By Sherry Larson

People’s Defender

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA) observes its 20th Prevention Day on January 29, in National Harbor, Maryland.

“SAMHSA is the agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that leads public health efforts to advance the behavioral health of the nation and to improve the lives of individuals living with mental and substance use disorders and their families.” (samsha.gov)

The one-day prevention forum is the “largest annual national gathering dedicated to advancing the prevention of substance use and misuse.” The conference offers the latest methods for preventing substance abuse. Attendees will discuss past strategies and how to pave the way for the future of prevention.

Executive Director of the Adams County Medical Foundation, Sherry Stout, said even if someone doesn’t attend, they can take advantage of the wealth of free information the organization provides. She noted webinars from past conferences, including topics like “Becoming Prevention Champions in Your Workplaces and Communities”; “The Intersection of Opioids and Suicide: A Prevention Approach,” and Multi-Level Prevention Strategies to Address Teen E-Cigarette Use.”

Youth involvement is an essential component of SAMHSA and a vital focus of the annual Prevention Day program. SAMHSA.com states, “Youth bring critical insight to what they are facing every day in their communities.” Stout explained that SAMSHA’s primary goals are building youth leadership and capturing their perspective and insights to create relevant future prevention strategies.

The newly formed Adams County Youth Prevention Coalition, formerly the Adams County Strategic Prevention Framework/Data Community Grant, works under the SAMHSA guidelines and funding to promote prevention programs in Adams County. Starting in 2015, this group received grant funding. Stout said the funding was used “to begin capacity building before actual implementation of programs.” The Coalition is in its last year of grant funding and continues to focus on the prevention of underage drinking, tobacco cessation, and prescription drug misuse.

The Coalition consists of members from 12 sectors in the community, including Youth, Parents, law enforcement, schools, businesses, media, youth-serving organizations, religious and fraternal organizations, Civic and volunteer groups, healthcare professionals, state, local, and tribal agencies with expertise in substance abuse, and other organizations involved in reducing substance abuse.

Stout explained that one of the Coalition’s first actions was collecting data. Manchester Local School District and Adams County Ohio Valley School District have provided data for the past nine years. The 2021 data for underage drinking within the “past 30 days” for 7th through 12th graders indicated that 16.2% had participated in drinking. This statistic was an increase of 3.3% over two years. The data also showed that 43.1% of the students answered “yes” when asked if their parents have discussed the dangers of tobacco, alcohol, or drug use with them within the past 12 months.

The Coalition expects their prevention work outcomes to increase family communication centered around drug and alcohol use and parent’s disapproval of underage drinking. Another expectation is an upsurge in the number of students who report that their parents talk with them about the dangers of these substances. A decrease in the “past 30 days” of alcohol usage is another anticipated result. The OHYES measures these outcomes through answers given by youth in grades 7 through 12.

Stout said, “You can expect to see the SAMHSA’s mission to lead public health and service delivery efforts that promote prevention of substance misuse continue through the Adams County Youth Prevention Coalition’s work.”

Look for the Coalition at upcoming local events and health fairs and through newspaper articles and social media. For more information on SAMHSA visit www.samhsa.gov.