Dr. Ruth Potee Presentation
Resources & Follow-up
May 2019
Thank you!
Thank you for attending Dr. Ruth Potee's presentation, "The Physiology of Addiction: Effects of Drug-Taking Behavior on the Brain."

The presentation was filled with a lot of important information about how substances impact the brain and the increased risk of addiction in youth. Dr. Potee presented it all in a digestible format and left the audience feeling empowered by knowledge.

Some of the key takeaways identified by presentation attendees include:

  • Learning about contributing factors of addiction.
  • Understanding that the developing brain plays a huge role in addiction - As a pediatric disease, youth are most at risk.
  • Delaying substance use (until at least age 24) dramatically reduces risk of addiction, even with other contributing factors associated with addiction.
  • Educating youth early and talking to them often about substances, addiction and their risk is critical.

We also wish to thank our volunteers who helped make the evening go smoothly. A special thank you to WHS National Honor Society for helping us with childcare, to Westborough TV for being here to record the presentation, and to the Worcester County District Attorney’s office for displaying the Hidden in Plain Sight exhibit. 

Feedback and Next Steps
Dr. Ruth Potee's presentation in Westborough was made possible through a collaborative partnership with Rotary Club of Westborough, Westborough Youth & Family Services, Westborough Public Schools and Westborough Connects. The first event organized through this collaboration was Square One: A Community Conversation about Substance Use Awareness and Prevention held on March 28th. That evening, community members gathered to begin discussions about education and resource needs relative to substance use.

Across both the Square One Community Conversation and Dr. Potee's presentation, attendees identified these 3 top-priority issues :

  • Vaping
  • Helping parents talk to kids about substance use and other difficult topics
  • Managing and decreasing adolescent stress and anxiety

In response, the Square One Planning Team invites you to participate in the planning for the following fall programs in the fall:

  • A panel presentation on vaping
  • Parents/Guardians workshops
  1. How to talk to kids about substance use and other difficult subjects
  2. How to build skills to manage stress and build social/emotional tolerance and regulation for yourself and your kids

We are also exploring the formation of a local task force or coalition to address substance use, beginning with collecting information from other area towns who have formed their own groups.

In support of these plans, we are researching funding options to support these and other activities to promote awareness, education and prevention related to substance use.

To participate in the planning of these and other activities—or for more information about the work that’s already being done- contact Cara Presley, Director of WYFS, at 508-366-3090 or Kelley Petralia at westboroughconnects@gmail.com. We also welcome your ideas about additional programming!

Thank you.
The Square One Planning Team
A video recording of Dr. Potee's presentation is available from Westborough TV! Click HERE to watch.

In addition to being able to watch/listen to it online, it will also be broadcast on Westborough TV's Education Channels (Verizon 26 and Charter 194) at 8pm on Sun,M,W,F through June 2nd.
Want to see a copy of the Dr. Potee's slides? Click HERE .
(note: this file is very large and cannot be previewed. You will need to download a copy).
Vaping, Juuling, E-cigarettes - Education is Critical

We are in the midst of an alarming trend of increased e-cigarette use among youth, which has caught communities across the country off-guard. There are many myths surrounding vaping and Juuling ("it's just water vapor", "it doesn't contain nicotine", etc.) and it is clear the companies making these products are targeting children. Throughout our community, we have heard echos of the need for education of young people AND adults on this critical health risk, NOW.



In our schools
8th grade Gibbons Middle School students recently completed a unit on e-cigarettes and WPS Director of Wellness Roger Anderson and 8th grade Health teacher Kate Paquin presented on e-cigarettes to the 7th grade class on Monday, May 6th.

Click HERE to view the link sent out to 7th grade parents, "Talk with Your Teens About E-cigarettes: A Tip Sheet for Parents." You may also be interested in reading the Surgeon General's fact sheet on E-Cigarettes HERE .

In our community
The Square One Planning Team will be working on programming and sharing resources related to e-cigarettes. We have been in touch with experts and heard about how other communities have been working to educate members. If you learn of resources or events you'd like to share, please email westboroughconnects@gmail.com or call Cara Presley at Westborough Youth & Family Services (508-366-3090).
Community Resources
508-360-3090


800-327-5050
8:00 AM to 10:00 PM Mondays-Fridays
9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Saturdays-Sundays
 
Dial 2-1-1 or 877-211-MASS (6277); 24 hours, 7 days a week
 

Text 741741

 SAMHSA National Hotline
1-800-662-HELP (4357); 24 hours, 7 days a week
1-800-487-4889 (TTY)

The Partnership for a Drug-Free America
1-855-DRUG-FREE (378-4373); business hours


Please Note: This follow-up email was sent to registrants of the April 25, 2019 presentation by Dr. Ruth Potee. Please feel free to forward this to anyone else who would be interested! If you have received this email as a forward from someone else and have not yet subscribed to the Westborough Connects mailing list, you may do so by clicking HERE .
About Westborough Connects

Westborough Connects is an emerging organization focused on building a more-connected and kind community where everyone feels like they belong. We are a volunteer group of parents, educators, community leaders and engaged citizens. Westborough Connects creates opportunities to support and celebrate the diversity, spirit, and character of Westborough through programs and events that are community-based, strengths-based and dedicated to connecting people to resources and each other.