanks to Regional School District #8 Superintendent Scott Leslie, his staff and the RHAM Board of Education for once again providing the site for this local Take Back event, which each year brings residents from across the towns of Andover, Columbia, Hebron, Marlborough, and beyond to participate.

A year round drop off box is made available regionally to our communities according to Hebron Resident Trooper Dan Greenwood, who helped coordinate the Take Back event. The drop box is located at the Hebron Public Safety Complex on Route 66 in Hebron. No needles or sharps are accepted, but all other prescription and over the counter medications are accepted.

CHEC Brochure

The parent organization of this group, AHM Youth and Family Services was awarded a federal grant, one of fewer than 200 nationwide communities to help combat local underage drinking, prescription drug abuse and the prevention of marijuana use. The grant award, which is for five consecutive years, is funded through the Office of National Drug Control Policy and the Drug Free Communities Support Program.

The name CHEC came about through the collaborative efforts of members that serve on this community coalition. The idea of the name change came about after many parents in the communities expressed ideas on ways to expand membership and support for AHM’s efforts to help keep children and teens drug free. Throughout the second year of this grant, the coalition will be present at an ever increasing number of community events such as school open houses, farmers markets, town wide celebrations, and youth sporting events. The idea is to help reach a new generation of families living in the regional community to share important wellness resources on parenting and health related topics.

CHEC, in collaboration with a recently formed RHAM High School Youth Group called RALLY, will work together with the goal of reducing substance use among youth. Throughout the year the CHEC Coalition will sponsor parent and youth education forums, social marketing campaigns and community wide events such as the prescription drug TAKE BACK program.

For more information about the CHEC Coalition and the way to get involved, please contact AHM’s Executive Director, Tressa Giordano, at TressaG@ahmyouth.org.

AHM Prevention Coordinator Brendan Grimm (right) and RHAM Health teacher Christopher Mader at the bi-annual CADCA conference (Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America) in Atlanta, GA. Hundreds of coalitions from every state in the country attend the 4 day national conference, all with the goal of drug prevention and keeping their communities safe!

Each year AHM does marketing campaigns for the Social Host law in Connecticut, which holds adults liable for allowing minors to drink alcohol on their property. The States Attorneys office puts it very clearly as he tells us “Taking the minors keys is not enough. There needs to be a reasonable effort to make sure they are not drinking in the home”.

Connecticut is one of the states in the country that has what is called a Social Host Law. This law states that it is illegal for an adult to permit a minor in Connecticut to possess liquor in a dwelling or on private property. This holiday season, AHM Youth and Family Services is trying to help inform parents of the consequences of this law in an effort to keep local teens safe.

According to AHM’s Drug and Alcohol Prevention Coordinator, Brendan Grimm: “local parents play a major role in their sons and daughters choices about alcohol, tobacco and other drugs.” In an April 2018 survey of teens, administered every 2 years at RHAM, teens expressed their perception that alcohol is easy to access. The survey also showed that only 74% of teens perceive alcohol as a risky behavior. Furthermore, the AHM community survey, which was also administered this past spring, revealed valuable information about alcohol. It showed the importance of the messages that parents give to their children. The data showed that when parents attitudes and rules are such that alcohol is risky for youth, it resulted in reported decrease in alcohol use. However, parents who reported to be neutral about the topic with their teen, or those who give the message that it is not harmful, resulted in increased reported use.

Here are a few FACTs for parents to consider about underage drinking in Connecticut:

* Youth under age 21 who are caught with possession of alcohol can also face motor vehicle sanctions, including the suspension of the minor’s operator’s license or a delay in their ability to obtain a license.

* Simply taking away the car keys does not solve all of the problems related to underage drinking. Take away the liquor, calling the parents of the offending minor, and getting help from the police is one of the most effective ways to ensure a teen’s safety if they have been drinking.

* There can also be civil and criminal consequences for adults that serve alcohol to minors.

* Parents can proactively take measures to help ensure these special times for teens are fun, yet safe and drug-free. For additional information, including the full list of parent tips and ideas, visit www.DrugFreeActionAlliance.org

* AHM is just a phone call away. If parents would like more information on ways to speak with teens about drugs and alcohol, there are resources available for you by calling 860-228-9488.

Throughout the school year, the AHM CHEC Coalition has a program called Parent Talks. These are periodic gatherings that bring parents together from the neighboring AHM communities to talk about topics such as underage drinking, and helping teens cope with other risks that exist in the world today facing young people. For more information, contact Brendan Grimm at the AHM offices by calling 860-228-9488.

Anyone is welcome to join the AHM CHEC Coalition, which meets on the first Wednesday of every month starting at 4 PM at the AHM offices on Pendleton Drive in Hebron.

Please take a look at our links below. For more information on RALLY and the CHEC, or to get involved, contact our Project Coordinator, Brendan Grimm, at BrendanG@ahmyouth.org.

Rally Regional Activites leading local youth

RALLY (Regional Activities Leading Local Youth) is a group of 25 members who meet throughout the year to plan and implement various campaigns in the school and community to prevent substance use. One of the major campaigns is always the Social Norming campaigns, which aim to correct misperceptions about substance use. The group also creates social marketing campaigns to educate students on the harms of drug use, and the consequences.

Each year, there are two National Takeback events. AHM sponsors these both, in partnership with the Regional School district. This program allows the community to dispense of any unused and unneeded medications, safely. Each event, takes in approximately 150 pounds of medication, which means they are out of the community, and cannot contribute to abuse, and the opioid epidemic.

Join us on Saturday, October 24th 2020!

AHM partners with RHAM High School to bring in expert speakers on substance use, addiction, and adolescent behavior. These events happen 3 times each year, prior to the sports season starting. It is a required event for the student athlete, and a parent.

Each year AHM partners with State Troop K to sponsor patrols at the Hebron Lions Fair. This strategy helps keep the community fair a safe event, and over time will contribute to a decrease in substance use, as consequences for those offenses occur.

Every other year, AHM sponsors a training for safe serving of alcohol. This event is free for all servers at restaurants and bars in the 3 communities. This program helps ensure we have reliable, trained personnel at our local establishments and know how to keep consumers safe.

Each year AHM also facilitates community talks with various speakers, and experts, addressing relevant issues. In the past events have been done on marijuana education, opioid epidemic education, and Alcohol. Coming up in October, there will be a Community Town Hall event on Underage Drinking, with Dr. Alicia Farrell. Further, AHM coordinates with RHAM, motivational speakers for the different grades at the school. In the past couple years, ex- NBA player Chris Herren, as well as the program called Sarah’s Journey came to speak to the students about their decisions, and how they led to negative consequences.

AHM presents Screenagers, Growing up in a Digital Age. Stay tuned for more information.

Suicide Prevention

Through a partnership with the Jordan Porco Foundation (JPF), AHM clinical staff members will be introducing the 4 What’s Next program to high school students. 4 What’s Next is a program that builds psychological resiliency in high school students by giving them the tools to handle stress and distress now and in their future. The core of the program is the 4 What’s Next Framework, which teaches students how to effectively handle distress by “reaching in” and utilizing independent coping strategies, “reaching out” by seeking and accepting help outside of themselves, or a combination of the two. This process is followed by an assessment of how well their chosen coping method is working and encourages them to reevaluate if needed. This program is made possible through the Jordan Porco Foundation and the Benny Fund.

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Join us for National Take-Back Day!

Sticker Shock Campaign Launches!

Our October Take-Back Event was a great success!

Here are a few FACTs for parents to consider about underage drinking in Connecticut:

Suicide Prevention