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What is a Coalition? Coalitions are organizations made up of two or more people or groups who are working together towards a common goal. Community coalitions focus their prevention efforts on a wide variety of problems, but we are going to focus on the work that Wayne County Coalitions (WCC) are doing to prevent youth substance use…

Preventing Substance Use by Supporting LGBTQ+ Students “We have to transcend our differences to transform our future.” – Antonio Guterres Research shows that youth are less likely to use substances when they experience fewer risk factors. These risk factors include things like prejudice, bullying, family conflict and rejection, and stress brought on by dealing with these…

How Emojis Are Used for Drug Activity The Ohio Narcotics Intelligence Center (ONIC) released a public safety bulletin in March to alert parents about emojis being used for drug activity. Emojis are fun to use in our text messages and social media posts, but they carry more meaning in 2023 than when they first came out in 1999. These…

February was Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month (TDVAM) was held throughout the month of February as a way to bring together teens and those who support them in a national effort to raise awareness to teen dating violence. Organizations and schools across the country combine efforts every year to create a…

Navigating Seasonal Affective Disorder Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is depression that affects someone only at a specific time of year.  That time of year mostly occurs during the fall and winter months when there is less light during the day.  SAD can be difficult to manage because many people who experience this depression are not…

Parent Alert | December 2022 Fun Family Winter Activities Holiday Break is upon us!!! This time of year offers many opportunities for the whole family to spend time together.  Going sledding, drinking hot cocoa while enjoying a movie, and checking out what event the city is putting on are just a few of the many…

Parent Alert | November 2022 The Benefits of Being Grateful John F. Kennedy once said, “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words but to live by them.”  Gratitude is an important part of life, and a simple thank you goes further than you realize.  Multiple…

Fun Family Fall Activities I love fall.  The colors, the sweater weather, the hot chocolate, and getting together with family and friends for a bonfire or high school football game.  There is so much to do this time of year from going to school events, preparing the yard for the inevitable foot of snow that…

  Back to School: Keeping Students Safe from Counterfeit Pills It is that time of year again! Students are flooding back into classrooms and our commutes are being interrupted waiting for the bus to pull their stop sign back in.  As our students get back into the day to day routine of homework and after-school events…

Parent Alert | August 2022 Youth Connectedness Is an Important Protective Factor for Health and Well-being Connectedness is an important protective factor for youth that can reduce the likelihood of a variety of health risk behaviors. Connectedness refers to a sense of being cared for, supported, and belonging, and can be centered on feeling connected to school,…