HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999-10-21 Substance Abuse Prevention Advisory Council MinutesReading Substance Abuse Prevention Advisory Counl=i_~ • * 3
Minutes
October 21, 1999
Chairperson, Dale Merrill, called the meeting to order at 7:40PM. at the Reading Public Library
Conference Room. Those present included Leone Sullivan, Sandy Michaud, Jane Fiore, Dale
Merrill, Michael Lucey, Bill Carrick, John Costigan, Amy Rosenblatt, Michael Hanifan, Cathy
Kosta, Rev. Jean Russo-Parks, David LiBassi, John Segalla, and Marc Alterio. Observers to
public meeting were: Nadine Wandzilak, Anne Barrett Doyle.
Excused: Mary Williams
Absent: Sara Heaney, Dave Stamatis,
Minutes from June 17, 1999 were read and approved 11:0:0.
Introduction of the old and new members. Discussion regarding time change of meeting.
Meetings will begin at 7:30 PM. E-mail addresses given for general information only.
Reports:
7:50 PM - Officer Leone Sullivan presentation on Inhalants/Police Department
• Nitrous Oxide is a dangerous inhalant
• Kids inhaling white-out
• Products are over-the-counter and legal
• Death can occur from suffocation
• Handout provided for everyone as well as a video
8:10 PM - General discussion on presentation. Needs to be an education of parents and children
For prevention of inhalant use.
8:15 PM -Health division report by Jane Fiore
• 12 families referred to treatment increase by 7 families
• People are seeking direction
• Age range 7th-10th grades seeking resources/referrals
• STD rate is stable
• 45 active cases of Chlamydia ages 13-19
8:20 PM - Funding/Budget
• In order to get more funding for the committee, we will need an organized, precise plan and
Detailed guidelines.
• Project Alliance: a program promoting unity of school and law enforcement for community
wellness membership is paid through the Safe and Drug Free Schools and Community Grant
$3,121.
• The Project Alliance program agenda will be copies and available to Council by November
meeting
• Athletic Director will be looking to write a grant with a Coach and Jane to work;with
Athletes regarding respect and responsibility.
• Mike Hanifan suggested the topics be chosen to promote student interest. The need to
balance information and the adolescent tune out syndrome. This will hopefully avoid the
desensitization syndrome.
• Mike Lucey questioned duplication of services - It was noted an inventory of community
programs was reviewed and developed before the YRBS was done and the results of the
survey verified the direction of the programming.
8:47 Health report Continued
• Ruth Brophy Tobacco control Program director has written a middle school curricula called
"I Can't Breathe" The State program has distributed this through Arnold Communications
nationally. She is now working on a chew tobacco curricula for the state.
8:50 Objectives and Goals 1999-2000
• YRBS : Should we repeat the survey
• Member Mike Lucey was recognized by the Chair: he spoke on the survey as
inappropriate and a disappointing tool.
• Sandy Michaud reviewed the process for choosing the YRBS over the course of 18
months. Presentations were made to the Council, school administration and school
committee. All parents were sent a letter addressed to them from the school describing
the survey and their option to review as well as to remove their child from the class
during the survey 43 minutes.
• Anne Doyle was a guess and spoke to the Council state the survey was "bad" and the
council needs to look for other surveys and needs the review why we are doing this. Anne
had 33 signature she had obtained from parent outside of Parker regarding the survey.
• Lengthy discussed followed.
• Some questions were discussed.
• There was agreement some results were questionable - repeating the survey this year
would be helpful.
• Mike Lucey requests the council be open to other testing resources.
• It was reported that the survey assists the Town and School department in receiving
other grant funds
• Suggestion was made to exclude 6`h grade from survey.
• Jane Fiore will invite Carol Goodnow, DOE researcher and Sharmeen Irani, MA
Prevention Center to the next Council meeting.
9:45 p.m. Cable communication - Perspectives was discussed again to bring to CH 9. This
discussion will be held next month.
List of referral numbers on cable scroll will be placed prior to next week and the assignment of
who will renew will be discussed at Nov. meeting.
Motion for adjournment was made at 10:05 p.m.
Meeting was adjourned at 10:35 p.m.
Next meeting Wednesday, November 17, 1999
7:30 p.m.
Town Hall Conference Room
Respectfully submitted
L'ezx~lu~ ~'(os few
Cathy osta
Secretary