ALLIANCE TO HEAL
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June 2023

6/5/2023

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Recent Events: 

  • Drug Take Back Day
    • Thanks to everyone who participated in April's Drug Take Back Day! We collected 224.7 lbs of medications! The next Drug Take Back Day is Saturday, October 28th from 9am-12pm. More information will be published closer to the date. 
  • WRAP: Local Retail Environmental Scans of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Healthy Foods
    • On May 11th, Judi and Kaycee presented to the Northwoods Coalition on WRAP. They explained the environmental scan process, local data and results, how the data has been used, and how the process can be improved in the future. On May 19th, Judi and Kaycee joined Katie and Nikki from the 7 C's Health Initiative Coalition (tobacco prevention) to present to the Wisconsin Cancer Collaborative.
  • Together 4 Youth Summer Kick Off
    • On June 1st, Better Together hosted a summer kick-off for local youth in collaboration with area youth-serving organizations. The event included a cook-out, games, and crafts. Alliance to Heal Prevention Workgroup helped youth create beaded bracelets with the colors focusing on mindfulness and positive affirmations. More information can be found here. 

Mental Health and Substance Use

According to the CDC, risk factors for youth high-risk substance use can include mental health issues. Pre-teens, teens, and young adults with mental health concerns have an increased risk for alcohol, tobacco, or other drug use. Below are the results of the Youth Risk Behavior Survey taken by La Crosse County High School Students in 2021. 
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Having a mental health concern does not cause substance use, but it is important to recognize and acknowledge to help reduce the risk of initiation. There are strategies that adults can do to help all teens remain substance-free including discussing expectations of substance use and positive reinforcement. Strategies that are specific to youth struggling with mental health issues can include seeing a counselor and using online resources such as FindSupport.gov.

Healthy Alcohol Marketplace

In order to reduce chronic disease like high blood pressure, breast cancer, heart disease and digestive problems which can be caused by alcohol, we need to better understand how they are marketed, where and how they are sold and in what communities.  La Crosse County volunteers collect data that sheds light on alcohol marketing and advertising in places youth shop. 

This year’s Environmental Scans documented the increase of ready-to-drink (RTD’S) available at grocery and convenience stores over the past 6 years. RTD’s can be sold individually or in packs. 

What is the reason for this popularity? Convenience for one.  You don’t need a recipe, or a multitude of ingredients and tools plus you get a variety of drinks.  Drinkers, particularly, young people are interested in healthier drinks:  lower calories, less alcohol, and “healthy additives” such as B vitamins, ginseng, etc.   

What are Alliance to Heal concerns?
  • Attractive, bright colors that appeal to youth. 
  • Single serving cans found in same coolers as sodas and other non-alcoholic products.  
  • Inexpensive  
  • Easy to consume while operating a car or boat.  
  • Multiple servings in a 24 oz. can. 
  • Containers are not re-sealable 

One way to change the impact of alcohol on the youth in our community is to change where alcohol can be sold is through alcohol outlet density.  Alcohol outlet density refers to the number of physical locations where alcohol is sold within a geographic area, such as a square mile, census track or city block.  Density can be regulated at the state and local levels through zoning and business licensing.   ​

Upcoming Events: 

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April 2023

4/10/2023

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Recent Events: 

  • Wake Up Call 
    • On March 8th and March 9th, the Alliance to Heal Prevention Workgroup visited Onalaska High School to present Wake Up Call. Wake Up Call is a mock teen bedroom that contains over 20 red flags of possible substance use throughout the room. The walk through teaches parents how to be proactive in their child's life and how to start the conversation about substance use. Everything purchased in the room was bought locally for under $20. Attendees were given conversation starter cards, medication lock boxes and bags, and information on how to talk about substance use with their children. 
  • Family Fun Expo
    • ​The Prevention Workgroup attended the Parenting Place and the Coulee Parenting Connection's Family Fun Expo on March 19th at the Onalaska Omni Center. Over 4000 participants attended the event. There were aerial dancers, ponies, face-painting, games, and other organizations. Alliance to Heal had a foam axe-throwing game and gave out chalk, conversation starting cards, a conversation game, and medication lock boxes and bags. 

The LGBTQ+ Community and Substance Use

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Pre-teens, teens, and young adults that identify as LGBTQ+ have an increased risk for alcohol, tobacco, or other drug use. Recent research has identified a number of key life experiences specific to the LGBTQ+ community that increase the risk for substance use.  Below are the results of the Youth Risk Behavior Survey taken by La Crosse County High School Students in 2021. The results indicate that this research holds true for La Crosse County. 




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Being a part of the LGBTQ+ community does not cause substance use. Rather, some differences between LBGTQ+ youth and straight, cisgender youth - mostly consequences of prejudice - weaken their support systems and increase the pressure for them to use substances. Understanding these risk factors and differences is crucial for helping LGBTQ grow up substance-free. Some of these differences include bullying and harassment, family rejection and conflict, gender stereotypes and dysphoria, and peer influence. 

There are strategies that adults can do to help all teens remain substance-free including discussing expectations of substance use and positive reinforcement. Strategies that are specific to LGBTQ+ youth include providing family support, providing a safe school environment, creating a LGBTQ-affirming environment, and preventing and addressing bias and bullying. 

Linked here is a guide on how to start the conversation with LGBTQ+ youth to provide a safe, affirming environment. 



Upcoming Events: 

  • Drug Take Back Day - April 22nd from 9AM-12PM
    • Many people have unused and expired medications in their homes and this month, the Alliance to HEAL and La Crosse Sheriff’s Department will be hosting a Drug Take Back Day to collect them and dispose of them safely. We will also be having several volunteers from UWL’s Eta Sigma Gamma public health honorary helping out with the event. Bringing your old medications in for safe disposal saves lives by preventing these medications from falling into the hands of children and others who may misuse them, intentionally or unintentionally. Throwing these medications in the trash or dumping them down a drain damages our environment. 
       
      Bring your old medications to Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, April 22nd from 9 AM-12 PM at the Health and Human Services building in downtown La Crosse. You can also find collection sites near you open year-round at www.alliancetoheal.org. Drug Take Back Day provides a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposal, while also educating the community about the potential abuse and consequences of improper storage and disposal of these medications.
  • Prevention Workgroup Meeting - April 26 9-10:30AM 
    • The workgroup will have their monthly meeting on April 26th from 9-10:30AM at the Coulee Recovery Center. Agendas will be sent out closer to the meeting date.
  • Stanford Medicine 4th Annual Teaching Cannabis Awareness and Prevention Conference - April 26-27 
    • This conference will be held virtually from April 26-27th. Information can be found here. 
  • CADCA Mid-Year Training Institute - July 16-20 
    • This training will take place at the Gaylord Texan in Grapevine, Texas. Information can be found here.

    If interested in attending or volunteering at upcoming events: 

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    Alliance to Heal Prevention Workgroup

    Goal: to prevent and delay substance use initiation among pre-teens, teens, and young adults

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  • About Us
    • Our Mission, Vision, and Goals
    • Our Home
    • Our Story
    • Our People
    • In the News
  • Local Resources
    • Safe Disposal of Needles and Other Sharps
    • Get Help - Recovery Resources
    • Wake Up Call
  • Education
    • Creating a Common Language: Definitions for Frequently Used Terms and Phrases
    • Data
    • Alcohol >
      • For Parents
      • For Youth
      • For Community Partners
      • For Schools, Educators, and Youth Serving Organizations
    • Cannabis
    • Tobacco/Vaping
    • Opioids
    • Reducing Stigma
  • Get Involved
    • Contact Us
    • Events/Meetings >
      • 2023 Drug Take Back Day October
      • Overdose Awareness Day
    • Advocacy
    • Workgroups >
      • Harm Reduction
      • Prevention >
        • Newsletter
      • High Risk Population and Medical Assisted Treatment
      • Peer Support and Sober Living
      • Recovery Informed Employment
    • Environmental Scans