What Kids Need: Thriving and Sparks

A spark is something that gives your life meaning and purpose. It's an interest, a passion, or a gift. What do you bring to the world that is good, beautiful, and useful?

From Search Institute - Thriving highlights the unique gifts and capacities of each young person. A thriving life involves discovering and nurturing one’s own “spark” and being supported and guided by a family and community that celebrate that spark.

What Are “Sparks”?

SPARKS are…the hidden flames in kids that excite them and tap into their true passions.
SPARKS come from…the gut. They motivate and inspire. They’re authentic passions, talents, assets, skills, and dreams.
SPARKS can…be musical, athletic, intellectual, academic, relational—from playing the violin to enjoying working with kids or senior citizens.
SPARKS can…ignite a lifelong vocation or career, or balance other activities to create an emotionally satisfying, enriched life.
SPARKS get…kids going on a positive path, away from the conflicts and negative issues—violence, promiscuity, drugs and alcohol—that give teens a bad name and attract so much negative energy.
And SPARKS give you the five steps for igniting sparks in your teens.

To learn more about Sparks and to access valuable downloads and resources click here.

To read about the current research on thriving and sparks click here.

Absolut Responsibility: Vodka Company Promoting Moderation

Just weeks after debuting television advertising during the Grammy Awards, Absolout Vodka is unveiling their "Recognize the Moment" campaign to promote responsible drinking.

From the New York Times - Advertising about drinking responsibly has been appearing for decades. One notable effort — “Know when to say when” — was introduced by Anheuser-Busch in 1982, when the economy was mired in recession.

Responsibility campaigns are considered an effective counterweight to activists who seek to limit or ban advertising for beer, wine and liquor. Now, a best-selling vodka brand is significantly increasing the digital presence of its moderation messages by devoting a section of its Web site to helping drinkers “enjoy with Absolut responsibility.” The moderation messages for Absolut are expected to go live Monday.

For the complete story in the New York Times click here.

To learn more about Absolut's responsibility campaign "Recognizing the Moment" visit their website here.

National Inhalants and Poisons Awareness Week: March 15 - 21, 2009

One in five students in America has used an inhalant to get high by the time he or she reaches the eighth grade.

From the National Inhalant Prevention Coalition - Parents don't know that inhalants, cheap, legal and accessible products, are as popular among middle school students as marijuana. Even fewer know the deadly effects the poisons in these products have on the brain and body when they are inhaled or "huffed." It's like playing Russian Roulette. The user can die the 1st, 10th or 100th time a product is misused as an inhalant.

Prevention through education has proven to work against this popular form of substance abuse. This is why the National Inhalant Prevention Coalition has developed National Inhalants & Poisons Awareness Week (NIPAW), an annual media-based, community-level program that takes place the third week in March. NIPAW is designed to increase understanding about the use and risks of inhalant involvement.

To learn more about NIPAW click here.

To learn more about inhalants and access other valuable resources visit Parents. The Anti-Drug , The Partnership for A Drug-Free America, or SAMHSA's A Family Guide To Keeping Youth Mentally Healthy & Drug Free .

Drug-Related Crime Prevention: Seizure Money to Help Addicted Homeless

Merced County Sheriff Mark Pazin says it costs less to help the homeless than to book them on misdemeanor drug violations.

From the Turlock Journal - A faith-based group dedicated to helping homeless drug addicts is receiving some help from the Merced County Sheriff's Department in the form of $30,000 in cash. The $30,000 donation is from asset seizure money the sheriff's department has collected. The money will be given to the United Way Foundation and earmarked to benefit the Merced County Rescue Mission.

The Merced County Rescue Mission plans to use the money to run a one-month long pilot program that will provide food, clothing, shelter, and counseling to homeless drug addicts.

The hope is that the work the mission does with the homeless addicts will result in a decrease in drug-related offenses. Merced County Sheriff Mark Pazin said it costs less to help the homeless than to book them into jail for misdemeanor drug violations."The idea is to keep the mission providing a service so desperately needed as funds are being cut and as the number of homeless are on the rise," MacKenzie said.

Read the complete story here in the Turlock Journal .

Campus Crime Stoppers Hits the Modesto Area

From The Modesto Bee - As of Feb. 1, students at junior high and high schools in Modesto and Ceres are now part of Campus Crime Stoppers. The Crime Stoppers program, which lets tipsters share information anonymously and gives them a chance to claim rewards, has been in the county since 2005. It has led to more than 136 arrests, including several related to homicide investigations.

Authorities said they hope that encouraging students and their families to get involved will make campuses safer and potentially tap into a gold mine of clues. Now that Crime Stoppers accepts tips via the Web and text messaging, officials say, the program should be easy for students to access.

To read the complete story in The Modesto Bee click here.

To learn more about Campus Crime Stoppers visit the official website here.

What Kids Need: Developmental Assets

“If you breathe, you’re on the team!” - Peter L. Benson

From the Search Institute - Search Institute's 40 Developmental Assets® are common sense, positive experiences and qualities that help influence choices young people make and help them become caring, responsible adults. Grounded in extensive research in youth development, resiliency, and prevention, the Developmental Assets represent the relationships, opportunities, and personal qualities that young people need to avoid risks and to thrive.

What is an asset builder? Are you one and don't even know it? Do you want to become one? It's easy! Find out more here.

Already on the team? We want to hear your asset-building success stories! Share them below or email them to your BHRS Education and Prevention Team.

"Support 21 Act of 2009" (H.R. 1028)

From Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) - On February 12, 2009 Representatives Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-34) and Mary Bono Mack (CA-45) introduced the "Support 21 Act of 2009" (H.R. 1028), legislation to advance the nation’s efforts to prevent and reduce underage alcohol use and its devastating consequences. Representatives DeLauro (CT-3) and Wamp (TN-3) are also original co-sponsors. We congratulate the sponsors for their efforts to address this important youth health and safety concern, and urge support for the bill.

Alcohol is the nation’s number one youth drug problem, causing 5,000 deaths per year among persons under 21. Confronting alcohol problems requires a commitment to a comprehensive national prevention strategy. The "Support 21 Act of 2009" will build on the success of the "Sober Truth on Preventing Underage Drinking (STOP) Act," enacted in 2006, to strengthen the ability of government and communities around the nation to help construct and implement that needed national strategy.

For the complete story and video of the bill being introduced on the house floor visit CSPI here.

To view the document in The Library of Congress click here.

2008 PATS: Teen Study Shows Significant Declines in Meth and Marijuana Use

From The Partnership for a Drug-Free America (February, 24, 2009)- The Partnership for a Drug-Free America today announced the findings from the 2008 Partnership Attitude Tracking Study, (PATS) which revealed the first major increase in the number of teens who reported “learning a lot” about the risks of drugs from their parents. Research consistently shows that teens who learn a lot about the risks of drugs at home are up to 50 percent less likely to use.

According to the study, teen meth use has experienced a steep three-year drop, with past-month use down to 3 percent of teens – a significant 25 percent decline versus 2005. Teen attitudes about meth use corroborate this drop – 83 percent of teens see great risk in using meth regularly, about 85 percent see great risk in “getting hooked on meth” and more than half of teens, (54 percent) see trying meth once or twice as very risky.

While marijuana remains the most widely used illegal drug among teens, PATS indicates marijuana use has been declining for a decade, with past-year use down 24 percent since 1998, and past-month use down a full 30 percent (from 23 percent of teens down to 16 percent) over the same time period. Teen attitudes also reflect growing social disapproval of the drug, with 35 percent of teens agreeing strongly they “don’t want to hang around with anyone who uses marijuana,” up from 28 percent a decade ago.

The 20th annual national study of 6,518 teens in grades 7-12 is nationally projectable with a +/- 1.3 percent margin of error. PATS Teens 2008 was conducted in private, public and parochial schools for the Partnership by the Roper Public Affairs Division of GfK Custom Research.

For more key findings and the complete report click here.

In An Absolut World: Vodka Ads on Network TV

From Marin Institute - Disregarding the long-established voluntary ban on liquor ads on TV, Absolut Vodka and its owner, French corporate giant Pernod Ricard, have opened the alcohol advertising floodgates by running an ad on CBS during the Grammy Awards on February 8, 2009.

This dangerous move by Pernod Ricard and CBS places profits ahead of public health and sets into motion the dismantling of a system of self-regulation created by an industry already known for egregious advertising.

The 30-second Absolut spot was the first spirits commercial to appear on a national broadcast TV show, running in 15 of the largest media markets on CBS and affiliate local stations. Determined to push media boundaries, Pernod Ricard reached a primetime audience of underage youth who tuned in to watch their favorite teen idols on the popular music awards show.

How does advertising impact young people? To learn more about the effects of alcohol advertising and marketing on youth visit The Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth.

Drinking Raises Cancer Risk for Middle-Age Women

Even one drink a day poses danger, large study finds

Research involving more than a million middle-age women finds that even moderate drinking raises risks for breast, liver and other cancers.

"Even relatively low levels of drinking -- on the order of one alcoholic drink per day -- increase a woman's risk of developing cancer," said lead researcher Naomi Allen, from the cancer epidemiology unit at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. "Because a high proportion of women drink low amounts of alcohol regularly and because most of the increased risk is for breast cancer, the risk among women associated with drinking alcohol is of particular importance."

To view the complete story in the U.S. News and World Report click here.

The report is published in the Feb. 24 online edition of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Gallo Prevention Education through the Arts: CRANKED

On May 7, 2009 Cranked will be coming to the Foster Family Theater at Gallo Center for the Arts as part of Gallo's vision to promote prevention education through the arts.

This remarkable and hugely successful play produced by Vancouver’s Green Thumb Theatre examines the rising epidemic of crystal meth use by teens. Employing spoken word and hip hop, Cranked offers a dramatic exploration of addiction and drug culture. It’s the story of Stan, a rising freestyle DJ who loses it all because of his meth habit and then confronts his demons without the “fix” that has dominated his life. This incredibly powerful and compelling play — with hip hop music played by an on-stage DJ — belongs to today’s generation but can be enjoyed and experienced by everyone from teens to parents and teachers.

An exciting component to Gallo bringing Cranked to our area is the opportunity for community-wide collaboration and education around these performances. Stanislaus County Office of Education, Center for Human Services, City of Patterson / Parks and Recreation, and the Stanislaus County Police Activities League have all stepped up to connect the Cranked message with young people and families in Stanislaus County. These partnerships will allow for students to be invited to showings at Gallo, but will also welcome Cranked out in to the community as well. The Cranked crew will be performing throughout Stanislaus County from May 7 through May 13.

Two public performances at Gallo Center for the Arts will be on May 9 at 2:00 PM and 8:00 PM. Tickets start at just $8.00. For more information and to view a video clip of the play visit the Gallo Center for the Arts website here.

For more information about this performance and others for your school or community please contact Raul Garcia, Community Engagement Coordinator at (209) 338-5020 or rgarcia@galloarts.org.

SAVE THE DATE! Stanislaus County Prevention Summit

Stanislaus County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services (BHRS) has announced May 12, 2009 as the date to save for the Prevention Summit to be held this spring in downtown Modesto.

A Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) Prevention and Early Intervention (PEI) community event, this year's Prevention Summit focuses on emotional and behavioral health, wellness, and resiliency. Keynote speaker Bonnie Benard, author of Resiliency: What We Have Learned, is one of many resources that will be made available to those interested in strength-based approaches to prevention in Stanislaus County. To learn more about MHSA please visit their website here.

The Prevention Summit will be held on May 12, 2009 from 8 am to 5 pm at Modesto Centre Plaza and the Doubletree Hotel in downtown Modesto. Please share this information with anyone interested in fostering healthy youth and community development in Stanislaus County.

SAVE THE DATE! More information about the day's events will be made available in the near future.

Large-Scale Meth Lab Busted in Turlock; Set Ablaze Days Later

On February 4, 2009, deputies with the Merced County Sheriff's Tactical and Reconnaissance team and agents from the Merced-Mariposa High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area raided a home on 10 acres in rural Turlock and seized more than 30 pounds of finished methamphetamine, a large quantity of unfinished product, 13 pounds of cocaine, chemicals used to manufacture methamphetamine, and a large sum of cash. Agents estimated the value of the seized drugs to be near one million dollars. The complete story can be found here in the Modesto Bee.

On February 6, the same modular home that had been raided just two days prior burst in to flames. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. The complete story about the blaze can be found here in the Turlock Journal.

Do you know the signs of a meth lab? How is meth made? And how do meth labs affect communities? Find out more about meth at The Partnership for a Drug-Free America.

To report a meth lab please call 1-866-METH LAB - all calls are anonymous.

CBS News' 60 Minutes: Drinking Age Debate

The Debate On Lowering The Drinking Age
60 Minutes: Some Say Age Should Be Lowered To 18, But MADD And Others Strongly Disagree

February 22, 2009 (CBS) - Last fall, a group of over 100 college presidents - including the heads of Dartmouth, Virginia Tech and Duke - signed a declaration stating that the 21-year-old drinking age is not working, and fireworks went off. But the college presidents got what they wanted: a national debate about the drinking age. When the age was raised to 21 in the mid-1980s, the goal was to reduce highway fatalities. But everyone knows that the 21 age limit hasn't stopped minors from drinking.

And now some experts believe it's actually contributing to an increase in extreme drinking.

Lesley Stahl examines the debate over lowering the drinking age to 18, a controversial idea embraced by some people and roundly criticized by others.

View the CBS News video of Lesley Stahl's report here.
Read the complete CBS news story here.

Report: The Annual Catastrophe of Alcohol in California

From the Marin Institute. Landmark study: Marin Institute has conducted a landmark research study, estimating the total annual cost of alcohol problems in the state of California. The results include deaths, incidents, and economic costs to individuals and to society. We calculated the annual costs to the health care and criminal justice systems, the lost productivity from deaths, illness, and injury, and the reduced quality of life. Our findings indicate that moderate-to-high alcohol consumption in California requires serious andimmediate attention.
Read the complete report here.

MHSA Prevention & Early Intervention Planning Begins

Stanislaus County's MHSA Prevention & Early Intervention planning begins. Visit the planning website at www.stanislausmhsa.com for more information. 

From alcohol to smoking, valley's diagnosis remains not so good, study say

From the Modesto Bee. Although the numbers have dropped in recent years, the hard drinking and two-packs-a-day cigarette habit are threatening the health of many valley residents, says a study released Thursday.

Central Valley residents outpace the rest of the state in alcohol and tobacco use. They also are more likely to die from heart attacks, strokes or cancer, health conditions often tied to smoking and alcohol abuse, says a Great Valley Center study on the health status of the Central Valley.

Excessive drinking in the valley has declined since 2003, when almost 30 percent of residents told a statewide survey they had at least one heavy drinking episode in the past month.

Read the complete article here.

Police, teens step up against underage drinking

From the Modesto Bee. Remember the warm summer nights you used to spend during school break sharing beers with friends under the open sky deep in a field so no one would spot the party?

Those days are over.

Not only are law enforcement officers stepping up efforts to crack down on teen drinking and those who enable it, teens themselves want to quell a problem that can continue to dog them in adulthood.

Read the complete story here.

Drug use starts in youth

From the Ceres Courier. Illegal drugs, especially methamphetamine (or crank as it is better known on the streets), continues to underlie many of our local crime problems; it has adverse effects on the overall quality of life here and it has significant health care implications. That problem has the attention of Stanislaus County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services and the County Board of Supervisors. Accordingly, they commissioned a research project to learn more about the methamphetamine abuse situation in our county. There are interesting, if not alarming, statistical facts that were revealed by the study. Read the complete story here.

Ceres: Teen booze parties outlawed

From the Ceres Courier. After months of talking about it, the Ceres City Council adopted an ordinance which makes it illegal for an adult to knowingly host a party where minors drink alcohol.

The Social Host Ordinance was adopted 5-0 on Monday. The second reading and adoption comes on Dec. 10. The ordinance makes it a misdemeanor crime for those hosting alcohol parties for those under the age of 21. Read the complete story here.