Recently, the CA state chapter of the NAACP (voted by the local chapters) formally endorsed Proposition 19, the legalization of marijuana for personal use which also includes commercial sales of the drug and the creation of a CA Cannabis Industry. I believe that this action sends the wrong message to our African American communities specially our young people.

Also, due to the commercialization of "pot stores” it is expected that the availability of marijuana will be much greater and easier for anyone (young and old) to gain access.

The NAACP is seen as a positive beacon and its members as a role-model to communities of color and this recent action to support legal use of an abused substance is tarnishing the reputation of our most prized institution.

The NAACP believes that by legalizing marijuana it will reduce police misconduct targeted towards African American who are caught using marijuana. While disproportionate arrest in our community is a problem, we should not address the problem by legalizing an abused substance.

Please contact your local chapter of the NAACP and educate the local leaders about drug abuse. (See attached: Local NAACP Chapters in California)

Additional Info: Read The Sacramento Bee article: http://www.sacbee.com/2010/07/04/2868002/marcos-breton-naacps-fogbound.html

June 11, 2010

ACTION ALERT URGENT—TIME SENSITIVE!

AB 605 (Portatino) — An act to add Sections 23396.56 to the Business and Professions code,

relating to alcohol beverages. This bill was originally a horse racing bill. This is a "gut and amend” bill

at the 11th hour. It was amended on June 7, 2010 to become an off‐sale tasting bill. The bill would

authorize the holder of any off‐sale retail license to purchase an instructional tasting license that

would allow an instructional event where free tastings of alcoholic beverages may be served. The bill

is exempt for any limitations on the number of licenses according to city or county requirements and

exempt from an undue concentration requirement. The proposed bill does not require publication

and noticing for the license application. The instructional tastings can occur in the area where

alcoholic beverages are exposed and offered for sale. Tasting participants would be separated by a

permanent or temporary barrier from the rest of the premises. Patrons would be limited to three

tastings in one day. The bill does not identify a monitoring process for regulating the proposed

tasting limitations. The bill does not indicate if patrons are limited to the number of locations they

can consume the maximum three tastings. The proposed license application fee is $300 with a $261

renewal fee.

Status: Senate Governmental Organization Committee

This bill is set for hearing on June 22, 2010!

What Can You Do?

1. Write a letter (see attached template) to Senator Roderick Wright,

Chair, Senate Governmental Organization Committee. You may fax the letter to (916) 445‐3712.

Get individuals from your community to also submit letters. Encourage police departments,

health providers, community‐based organizations, neighborhood organizations, and other

community stakeholders to submit letters.

2. Review the list of Senate Governmental Organization Committee members, and cc your letter to

members from your area (fax numbers can be found online):

http://www.senate.ca.gov/ftp/sen/committee/STANDING/GO/_home1/PROFILE.HTM

Senator Roderick Wright (Chair), District 25

Senator Tom Harman (Vice‐Chair), District 35

Senator Ron Calderon, District 30

Senator Jeff Denham, District 12

Senator Dean Florez, District 16

Senator Gloria Negrete McLeod, District 32

Senator Jenny Oropeza, District 28

Senator Alex Padilla, District 20

Senator Curren Price, District 26

Senator Mark Wyland, District 38

Senator Leland Yee, District 8

3. Follow up your letter with a phone call and visit to their district office

4. Meet with your city, county, and/or state officials or their Aides about the potential community

health, public safety and associated problems with a potential tastings bill.

5. Attend the hearing on June 22. The hearing details will be announced at a later date and

distributed once released. Normally there are only a limited number of people who are actually

allowed to testify. However, there is usually the opportunity for others to come to the

microphone after the testimony, identify themselves and where they are from and to state their

position on the bill.

Talking Points:

1. The bill contains no language to determine appropriate process for local governing bodies or

local law enforcement to monitor and regulate free alcohol tasting in any outlet that sells alcohol

(convenience stores, pharmacies, big box stores, quick marts, grocery stores, etc.) Stipulating

limitations such as one event per day and three allowable tastings per patron is not sufficient to

ensure that consumption will be controlled or that underage access will be prohibited. Given the

shrinking budgets of local agencies, this process creates an added burden to already resource stretched

organizations.

2. The proposed minimal fee structure to obtain and retain an educational tasting license will result

in off‐sale establishments providing free tasting of any alcoholic product thus increasing alcohol

availability. Research documents that when alcohol availability increases, alcohol consumption

increases, resulting in amplified alcohol‐related problems. 1,2

3. Stemming from the basic economic principle of price and demand, research also demonstrates

alcohol price point directly affects alcohol consumption. Therefore, if proposed tastings are free,

overall alcohol consumption is likely to increase. Research documents alcohol consumption is

associated with alcohol‐related problems including injuries, deaths, crime, violence, and

associated costs. This bill would result in increasing the prevalence of alcohol‐related problems.

4. Excessive alcohol use is the third leading preventable cause of death in the United States each

year and responsible for about 10,000 deaths in California alone. In addition, excessive alcohol

use is responsible for numerous hospitalizations due to injuries.3 Creating an opportunity for

increased alcohol consumption, the proposed bill would likely lead to increased alcohol‐related

morbidity and mortality rates in California.

5. The total cost of alcohol use in California is $38 billion annually. This translates to roughly $1000

per resident each year.4 State and county medical programs shoulder $1.8 billion for healthcare

treatment of alcohol‐caused illness, injury, crime, and traffic collisions.5 Understanding that

increased access to alcohol correlates to amplified consumption, the proposed legislation would

raise the financial burden of alcohol on California's already strapped economy, increasing the

price tag public organizations already spend on alcohol‐related costs.

6. The density of alcohol outlets is associated with community crime.6,7 Alcohol outlets are

disproportionately concentrated in economically disadvantaged communities.8,9 As a result, such

neighborhoods often carry the majority of health and safety burdens associated with alcohol

outlet density. The unequal distribution of off‐sale outlets and increased access to free tastings

will likely compound the disproportionate health and safety effects of alcohol in economically

disadvantages communities.

Many thanks to Ed Kikumoto of Alcohol Policy Network for his initial bill analysis.

Additional Information:

Attached please find three additional documents for your information: 1) The amended AB 605; 2) AB

605 Bill Analysis prepared by Ed Kikumoto of Alcohol Policy Network; and 3) Letter template.

For more information on about this alert, please e‐mail Jana Stone at jstone@sonoma‐county.org or

call her at 707.565.6642.

1 Alcohol Availability, Alcohol Consumption and Alcohol‐Related Damage. The Distribution of Consumption Model.

Brian R. Rush, Louis Gliksman, Robert Brook. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, January 1986.

2 Alcohol: No Ordinary Commodity. Research and Public Policy. By T. F. Babor, R. Caetano, S. Casswell, G. Edwards, N.

Giesbrecht, K. Graham, J. Grube, P. Gruenewald, L. Hill, H. Holder, R. Homel, E. Osterberg, J. Rehm, R. Room and I.

Rossow. Oxford University Press. 2003

3 Alcohol‐Related Deaths and Hospitalizations by Race, Gender, and Age in California. Stahre, Simon. The Open

Epidemiology Journal, 2010.

4 Marin Institute (July 2008).The Annual Catastrophe of Alcohol in California. Retrieved August 14, 2009 from

http://www.marininstitute.org/site/images/stories/pdfs/coststudygraphicfinal.pdf

5 Marin Institute (July 2008).The Annual Catastrophe of Alcohol in California. Retrieved August 14, 2009 from

http://www.marininstitute.org/site/images/stories/pdfs/coststudygraphicfinal.pdf

490 Mendocino Ave., Suite 202 ⋅ Santa Rosa, CA 95401 ⋅ 707.565.6680 ⋅ Fax 707‐565.6619

6 "Wetter” neighborhoods have higher levels of drinking, accidents and violence. Scribner, Richard: Alcoholism:

Clinical & Experimental Research, February 2000.

7 Alcohol Outlet Density and Violence: A Geospatial Analysis. Zhu, Gorman, Horel: Alcohol & Alcoholism, 2004.

8 Social Science and Medicine Health risk and inequitable distribution of liquor stores in African American

neighborhood. LaVeist, Wallace. Social Science & Medicine, August 2000.

9 The Concentration of Liquor Outlets in an Economically Disadvantaged City in the Northeastern United States.

Gorman, Speers. Comm. Substance Use & Misuse, 1997.

http://promiseneighborhoods.org/  

Prevention Coalitions in America are powerful forces that can make this happen, which is why I wanted to inform you about this opportunity. My colleagues and I across the country—some 20 odd leading scientists, plus a larger number of community people and early career preventions students formed something called the Promise Neighborhood Research Consortium (PNRC).

The PNRC was funded by the National Institutes on Drug Abuse to help 50 neighborhoods move toward being Promise Neighborhoods, helping change the face of America so that every child, every family and every neighborhood can fulfill the promise of a life of opportunity, health and wellbeing. My dear colleagues and friends, Drs. Anthony Biglan and Brian Flay are our co-principal investigators. I am honored to be one of the co-investigators and a steering committee member of the PNRC.

Your neighborhood might benefit from the PNRC.

I urge you to think about taking your community or neighborhood to a place of promise. If you don't want to apply for the grant, that's OK. However, please explore the new website: http://promiseneighborhoods.org/

You will find tools to help your community group—whether you are Drug Free Communities grantee, a SPF-SIG grantee, a Weed and Seed grantee, a CADCA affiliate, or a bunch of rebels who want all our kids to grow up to have a better future,

The web site will grow.

Right now, you will have your socks knocked off about evidence-based policies that are documented to advance prevention goals. You will also find a powerful logic model that you can use for all sorts of applications, which is grounded in the new Institute of Medicine Report on Prevention. You will find measurement mechanisms for every prevention project you might imagine. Remember my colleagues are members of the secret guild of prevention scientists who play nicely.

The development of the PNRC is one of the most exciting things I have ever done in terms of marrying practical prevention, science, policy and more. I urge you to register on this site. Please become part of the bigger community of people who are really dead serious about bettering the world for all our futures.

Dennis D. Embry Ph.D.
President/CEO
PAXIS Institute, PO 31205, Tucson, AZ 85751
Ph: 520-299-6770
FX: 520-299-6822
(assistant, Bea Ramirez, 520-360-2995)
www.paxis.org• www.simplegifts.com
To see other videos of Dr. Embry's work go to http://gallery.me.com/drpaxis

In Los Angeles, generations of ex-gang members have found jobs and new lives, thanks to Homeboy Industries. It's the largest gang rehabilitation program in the country, founded and operated by a Jesuit priest, the Rev. Gregory Boyle.

But the organization is in a financial crisis that could spell its end. For more than 21 years, Homeboy Industries has helped thousands of gang members remove their tattoos, get counseling, find jobs and move away from violence.

In fact, the nonprofit's motto has been: "Nothing stops a bullet like a job."

But nothing stops 300 jobs like a $5 million deficit. Recently, Boyle tearfully told his staff of ex-gang members he'd have to let them go. Read the full article at NPR.

End the Silience of Child Rape

Aaron Vargas was arrested on February 8th, 2009 for allegedly killing the man who sexually and psychologically abused him for 20 years.The abuser, Darrell McNeill, abused many children in the small community of Fort Bragg, California. McNeill was a local businessman, Boy Scout leader, and Big Brother. The abuse was reported to the police by victims,and by McNeill's former wife, but no investigation was done -McNeill was never even questioned. McNeill stalked and harassed Aaron up until the day he died, even asking to see and to babysit Aaron's child. He harassed other victims as well, including one who committed suicide four years ago.

McKinsey & Company –

The Debate Zone: Should social entrepreneurs adopt the language and practices of business?

http://whatmatters.mckinseydigital.com/the_debate_zone/should-social-entrepreneurs-adopt-the-language-and-practices-of-business?utm_source=quarterly&utm_medium=marketing&utm_campaign=SE_forum_q_alert2_debate

The business world offers ready made mechanisms for turning good ideas into large scale enterprises. Social entrepreneurs who really want to change the world should take advantage of those mechanisms.

Adult Chocolate Milk. "Re-taste your youth at 40-proof." Call me old fashioned,

but I just don't think the word ADULT on the label will deter youth from wanting

to try this 40-proof chocolate milk packaged in a whimsical, cartooney-looking

bottle. What do you think? Is this simply a new alcopop?

ADULT CHOCOLATE MILK

This product was formally launched at the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers

of America Show in Las Vegas this month.

Free Webinar: Wednesday, April 7, 2010

This webinar will also include a facilitated discussion around recent school bullying episodes and how educators, mental health professionals, government agencies, mentoring providers and community-based organizations can address the problems associated with bullying and prevent bullying in the future.

The goal of this webinar is to bring professionals and community partners together to discuss, collaborate and act, to ensure young people do not fail to get the help they need—sometimes, as a matter of life and death. We encourage bullying prevention experts, educators and other youth development professionals to join this discussion and share their perspective on this critical issue.

Attention:
Following the webinar, MyPrevention.org will be hosting an open blog to continue the discussion, and participants may upload resources to share with colleagues.

Common Mechanisms of Drug Abuse and Obesity
Research Suggests Food Availability Could Prompt Addiction

Some of the same brain mechanisms that fuel drug addiction in humans accompany the emergence of compulsive eating behaviors and the development of obesity in animals, according to research funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), a component of the National Institutes of Health.
The study, conducted by researchers at the Scripps Research Institute, was released today in the online version of Nature Neuroscience and will also appear in the journal's May 2010 print issue. When investigators gave rats access to varying levels of high-fat foods, they found unrestricted availability alone can trigger addiction-like responses in the brain, leading to compulsive eating behaviors and the onset of obesity.
"Drug addiction and obesity are two of the most challenging health problems in the United States," said Dr. Nora D. Volkow, director of NIDA. "This research opens the door for us to apply some of the knowledge we have gathered about drug addiction to the study of overeating and obesity."
Both obesity and drug addiction have been linked to a dysfunction in the brain’s reward system. In both cases overconsumption can trigger a gradual increase in the reward threshold — requiring more and more palatable high fat food or reinforcing drug to satisfy the craving over time.
Researchers conducted this study in three groups of male rats over a 40-day period. Each day, the three groups had unlimited access to standard lab food. In addition, two of the groups also had access to high-fat, cafeteria style foods for short (one-hour) or long (18-23 hours) periods.
After 40 days, all groups were denied access to the high-fat foods. Throughout the study, researchers observed the feeding behaviors of each group, noting caloric intake, weight gain, and brain response.
The results support the notion that type 2 dopamine receptors (D2DR) — brain receptors that have been shown to play a key role in addiction — also play a key role in the rats' heightened response to food. In fact, as the rats became obese, the levels of D2DR in the brain's reward circuit decreased. This drop in D2DR is similar to that previously seen in humans addicted to drugs like cocaine or heroin.
"The results of this study could provide insight into a mechanism for obesity," said Paul J. Kenny, one of the study's co-authors and an associate professor at the Scripps Jupiter, Fla., research facility. "It's possible that drugs developed to treat addiction may also benefit people who are habitual overeaters."
Study results also suggest that environmental factors, such as increased or unlimited access to high-fat food options, can contribute to the problem of obesity.
"Hopefully, this study will change the way people think about eating," said Paul Johnson, a co-author and graduate student in the department of molecular therapeutics. "It demonstrates how just the availability of food can trigger overconsumption and obesity."
The study titled: "Addiction-like reward dysfunction and compulsive eating in obese rates: Role for dopamine D2 receptors," by Paul M. Johnson and Paul J. Kenny in Nature Neuroscience can be found online at: http://www.nature.com/neuro/journal/vaop/ncurrent/index.html
The National Institute on Drug Abuse is a component of the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIDA supports most of the world’s research on the health aspects of drug abuse and addiction. The Institute carries out a large variety of programs to inform policy and improve practice. Fact sheets on the health effects of drugs of abuse and information on NIDA research and other activities can be found on the NIDA home page at http://www.drugabuse.gov/. To order publications in English or Spanish, call NIDA’s new DrugPubs research dissemination center at 1-877-NIDA-NIH or 240-645-0228 (TDD) or fax or email requests to 240-645-0227 or drugpubs@nida.nih.gov. Online ordering is available at http://drugpubs.drugabuse.gov/. NIDA’s new media guide can be found at http://drugabuse.gov/mediaguide.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) — The Nation's Medical Research Agency — includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is the primary federal agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical and translational medical research, and it investigates the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit http://www.nih.gov/

 

Check out this NPR story and provide your comments here.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=125302688&ft=1&f=1030 

The National Council on Patient Information and Education (NCPIE), along with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and representatives from 15 nationally recognized prevention, health professional and child advocacy organizations, are launching Maximizing Your Role as a Teen Influencer: What You Can Do to Help Prevent Teen Prescription Drug Abuse.  

Although the use of tobacco, alcohol and illicit drugs among youth has declined from 2002 through 2008, over this time many teens have turned to misusing prescription drugs, according to SAMHSA’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health. In fact, prescription drugs are misused more by this age group than any illicit drug, except marijuana. The nonmedical use of these medicines—the very same drugs used to legitimately relieve pain, and treat conditions like anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, or ADHD in some people—is a growing and under-recognized problem that puts young lives at risk.

“Prescription drugs found in home medicine cabinets across the country have become the new drug of choice among teens, and every teen is at risk,” says Ray Bullman, Executive Vice President of NCPIE. “This initiative gives teen influencers—anyone who interacts with teens on a regular basis and can have a positive influence—the tools to help prevent prescription drug abuse in their school districts and communities. It also provides tips for delivering consistent prevention messages to teens at home, at school, on the field or during health-related visits.”

“While the National Survey on Drug Use and Health shows recent, significant declines in misuse of prescription drugs, we must maintain our focus and continue to drive the rates down even further,” says Eric Broderick, D.D.S., M.P.H., SAMHSA’s Acting Administrator. “Joining forces with NCPIE will help continue the momentum.”

“These tools are essential for engaging youth and the adults who come in contact with them through a solid message that prescription misuse is dangerous and can be fatal,” adds H. Westley Clark, M.D., J.D., M.P.H., CAS, FASAM, Director of SAMHSA’s Center for Substance Abuse Treatment.

Unlike other forms of adolescent drug use, the desire to feel good or get high ranks much lower as a motivation for prescription drug misuse. Experts note that adolescents are turning to prescription drugs not just for recreational use—they are turning to prescription drugs to help manage their daily lives. The reasons include to lower stress and anxiety, boost their mood, stay up all night studying for an exam, or to enhance academic or athletic performance. According to the 2007 Partnership Attitude Tracking Study conducted by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America, dealing with pressures and managing school-related stress is cited as the number one reason teens use prescription drugs.

The statistics regarding teen drug use are startling. Consider these facts:

Ø      More than 1 in 10 teens (or 2.8 million) have abused prescription drugs in their lifetimes according to SAMHSA’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health.

Ø      1 in 3 teens report knowing someone who abuses prescription drugs according to the Partnership for a Drug-Free America’s 2007 Partnership Attitude Tracking Study.

Ø      1 in 3 teens surveyed says there is “nothing wrong” when using prescription drugs “every once and a while.” according to the Partnership for a Drug-Free America’s 2007 Partnership Attitude Tracking Study.

Ø      Every day, 2,700 teens abuse a prescription drug for the first time according to SAMHSA’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health.

Ø      8 out of 10 teens who misuse prescription drugs get the drugs from friends or relatives through a number of means including stealing, buying or simply asking for the drugs according to the Partnership for a Drug-Free America‘s 2007 Partnership Attitude Tracking Study.

The comprehensive online resource, Maximizing Your Role as a Teen Influencer, offers a complete workshop module to educate and equip teeninfluencers—parents, grandparents, teachers, coaches, community and school-basedhealthcare providers and others—with credible information about teen prescription drug abuseand effective strategies to take action to help prevent it.

The Maximizing Your Role as a Teen Influencer toolkit includes complete workshop materials and instructions, as well as real-life scenarios, warning signs and symptoms, common myths about teen prescription drug abuse, brochures and sample promotional materials. This resource was developed with the guidance and insight of an esteemed group of experts, and is available for download at http://ww.talkaboutrx.org.

This initiative is made possible by SAMHSA and additional grant funding from Purdue Pharma LP and the National Association of Chain Drug Stores Foundation.

NCPIE and SAMHSA are solely responsible for the content, and maintain editorial control, of all materials and publications produced.

Her 'duty' is helping Muslim women heal after abuse

NEW YORK (CNN) -- Toward the end of her marriage, Rabia Iqbal said she feared for her life. Robina Niaz said the Quran "condemns" abuse of women. "If we witness injustice, we're required to speak up."

Iqbal was born in New York to parents who had immigrated to the United States from the tribal areas of Pakistan. She had a strict Muslim upbringing and when she was 16, her parents arranged her marriage to a 38-year-old man. She claims her husband turned violent during their 10 years of marriage.

When she finally left him, she did not know where to turn. Going home wasn't an option, she said.

"My parents ... made clear that they would disown me," Iqbal said. "My father even said ... 'You're lucky you live in America because if you lived back home, you would have been dead by now.' "

CONTACT:
Diane D. Barry: 617-618-2303/dbarry@edc.org
Wayne Harding, CAPT P.I.: 781-273-4206/wharding@ssre.org
Cheryl Vince Whitman, CAPT Co-PI: 617-618-2300/cvincewhitman@edc.org
Tania Garcia, CAPT Director: 617-618-2474/tgarcia@edc.org
Julie Hogan, CAPT Co-Director: 1-775-682-8542/jhogan@casat.org

EDC Announces New Center for the Application of Prevention Technologies (CAPT) to
Prevent and Reduce Substance Abuse across the Nation

Newton, MA: Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC) is pleased to announce that it has been selected to operate the new Center for the Application of Prevention Technologies (CAPT), a national contract awarded by the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) within the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The contract begins September 1, 2009 for one base year with four option years. SAMHSA is a Federal agency within the United States Department of Health and Human Services. This work
enhances and supports CSAP’s efforts to prevent and reduce substance abuse and associated public health issues across the lifespan. Certain populations, such as returning veterans and their families, and young adults (ages 18-25) may be targeted to address disparities in their behavioral health.

With regional partners, EDC’s Health and Human Development Division will provide training and technical assistance to CSAP grantees to strengthen their capacity to deliver effective prevention programs, policies, and practices. Grantees eligible to receive CAPT services include—States and the communities they serve, Jurisdictions, and Federally-recognized tribal entities supported under SAMHSA’s Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant Program, and grantees included in CSAP’s portfolio of Programs of Regional and National Significance.

Through CAPT services, CSAP will strive to enhance the skills, knowledge, and expertise of the prevention workforce across the country to support successful implementation of a structured, community-based and state-based approach to substance abuse prevention utilizing a strategic planning process -- SAMHSA’s Strategic Prevention Framework.

Building on the decade-long accomplishments of the five previous regional CAPT centers, EDC and its regional partners are creating a new, integrated CAPT system that will offer state-of-the-science customized technical assistance and training. The CAPT contract combines centralized management capacity at EDC to ensure overall program direction, efficiency, and consistency with a decentralized regional network system – i.e., a Regional Expert Team located in each region of the National Prevention Network.

These Regional Expert Teams reflect the diversity of their regions and have the knowledge and ability to reach all segments of the population. The CAPT will leverage and coordinate the strengths, tools and strategies from each region for a more unified and integrated national approach.

“Through the new CAPT system, SAMHSA/CSAP has the resource capacity to advance the President’s prevention agenda in improving the behavioral health and well-being of Americans and the communities in which they live,” stated Frances M. Harding, SAMHSA/CSAP Director. “We have research that supports the effectiveness of the prevention interventions we implement in the field to prevent and reduce substance abuse and related behavioral health problems. And, we know how to build and work with community and State prevention systems. By strengthening our collective ability to implement the Strategic Prevention Framework, we can enhance and sustain sound prevention practice at the local, State, and national levels,” Director Harding said.

In addition, under the auspices of the CAPT contract, CSAP continues its partnership with the United States Department of Education (ED) to provide additional resources for CAPT assistance to grantees supported under ED’s Grants to Reduce Alcohol Abuse (GRAA) Program, an initiative to reduce underage drinking.

“We are very proud to have this remarkable opportunity to serve the nation and leverage the
substance abuse prevention services we have offered as the Northeast CAPT for more than a
decade,” said Cheryl Vince Whitman, EDC Senior Vice President and Co-Principal Investigator with
Dr. Wayne Harding, Principal Investigator of the new CAPT. “The new system builds on all that has been learned and will continue to serve the regions and their particular audiences and needs. Through greater collaboration in these challenging economic times, we can share and draw on collective resources, and united with our excellent partners, achieve CSAP’s mission to prevent and reduce the toll of substance abuse in an increasingly diverse America,” she said.

EDC and its subcontract partners will serve as a key implementation arm of SAMHSA/CSAP, enabling policy makers and prevention practitioners to apply effective practices across the country. Joining EDC in this new, integrated CAPT system is an impressive roster of consultants and six major partner organizations:

EDC is a global nonprofit organization that develops, delivers, and evaluates innovative programs to address some of the world’s most urgent challenges in health, education and economic development. EDC creates and manages more than 300 projects in 35 countries. Visit www.edc.org. The programmatic home of the CAPT is EDC’s Health and Human Development Division, www.hhd.org

Case Studies in Youth Mentoring:

Why Don’t We Like To Change?

Helping Organizations Chart a New Course for Future Success

by Craig Bowman, Mentoring Resource Center

July 2009

Most real-world decisions have a status quo option—a choice that means doing nothing and/or maintaining a current or previous decision. And the truth is, according to the experts, most of us prefer that option—even when it is no longer in our interests.

Save Mentoring Funding: Take Action Now!

July 16, 2009: On July 10^th, the House Labor/HHS/Education Appropriations Subcommittee marked up their FY 2010 funding package, recommending nearly $50 million for Mentoring Children of Prisoners in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as in previous years, but following the President's budget request by eliminating funding for Mentoring Programs grants in the U.S. Department of Education.

To read the entire article, please click here: http://www.mentoring.org/news/137

Last year, when President Bush asked Congress to stop funding the grants under the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities program, Obama, Biden and 35 other senators protested. They signed a letter calling it "the backbone of youth drug prevention" that was "making a difference" for 37 million children. They signed similar letters in 2006 and 2007.

Obama's budget calls the program "poorly designed" and cites a 2001 study by the RAND Drug Policy Research Center that found it "profoundly flawed."

The grants are too small to be effective, says William Modzeleski, head of the Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools in the Education Department. More than half the recipients get less than $10,000, he says.

Funding has declined since 2003, when Congress allotted $472 million for the grants. In 2006 and 2007, Bush proposed cutting out the program but Congress allotted $346.5 million each year. Last year, Bush requested $100 million; Congress nearly tripled it to $295 million.

Tommy Vietor, a White House spokesman, says, "It's important that we invest in what works and don't invest in what doesn't. ... The funding is spread too thin."

The Education Department says a related national program funds proven projects. Obama's budget would add $102 million to that program for a total of $239 million.

Arthur Dean, CEO of the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America, says many state programs work, and the federal government hasn't asked for proof.

His group's leaders and students from some Virginia and West Virginia schools will deliver petitions supporting the program to Congress Thursday, he says.

"Many of these districts bring their money together to do important things," Dean says. "Only inside the D.C. Beltway could someone say $10,000 is too little."

In Wisconsin, 22 small school districts have pooled their money since 1989. They have created an anti-drug website and course for rural schools, trained 1,274 educators in prevention strategies and presented 814 programs for parents, says Jeff Bentz of the Cooperative Educational Service Agency 8 in Gillett, Wis.

"Some small districts can do great things with very little money," Bentz says. "If the president knows these things work and work well, I think that he's a reasonable person and will change his mind."

Mentoring Grants

RFP #1 OJJDP Mentoring Research Program
Summary: This program seeks to enhance what is known about mentoring as a prevention strategy for juvenile delinquency. This award will be given to evaluate the effectiveness of paid versus volunteer mentors within an existing mentoring program, with the evaluator conducting a process and an outcome evaluation measuring the success of paid and volunteer mentor programs in preventing delinquency. Due Date: June 2.  Award: Up to $3,500,000. Read More.

RFP #2: US Department of Justice: OJJDP Mentoring Initiative for Foster Care Youth
Summary: This grant will help communities establish or expand mentoring and support services for youth in foster care and foster care youth involved in the juvenile justice system. New or existing mentoring programs with proven track records and that serve foster care youth are invited to apply. Due Date: June 8.  Award: $500,000 per award for a project period of up to three years. Read More.

RFP #3: OJJDP Strategic Enhancement to Mentoring Programs Grant
Summary: This award announcement is for currently operating mentoring programs to fund parental involvement, add and enhance mentoring match activities and enhance mentor training and support. Due Date: June 15. Award: $500,000 across three years.  Read More.

RFP #4: Mentoring for Juvenile Offenders While Incarcerated and During Transition into the Community
OJJDP FY 09 Second Chance Juvenile Mentoring Initiative
Summary: The grants will be used for mentoring juvenile offenders during confinement, through transition back to the community and post-release; transitional services to help youth offenders reintegration into the community; and training in offender and victims issues. Due Date: June 15.  Award: Up to $625,000 across three years.  Read More.

RFP #5: Gang Prevention Youth Mentoring Programs
FY 09 Gang Prevention Youth Mentoring Program 
Summary: This grant is for mentoring programs serving youth at-risk of gang activity, delinquency and youth violence and offering a mixture of core services and activities that enable youth to practice healthy behaviors within a positive pro-social peer group. Goals include emphasizing long-term mentoring relationships (two or more years). Due Date: June 15.    Award: $500,000 across three years.  Read More.

RFP #6: OJJDP Second Chance Act Youth Offender Reentry Initiative Grant
Summary: This grant will help jurisdictions characterized by large numbers of offenders returning to their communities after release from a residential confinement. Reentry is not envisioned to be a specific program but rather an evidence-based process that begins while the offender is still confined and ensures the juvenile's transition is safe and successful. Services can include mentors who work with offenders while in custody and after reentry into the community. Due Date: June 15.  Award: $750,000 per award for a project period of up to 36 months.  Read More.  

RFP #7: Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families Mentoring Children of Prisoners Program
Summary: This program supports the creation and maintenance of one-on-one mentoring relationships between children of incarcerated parents and caring, supportive adult volunteer mentors. The program supports the establishment or expansion and operation of mentoring programs in which children and youth between 4 and 18 are matched with an adult mentor who has been screened and trained for a friendship-oriented mentoring relationship. Due Date: June 19.  Award: $211,163 per budget period ($1 million ceiling) for an estimated 70 programs.  Read More. 

ROLE OF THE FAMILY IN YOUTH MENTORING

Youth mentoring has reached monumental proportions in the United States. Urban, rural and suburban communities across the country have recognized that mentoring is a powerful intervention to make a difference in the lives of young people. As a result, funding from the federal government reached the highest levels in 2004 with $100 million dollars being distributed to local mentoring programs from two agencies, Department of Health & Human Services (for Children of Incarcerated Parents) and Department of Education (for school-age programs in grades 4-8). That funding has continued with even more opportunities recently from the U.S. Department of Justice.

Mentoring programs are occurring at sites such as schools, the workplace, community centers, churches and synagogues, juvenile facilities and prisons. Configurations of mentor and youth relationships range from the traditional one-to-one matches to those involving groups, couples, teams and e-mentoring.

Youth being mentored today are often selected because they have poor self esteem and attitudes, are involved in risky behavior, lack support or may just need encouragement and an extra little push from a non-judgmental, caring person. Some are in the juvenile justice system, foster care, have special needs or may be children of incarcerated parents.

Typically the focus of mentoring relationships ranges from social in nature to a concentration on preparing young people for careers, providing them with employability skills, preparation for post-secondary education or strengthening their academic performance. The impact on youth that are being mentored is promising.

But what about the families of the youth who have been selected for mentoring programs? After almost three decades of experience in establishing, maintaining and evaluating mentoring programs, I have found that, for the most part, the role of the family in the mentoring experience has been minimal. Most of the recent Requests for Proposals from the federal government have suggested the need to include events and training for the family. It is time to take a look at the potential and benefits of the involvement of families in mentoring initiatives.

What are some questions around the role of the family in mentoring and the answers?

Q. What does a quality program look like that includes the family as part of the initiative?

A. Some time ago, I created a F.A.M.I.L.Y. (Families And Mentors Involved in Learning with Youth) component of the Norwalk Mentoring Program (Norwalk, CT) which I believe should be a critical part of any effective mentoring initiative. Based on the rationale that involvement of parents and other caregivers in the lives of their children is vital to the overall health of youth and their families, the model offers great potential for the future. It is a win-win. Here is how it works:

The F.A.M.I. L. Y. model has as its goals to involve the family along with mentors in supporting the youth they have in common. In this model, each year the staff of the mentoring program conducts a series of workshops for families and mentors. They are usually scheduled in the evening to allow for the convenience of working families. Key to the effort is ensuring that families are offered food, transportation and babysitting where necessary. Offering these reduces the barrier to good attendance at the sessions.

The workshops are led by professionals who are experts in their field. Topics for each session can include, for example: Stress in the twenty-first century; AIDS Prevention; How to listen to your own child; How to bridge the communication gap between children and adults; Avoiding drug and alcohol use; Conflict resolution; Avoiding bullying and other risky behavior; How to read to and with your own child; Career direction; Goal setting; Manners and etiquette; Helping with homework.

Each of the family members is sent an invitation in advance, inviting them to join with their children and their mentors for this exciting series. Usually, the written invitation must be followed up with a telephone call and even a personal visit in order to encourage and ensure that they will come. Families are often enticed with the chance to meet their child's mentor, enjoy good food, have fun and learn together. It works.

Over the years, on the average of 63% of families have attended the workshop series on a regular basis and 72% attended parent-teacher conferences at the schools for the first time. In many cases, it has been reported that family members attending the series had never been to school before. [1]

The goal of this series, which can be scheduled at lunch time or early mornings as well, is to provide a warm, informal and non-threatening environment for families who can interact with mentors and learn how to improve their parenting skills.

Q. Families are learning parenting skills at these sessions. Are there any other benefits?

A. There is an additional pay-off to these events. The families are receiving unexpected benefits. While learning about how they can help their own children to succeed, the families often end up receiving critical assistance to improve their own competence and skills. Professionals running the series reach out to the local adult or continuing education department to provide sessions for family members who wish to take the courses necessary to pass the GED (General Educational Development) test in order to complete high school. Staff works with the families who are unemployed to teach them how to write a resume, design their own business card, read the want ads, fill out a mock application and seek job opportunities. In both the case of completing high school education and looking for a good job, the families are often receiving similar assistance as their own child who is being mentored.

Q. What are some of the barriers to incorporating families in to the youth mentoring experience?

A. At first, some family members may be reluctant to become involved. They may feel uncomfortable or embarrassed about seeking assistance for themselves or their child. They may not have the proper transportation to get to the family events. When this is the case, it is important to hold events for families, mentors and mentees in a location and a time of day that is convenient for everyone.

Q. Should or could mentors be involved in “mentoring” the entire family?

A. Some mentoring programs today have as their goal that of asking the mentors to work with the entire family. This may include such activities as driving them to job interviews, helping them to gain financial independence or managing their time. However, for the most part, the major role of a mentor is as a guide, friend and positive role model for mentees. When mentors are involved in the F.A.M.I.L.Y, model described above, they play a role in sharing strategies with the family that they are working on with their mentees.

Q. Do mentors have to have a special knowledge base in order to assist the entire family?

A. No, not really. The same criteria that apply to working with their mentee should apply as well for the entire family. These include caring, commitment, patience, good listening skills, and a sense of humor.

Q. How can local mentoring programs build family engagement into their current mentoring models?

A. Staff of mentoring programs should seek grant and foundation support to build in family involvement in mentoring. I am involved in designing a new program on several Indian reservations where mentoring is about to be offered for youth. The family will be included in this project from its inception. It just seems a natural. The mentor and the family work together for the benefit of the youth they “share in common.” The involvement of the family is the wave of the future in mentoring.

Resources, Publications and Websites

Volunteer Education and Development Big Brothers Big Sisters of America

Manual 230 North 13th Street

Philadelphia, PA 19107

http://www.bbbsa.org

Manual for Mentors 3 Inwood Road

Norwalk, CT 06850-1017

http://www.mentorconsultinggroup.com

Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory

101 S.W. Main Street, Suite 500

Portland, OR 97204

http://www.nwrel.org

1600 Duke Street, Suite 300

Alexandria, VA 22314

http://www.mentoring.org

2000 Market Street, Suite 600

Philadelphia, PA 19103

http://www.ppv.org/

The Harlem Miracle

DATE: Friday, April 10, 2009

FOR RELEASE: Immediately

Contact:  HHS Press Office

(202) 690-6343

Community Groups to Receive $1 Billion Boost From Recovery Act

Act Provides New Resources for Community Services Block Grant

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today announced plans

to make $1 billion available for the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG)

program. Funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the new

resources will be allocated to states across the country. States will

distribute the new funding to community groups that help Americans through

tough economic times.

 "Community organizations across the country are helping millions of

Americans put food on the table and weather tough economic times," said HHS

Spokesperson Jenny Backus.  "The Recovery Act will allow these organizations

to help more Americans get back on their feet."

Under the Recovery Act, organizations receiving CSBG funding must use the

resources to help get our economy back on track. Funds must be used to

reduce poverty, revitalize low-income communities, and assist low-income

families become self-sufficient. Eligible entities use funds to provide

services and activities addressing employment, education, housing,

nutrition, and emergency services to combat the central causes of poverty.

Services currently provided by community organizations that receive CSBG

funds include:

* Job training and placement assistance.

* Financial literacy programs such as credit counseling.

* Housing assistance programs that help keep Americans in their homes.

* Nutrition programs that provide meals for vulnerable families.

* Community agencies that bring public and private resources together to

assist families in need.

"With unemployment rates at a 25-year high, American workers need help now

more than ever," added Backus. "Community groups will have the resources

they need to continue to strengthen cities and towns across America."

The $1 billion in new funds under the Recovery Act is in addition to CSBG's

regular annual operating budget of approximately $700 million. To see a

state-by-state description of CSBG Recovery Act funding visit

http://www.hhs.gov/recovery/programs/acf/csbgmap.html

The activities described in this release are being funded through the

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). To track the progress of HHS

activities funded through the ARRA, visit www.hhs.gov/recovery. To track all

federal funds provided through the ARRA, visit www.recovery.gov.

ERs Report Rise In Binge Drinking By Teens

by Kelley Weiss, Weekend Edition Sunday

All Things Considered, March 18, 2009 · There aren't many psychotherapists in modern America with a hitching post in their parking lot — but Jim Cates is one.

The hitching post is discreetly tucked in one corner at his Topeka, Ind., office, quiet testimony to the fact that this particular practice is frequented by some very unusual clients.