Published on May 22, 2024

Local coalition hosts youth substance use prevention symposium

Contact: Monica Sciuto, monica.sciuto@montagehealth.org, (831) 622-2756

MONTEREY, CA — On May 14, the Drug-Free Communities grant coalition hosted a youth substance use symposium where Monterey County experts and Monterey Peninsula Unified School District students shared about their current substance use prevention efforts.

The students were part of high school drug prevention clubs tasked with creating strategies to prevent and address substance use among their peers. They shared about projects including student-produced videos, naloxone distribution bins they constructed and put in high-risk areas, and posters created by students for students to spread messages from mental health awareness (or self-care) to drug-use prevention.

Other speakers included:

  • Allison Duckworth, Drug-Free Communities Grant Program Coordinator, Ohana
  • Krista Reuther, Assistant Director of Community Health and Prevention, Ohana
  • Katia Gutierrez, Prevention Program Manager, Sun Street Centers
  • Lesa Rubalcava, Friday Night Live
  • Michelle Hamilton, Window of Awareness & Hope
  • Dr. Casey Grover, Medical Director, Montage Health Prescribe Safe

Grover ended the night with a demonstration on how to use naloxone, a fast-acting medication that can reverse opioid overdoses.

The White House Drug-Free Communities program provides grants to local coalitions and mobilizes community leaders to identify and respond to drug problems unique to the community with the goal of reducing youth substance use. More than 700 community coalitions across the country receive funding to strengthen collaboration among local partners and create an infrastructure that reduces youth substance use. Montage Health’s Ohana youth mental health program administers the grant for Monterey County in partnership with Montage Health Prescribe Safe and Monterey Peninsula Unified School District. Montage Health Foundation administers the grant on behalf of Ohana who leads the coalition and partnership with Monterey Peninsula Unified School District. Learn more.

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OHANA
Ohana is a child, adolescent, and family mental health program of Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula. Created in 2018 after a landmark gift from Bertie Bialek Elliott, Ohana’s vision is to create a community in which every child can flourish because they and their families have the knowledge, skills, and support they need to grow into healthy and resilient adults. Ohana, a Hawaiian word meaning family, is a family-centered program that provides access to high-quality diagnostic and evidence-based treatments for youth who are experiencing mental illness and focuses on helping youth and families develop mental health to prevent illnesses before they start. Visit montagehealth.org/Ohana for more information and resources.

PRESCRIBE SAFE
Montage Health’s Prescribe Safe program is a multi-organizational collaborative effort in Monterey County with the goal of improving safety of prescription drugs, reducing inappropriate prescribing of prescription pain medications and sedatives, increasing awareness of the dangers of street-provided substances, increasing access to treatment for addiction, and improving education to the public and medical community on the dangers of prescription drugs, street drugs, and other addictive substances. Visit montagehealth.org/prescribesafe for more information and resources.

MONTAGE HEALTH FOUNDATION
Montage Health Foundation is a nonprofit organization that inspires and coordinates philanthropic support for Montage Health programs that advance healthcare excellence and strengthen community health. Montage Health Foundation supports the work of Montage Health through grant-making, volunteerism, and philanthropic partnerships with community members and like-minded organizations. Find more information about Montage Health Foundation at montagehealthfoundation.org.