Prevention through Connection
November 2016
Giving Thanks for our Partners & Community
Working together Ensures Children's Health & Safety 

Thanksgiving is a wonderful time of year to reflect as a community  and appreciate the family, friends and many  blessings in our lives. It may be hard to imagine, but many families across Long Island have one less dinner plate set around the table as their loved ones fell victim to the consequences of substance abuse. Our thoughts and prayers are with those families.

Manhasset CASA is grateful for our many partners and sector members who contribute to our mission to provide substance abuse prevention education and outreach in order to help Manhasset teens grow up healthy and safe.
The facts are overwhelming when it comes to the  negative impact underage drinking and drug use has on our youth and young adults. In October, over 250 students and adults learned about this reality at  CASA's Drug Trends & Young People presentation. They listened to Linda Ventura's poignant story on how youth experimentation with drugs and alcohol can easily lead our teens down the path of addiction and overdose.  We give thanks to Linda for her passion and mission to educate families across New York State about her personal tragedy, the devasting disease of addiction and how it is preventable.  Reisa Berg, LMSW, from the Long Island Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (LICADD) also provided our famililies an outstanding discussion about Long Island's Opioid Epidemic as well as legal and illegal substances popular to teens today.   For those parents who missed the presentation, we will have a video link available in December where you can view the entire presentation.   Special thanks to Manhasset Public Schools and Tom Donohue for recording the program. 

In the coming months, Manhasset CASA will continue its student and parent educational programs and address underage drinking prevention, alcohol/marijuana's effect on the teen brain, and opioid and heroin prevention. In addition, we will host our CASA Coffees - a grassroots approach to help parents prevent alcohol and drug use by their teenagers.  

We thank you for your annual membership, attendance at our programs and words of encouragement.  We hope you will further prevention in our community and encourage other parents and residents to join CASA's mission. 

Working together, let's protect our children from the dangers of alcohol and drugs.  We wish you and your family a very Happy Thanksgiving.

Manhasset CASA Executive Board
Health on the Plate
Serving Up a School-Home Connection

Manhasset CASA continues our School-Home Connection in collaboration with Manhasset Secondary School Health Teachers Jasmine Ostrom (Grade 8) and Lauren Sadeh (Grade 10).  Below are topics currently being discussed in class as well as resources to encourage dialogue on these pertinent topics. Thanksgiving break is a great time to talk with t(w)eens about health and wellness!


8th Grade Health:  Students are learning about mental illness, combating stigma, teaching the warning signs, encouraging open discussion, and promoting help seeking behavior.  

Health at the Dinner Table Discussion: 
Help Break the Stigma

1. What feelings do you think are serious enough to call "troublesome"?
2. What are some different ways people may express troublesome feelings?
3. What are some healthy ways a person can deal with these feelings?
4. What are some consequences of ignoring troublesome feelings?

For more information about mental health, myths and facts about mental illness as well as how to talk about mental health, go to mentalhealth.gov.   To learn more about local student initiatives to dispel mental health myths,  click here for Student Voices Loud and Proud.

10th Grade Health:  Students are currently learning about the devastating effects of bullying and cyberbullying and the important role that the bystanders of bullying can play.  C lasses will also be taking a look at the recent trends and dangers in hazing, both at the interscholastic and collegiate levels, and learning the steps students can take the keep themselves safe. Finally, students will learn about the warning signs of suicide and what to do if someone they know and love is showing these signs.  

To learn more about bullying or hazing go to www.stopbullying.gov  or 
Surgeon General's Report
Prevention Works, Treatment is Effective & Recovery is Possible

The  new Surgeon General's report finds alcohol and drug misuse and substance use disorders to be a major public health crisis in our nation. The facts and statistics are overwhelming: 
  • Opioid overdose takes a life every 19 minutes 
  • More than 27 million people use illicit drugs or misuse prescription drugs  
  • Over 66 million people binge drink at least once a month. 
The report relays the importance of society viewing addiction for what it is: a chronic disease of the brain that must be treated with urgency and compassion. The report stresses how together, we can prevent alcohol- and drug-related addiction and with treatment and recovery support, we provide those individuals and families suffering from addiction a new outlook on life.  

Nearly 21 million people in America have a substance use disorder involving alcohol or drugs, an astonishing figure that is comparable to the number of people in our country with diabetes and higher than the total number of Americans suffering from all cancers combined. But in spite of the massive scope of this problem, only 1 in 10 people with a substance use disorder receives treatment (SAMHSA, 11/17/16). 

Given this public health crisis and need for treatment, CASA is proud to partner with the Seafield Center of Manhasset to help families and individuals who struggle with substance abuse. Education is key - not only in prevention but in treatment and recovery too. 

We encourage residents who are impacted by addiction to attend Seafield's Family Education Series ( click here for flyer). The free four session family program provides information regarding the definition of alcohol and drug addiction as well as codependency and enabling behaviors, and also provides information regarding treatment options and support for family members and a Family Group therapy session. 

We hope you agree with us and the Surgeon General's Report that we all have a role to play to end this crisis. Prevention works. Treatment is effective and recovery is possible for everyone.
Youngest Children Affected by the Opioid Crisis
Be Sure to Dispose of Unnecessary Meds 24/7

When we peel back the onion regarding our nation's opioid crisis, studies have shown  a parallel relationship between opioid prescribing practices and hospitalizations for opioid poisonings in adults [ Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) Pediatrics, October 31, 2016].  

A recent study by JAMA Pediatrics also discovered how prescribing practices affects children and teens. JAMA Pediatrics found that t he number of young children and teens hospitalized for overdosing on opioid painkillers have spiked nearly threefold in recent years (Health Day, 10.31.16). T heir study  of national hospital discharge records from 1997 to 2012 also found that adolescent hospitalizations for opioid poisonings increased nearly two-fold. 

As part of Manhasset CASA's Generation Rx Grant Initiative, the Nassau County Police Department is working with CASA to educate residents about the safe disposal of unnecessary medications 24/7 at any Nassau County Police Department Precinct or Community Center.The disposal bin is located in the lobby of all precincts.  

Safe disposal will not only ensure medications do not get into the hands of children and young adults, but also protect our environment.

We thank the Nassau County Police Department for their continued efforts to combat substance abuse and ensure our safety and security in the community.  
CASA Coffees Continue! 
Grass Roots Effort Helps Parents Navigate the Teen Years

Join us for Coffee & Conversation and Navigate the Teen Years on Tuesday, November 29th at 7:30 p.m.  This small parent coffee will focus on how we can help our teens make healthy decisions when it comes to alcohol and the high school social scene.  

Our facilitator will be Reisa Berg, LMSW, Professional Development & Education Specialist at the Long Island Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (LICADD)!  

Registration is Required and limited to 20! Click here for our signupgenius link!
Support CASA & the SCA this December
Chocolate Works Fundraiser after Elementary School Concerts

Join Chocolate Works to s upport Manhasset CASA & the SCA  after the 5th and 6th Grade Elementary School Evening Holiday Concerts (Chorus, Band & Orchestra) on

Tuesday, December 6th - Munsey Park (MP)
Wednesday, December 14th - Shelter Rock (SR)
Tuesday, December 20th - SR & MP

Enjoy ice cream, chocolate, candy & more and 20%
of your entire sale will be donated to  Manhasset CASA & the SCA!   Click here for our flyer!
Surviving the Party
A Student Prevention Program for Grades 9-12

Teens (Grades 9-12) are invited to Surviving the Party featuring Elaine Pasqua on Thursday, January 12, 2017 at 3:30 p.m. in the Manhasset High School  Auditorium.  Students can also earn up to one hour of community service for attending the program. 

This dynamic, frank discussion will center on the typical underage drinking party, all that can go wrong, and how teens can keep it all right.  High - risk behaviors, peer pressure and drug and alcohol's impact on the athlete will also be discussed .

Since 1997 Elaine Pasqua has presented programs about the negative effects of high risk behaviors to more than a quarter of a million students at over 500 colleges, universities and high schools across the country. Her passion is to prevent students from altering their life goals as she has seen many lives that were changed by one inconsequential decision.

Elaine is a five-time nominee for Best Speaker of the Year for Campus Activities Reader's Choice Awards. She has been a keynote speaker for the NCAA, and provides player development training for the NFL, the NBA, and several NFL teams including the NY Giants and the Jets. She also trains the NY Mets. Elaine is the author of # Mom I Got This: Building your Legacy in College and Beyond. She is a contributing columnist for Campus Activities Magazine "Real Life on Campus," and co-wrote, directed and produced the video, "Be Aware of the Risks of Date Rape Drugs," which has been viewed over 850,000 times on YouTube.
College Campus Crackdown  
Concerns over Underage Drinking & Sexual Assault 

With alcohol a contributing factor in many sexual assaults occurring across college campuses, it's no surprise that colleges are cracking down on underage drinking frequent to college campuses.  According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), underage college d rinking affects college students, their families, and  college communities at large. Researchers estimate that  each year: 
  • About 1,825 college students between the ages of 18 and 24 die from alcohol-related unintentional injuries, including motor-vehicle crashes. 
  • About 696,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 are assaulted by another student who has been drinking.
  • About 97,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 report experiencing alcohol-related sexual assault or date rape.
A recent New York Times article,  No Kegs, No Liquor: College Crackdown Targets Drinking and Sexual Assault , provides parents a realistic view about what some college campuses are doing to combat underage drinking and sexual assault on college campuses.   Whether a child is in college or beginning the college search process, we encourage parents to talk with their teen about the dangers and consequences of underage drinking as well as sexual assault.  

Too much is at stake.  Let's do what we can to keep them healthy and safe while at college.
Town of North Hempstead Protects Youth 
Prohibits Sale of Tobacco & Tobacco Products to Those Under 21

On Tuesday, November 17th, the Town of North Hempstead (ToNH) unanimously approved legislation to prohibit the sale of tobacco products, liquid nicotine and electronic cigarettes to anyone under the age of 21. The Town joins New York City and Suffolk County in raising the age to 21. Nassau County's age to buy cigarettes is 19.

The law, which goes into effect on March 1, 2017, also outlines p enalties for tobacco retailers that violate the law: "a minimum of $300.00, but not to exceed $1,000.00 for a first violation, and a minimum of $500.00 but not to exceed $1,000.00 for each subsequent violation..."

According to the Public Health and Tobacco Policy Center, tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. Moreover, it is a pediatric epidemic-nearly 90% of daily adult smokers began by age of 18, 99% by the age of 26.  In 2015,  6.2% of Manhasset's 12th grade  students reported smoking traditional cigarettes in the past 30 days - down 60% from 2008.  However, 27.8% of Manhasset's  12th grade students reported using e-cigarettes (2015 Bach Harrison Prevention Needs Assessment Survey).  

The new TONH law is huge step in working together as a community to prevent the use of tobacco and e-cigarettes by our teens.   We are grateful for the town's efforts to protect our children.  
2017 Power of Parenting Series  
Registration opens Tuesday, December 20th!
Click here for Flyer


Manhasset Community 
Coalition Against Substance Abuse (CASA), Inc. 
P.O. Box 392
Manhasset, NY 11030
(516) 267-7548
casa_org@manhasset.k12.ny.us
  
Manhasset CASA exists as a resource to reduce the illegal, underage use of alcohol, tobacco, & other drugs among its youth, before they are in trouble, by connecting parents, schools and the community as partners in the common goal.  In 2013, CASA was honored to receive its second five year Drug Free Communities Support Grant (DFC) by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).  Our goals are to reduce substance abuse among youth and, over time, among adults; and to establish and strengthen collaboration among communities, private nonprofit agencies, and federal, state, and local governments to support the efforts of our community coalition to prevent and reduce substance abuse among youth.