Communi-Key
Cumberland, North Smithfield & Lincoln Prevention Coalitions
February 2019
Although February is the shortest of the months in the year, it was quite a busy month! The snow, cold and ice are ALMOST behind us (fingers crossed!). We are looking forward to longer days, filled with sunshine!
“Only those with tenacity can march forward in March”
― Ernest Agyemang Yeboah
NS Middle School: Hidden in Plain Sight
A huge thank you to the Administration and staff of the North Smithfield Middle School for inviting the North Smithfield Prevention Coalition to present "Hidden in Plain Sight" and discuss the dangers of vaping.
During the day on February 15th, staff of the NS Middle School were able to tour the room and gain useful knowledge so they can detect early warning signs in the classroom. Approximately 50+ parents participated in the exhibit during the evening hours, coinciding with a school dance for the students.
We are very grateful to those parents that took the time to educate themselves about the dangers of vaping & are being proactive in the fight against substance abuse among our youth!
CADCA National Leadership Forum
Representatives from the Lincoln Prevention Coalition returned home from Washington, D.C., area where they were joined by 2900 substance abuse prevention specialists and advocates from across the country for CADCA’s (Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America’s) 29th Annual National Leadership Forum.
“We are reenergized with new strategies under our belt to tackle drug use in our communities. It was exciting to spend several days with other similar organizations from across the country, learning and honing our prevention skills so our community can be a better place, one that doesn’t suffer from the harms of drug and alcohol abuse,” says Pam Shayer, Director.
Our coalition representatives heard from Dr. Jerome M. Adams, the Surgeon General of the United States, Jim Carroll, Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, and First Lady Melania Trump spoke with the youth attending the conference.
Stay Connected!
Stay on top of all the latest news, trends and events by "Liking" & "Following us! Our Facebook page is, Blackstone Valley Prevention Coalition! Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/bvprevention/
And last, but not least, we are on Twitter at https://twitter.com/BVPrevention. Be sure to "Like" and "Share" us with your friends and family!
Have questions? Any suggestions? Please email Pam Shayer, at pshayer@lincolnri.org.
We want to hear from you!
Lincoln Prevention Coalition honored at CADCA's National Leadership Forum
On February 5th, the Lincoln Prevention Coalition was one of 112 community coalitions honored during a graduation ceremony CADCA's National Leadership Forum, outside of Washington DC. The LPC received a graduation certificate for completing CADCA's National Coalition Academy, a rigorous training program designed to increase the effectiveness of community drug prevention leaders.
The LPC was awarded the "Drug Free Community" Grant in 2017. This highly competitive grant is for five years, with a potential of 10 years at $125,000, per year for Lincoln.
PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured are (from left): Pat Castillo, Director, National Coalition Institute VP, Training operations, CADCA Arthur T. Dean, Chairman and CEO CADCA; Terri-Lynn Longpre, Grant Coordinator; Pam Shayer, Director; and Jerilyn Simpson Jordan, Vice Chair, CADCA Board Founder & CEO.
"Spring" into Health! St. James Church Health Fair
A medication/pill disposal collection for expired/unused medications will also be available, on site by local law enforcement from 10am - 2pm
"Spring" into Health!
"Be That Person" in Cumberland!
The Cumberland Prevention Coalition is proud to be a part of A unique mental health and substance abuse series at the Cumberland Public Library, encouraging members of the community to “Be That Person” who notices when someone is struggling and connects them to resources for help.
The goals of the series are to help reduce the stigma of mental illness and substance abuse, improve early identification of behavioral health issues, educate people about available resources, improve connection to treatment and ultimately reduce deaths to suicide and overdose.
Monthly series topics are as follows, with each forum beginning at 6:30 p.m. and running the fourth Wednesday of the month from January to May, excluding April. The workshops will address mental illness, substance abuse and trauma, as well as how to recognize when help is needed and how to access resources. There will also be special focus on developing strategies for talking to people about these uncomfortable topics.
Please join us at the Cumberland Public Library, from 6:30-8pm:
March 27th: "Trauma"
May 22nd: "Resilience"
PLEASE JOIN US FOR OUR ANNUAL TOWN HALL MEETING, "Big Screen Discussions: Addressing the Opioid Epidemic".
A brief panel discussion on addiction, featuring specialists & experts in prevention, addiction, & recovery services, along with local law officials will be featured. A complimentary showing of the acclaimed movie “Beautiful Boy” will follow the panel discussion.
Based on the best-selling pair of memoirs from father and son David and Nic Sheff, Beautiful Boy chronicles the heartbreaking and inspiring experience of survival, relapse, and recovery in a family coping with addiction over many years.
THIS EVENT IS RATED "R" AND FOR AGES 17+, due to the mature discussion matter. "Beautiful Boy" will likely be affecting for some people to watch, especially those in early recovery. One can expect some disturbing scenes. However, it is worth mentioning that while the subject matter in the film will be painful to watch at times, at this point, Nic is leading a life in recovery.To Reserve your FREE ticket(s) to the event, please click HERE! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/big-screen-discussions-addressing-the-opioid-epidemic-tickets-55472181789
Tuesday, Mar 5, 2019, 06:00 PM
Cinemaworld Lincoln Mall 16, George Washington Highway, Lincoln, RI, USA
Interested in becoming a member of the Cumberland, Lincoln or North Smithfield Prevention Coalition?
Interested in finding out or becoming a member of the Blackstone Valley Prevention Coalition? Please join us for our monthly meeting!
(For Lincoln Residents) Tuesday, March 19th at 6:30pm, Lincoln Police Department
(For Cumberland Residents) Tuesday, March 19th at 4:00pm, McCourt Middle School
(For North Smithfield Residents) Thursday, March 28th at 2:00pm, NS High School
Please join us & learn how YOU can be a part of prevention for the community!
Please watch our Facebook page, Blackstone Valley Prevention Coalition, for more exciting news!