Mid-Columbia group plans training for groups fighting substance abuse, mental health issues
Tri-City Herald (Kennewick, WA)Apr 25, 2015
The Eastern Washington Sector Summit is the first regional conference for coalitions developed by state and federal agencies aimed at helping youth, local organizers said.
State officials said they hope it will lead to stronger efforts to keep alcohol and drugs away from kids, whether that's at school, home or anywhere else in their communities.
"It can't just be the health department or the school district," said
The groups, which are based on the state-supported Community Prevention & Wellness Initiative or federal Drug Free Communities project, are part of an effort to bring broad solutions to issues with drugs and alcohol, as well as depression and suicide facing youth, said
The state started supporting the coalitions more than four years ago, forming them in areas where a youth health survey indicated underage teen drinking was particularly high.
The effort has gone on to include mental health issues as well as marijuana use, which was legalized by state voters two years ago.
"Now that it's normalized it's going to be more like alcohol," Dorset said.
The coalitions have taken different angles to address those issues, such as working with schools on curriculum promoting good decision making and policies that target drugs and alcohol trends and classes for parents to promote a healthy home environment.
They even advise retailers were to place merchandise such as beer to limit the ability of youth to shoplift it.
The Prosser coalition wrote a grant to the state to help similar groups elsewhere in
It will involve classes on improving a coalition's ability to take on projects, substance abuse prevention and how coalition members can better access resources.
"The outcome we're looking for is that it increases capacity for action," said
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