Putnam County Communities That Care Coalition
Wednesday, December 17, 2014
Sunday, December 14, 2014
Holiday Safety Tips for Parents
As parents take part in
holiday festivities, it is of critical importance that they make healthy
choices around the use of alcohol. According to a recently released report from
the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University,
“teens that have seen their parent(s) drunk are likelier to drink and get drunk
than teens that have not seen
their parent(s) drunk. They are also likelier to try cigarettes and
marijuana”.
Research has taught us time and again that active parents, voicing
their disapproval of alcohol and other drug use, have proven themselves to be
the most effective preventative method for keeping our children substance-free.
A cohesive family with parents who model healthy decision making can make all
the difference in helping young people to avoid antisocial behavior.
Holiday parties give individuals more of an opportunity to use drugs
and alcohol. This accounts for the
increase in alcohol and drug related tragedies during the festive season.
A few holiday party tips for parents:
-Lay down the law. Tell your child, prior
to the party, that he or she is absolutely prohibited from drinking and using
illegal substances.
- Be a
model for conscientious behavior.
- Have
a plan for those who drink too much and make sure your guests do not drink and
drive.
- If
you are hosting the party, offer an ample amount of non-alcoholic drinks,
foods, and games to all.
- Children may drink leftovers. Dispose of all unfinished beverages to prevent alcohol poisoning.
- Children may drink leftovers. Dispose of all unfinished beverages to prevent alcohol poisoning.
- If
your child is going to a party at a friend’s house, phone ahead and make sure
there will not be any alcohol beverages available.
For more holiday safety tips, please visit: http://www.madd.org/media-center/media-library/safe-party-guide.html
To further reduce the prevalence of underage drinking, legislation has
been passed in all Putnam County towns, entitled the “Social Host Liability”
law, which makes it a crime to “host, suffer, permit, organize, or allow a
party, gathering or event at his or her place of residence or other private
property where three or more minors are present and alcoholic beverages are
being consumed by any minor”. This crime is punishable by up to one year in
jail and/or a $3,000 fine.
A 2014 survey of Putnam County students in grades 8 - 12 revealed that
38.1% of respondents believe that parental attitudes favor alcohol and drug
use. What better way to end 2014 and begin 2015 than for parents throughout
Putnam County to loudly and affirmatively voice their disapproval of alcohol
and other drug use.
Members of the Putnam CTC Coalition are available if you have any
questions or would like for us to do a presentation to your organization on
this or any other substance abuse trends that affect our children. Please visit and join us on Facebook by
searching “Putnam County Communities That Care – NY” or on Twitter at
http://twitter.com/#!/PutnamCTCNY or call 845-225-4646.
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
Wednesday, November 26, 2014
Sunday, November 16, 2014
December is National Drunk, Drugged and Distracted Prevention Month
Did you know that of the fatal crashes
in 2010, the highest percentage of drunk drivers was for drivers ages 21 to 24
(34 percent), followed by ages 25 to 34 (30 percent) and 35 to 44 (25 percent)?
Did you know that the number of people killed in distraction-affected crashes
decreased slightly from 3,360 in 2011 to 3,328 in 2012. An estimated 421,000
people were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving a distracted driver,
this was a nine percent increase from the estimated 387,000 people injured in
2011? (Source: Distraction.gov).
On December 1, 2010, President Barack Obama
signed a Presidential Proclamation stating that December would be observed as
National Impaired Driving Prevention Month. The Proclamation focuses not only on the prevention of
drinking and drugged driving, but the prevalence of “distracted driving” due to
“electronic equipment and texting”. The Proclamation is a call for all
individuals to practice safety by not getting behind the wheel impaired by alcohol
and drugs, including those drugs prescribed by a medical provider.
The
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced
the results of a nationwide survey related to impaired driving. The self
reporting survey concluded that “In an average year, 30 million Americans drive drunk , 10 million drive impaired by illicit
drugs.”
Thousands of
people die due to the prevalence of drinking or drugged driving, and many
innocent lives are shattered as a result. The ramifications don’t end with injury or family loss.
According to the National Council on Alcoholism and Other Drug Dependencies “the
annual cost of alcohol-related crashes totals more than 51 million dollars”.
“The Putnam
County Communities That Cares Coalition is dedicated to preventive measures
geared towards reducing the intake of alcohol and illicit drugs, especially to
protect our youth. This includes reckless
or negligent behavior when using prescribed medication. This is not only a
local priority, but a national concern as well. For drivers 15-19 years old
involved in fatal crashes, 21 percent of the distracted drivers were distracted
by the use of cell phones ” said Joseph DeMarzo, Deputy Commissioner of Putnam
County Mental Health, Social Services and Youth Bureau.
“The
prevention of debilitated driving, whether it is from substance use or
distracted driving is imperative at any time. That being said, the holiday season
is a time when more gatherings take place and traveling is sometimes
inevitable. We encourage individuals to utilize public transportation should
they drink or use medication. It will protect you, your family, and the
community as a whole.” said Elaine Santos, Putnam County Communities That Care
Coalition Coordinator.
Coalition Tips
for Residents :
- Designate a sober driver
before celebrations begin.
- Never serve those under
the age of 21 alcohol.
- Plan safe parties,
including providing non-alcoholic drink options to guests and not serving
alcohol the last hour of the gathering.
- Be prepared to get
everyone home safe in case your plans or individual circumstances change.
- Driving is a serious
responsibility. Discuss what it means to be a safe driver with your teen
and set ground rules for when they're behind the wheel. If your teen is on
the road, they should stay off the phone.
- Remember: It can wait! No text message is
more important than your life (or another).
Friday, November 14, 2014
Supporting Your Child's Recovery During the Holidays
The holidays are coming and we will start sharing tips for getting through this busy time of year. Here are some tips for parents (from Hazelden) on how to support their child in recovery during the holiday season. #holidays#drugfreecommunities
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