October 2024
MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
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SUBSTANCE USE PREVENTION MONTH | |
October is Substance Use Prevention Month – Let’s Share the Prevention Story Together!
This October, we’re highlighting the importance of substance use prevention, and we invite you to join us in this crucial effort. Each of us can contribute by sharing stories of how prevention is making a positive impact in our community!
Our goal is to prevent substance use before it starts, stop its progression, and minimize the associated harms. Decades of research and real-world experience prove that prevention works. It strengthens protective factors and reduces risks across individuals, families, schools, and society as a whole.
By focusing on prevention, we’re not only addressing substance use but also promoting the overall well-being of youth, families, and our community. This month, we amplify the national conversation about the powerful role prevention plays in building healthier, thriving communities.
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Learn about the free app that makes it easy to talk to youth about substance use prevention | |
Children of parents who talk to their teens regularly about drugs are 42% less likely to use drugs than those who don’t; yet, only a quarter of teens report having these conversations.
Red Ribbon Week (October 23-31), the oldest and largest drug prevention campaign in the nation, is your opportunity to get the ongoing conversation started. This year’s theme is Life Is A Movie, Film Drug Free.™
Learn more about Red Ribbon Week, enter the Red Ribbon Theme Contest, and get tips for talking to youth about drugs at the below link. The life you save may be that of your own child or a dear friend.
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SAVE THE DATE
Screenagers Under the Influence
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Wednesday, October 23, 2024
6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
Save the Date for this informative viewing of "Screenagers Under the Influence," which addresses vaping, drugs, and alcohol in the digital age. The documentary will be shown at 6 pm with a resource fair before and after the viewing, a panel discussion, short skits, a "hidden in plain sight" mock bedroom, and light refreshments.
More information will be posted shortly on the CHCC website or email projectalliance@une.edu.
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Saturday, October 26, 2024
10:00 AM to 2:00 PM
The National Prescription Drug Take Back Day aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of medications. Collection sites will be located in communities throughout York County (see below link).
PLEASE NOTE: Many area police departments, including, but not limited to, Saco, Kennebunk, and Kennebunkport PD, have 24-hour medication disposal bins located in their lobbies 365 days per year.
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NATIONAL LEAD POISONING PREVENTION WEEK
October 20-26
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Did you know Biddeford is one of five High-Risk Areas designated by the Maine Center for Disease Control (CDC) for having the greatest burden of children with lead poisoning? Lead exposure affects human health, especially in children. There is NO safe level of lead in a child’s body. Even low levels of lead may cause lifelong health problems. Test your home. Test your children. | |
PRE-K PARTNERSHIP FOR SUCCESS | |
NEW! The City of Biddeford's Lead Hazard Reduction & Healthy Homes Program and Recreation Department have partnered to help preschoolers achieve a lifetime of health and wellness! The Lead Program will provide scholarships to Biddeford families who earn no more than 80% of HUD’s Area Median Income (currently $70,500 for a family of 3/$78,300 for a family of 4) so that their children under the age of 6 can attend various Biddeford’s Recreation programs. A simple application link is below to qualify.
Current programs available for the scholarship include:
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Our SNAP Educators are excited to get back in the classroom in October! They will be taste testing apples and pears with K-3 students around York County. Adult classes in the area will continue to learn tips and tricks to shop on a budget and take advantage of the produce in season to make some cozy recipes like pumpkin pancakes, chicken chowder, and the apple spice-baked oatmeal recipe found below.
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When people encounter the word cannabis, they often think of the dried greenish-to-brownish product of the plant, usually called marijuana, pot, or weed. But cannabis can be used to make a wide range of products that differ in their:
- Appearance and consistency
- Taste and smell
- Amount of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol)
- Amount of CBD (cannabidiol)
- Method of use
Cannabis products belong in one of three categories:
- Dried cannabis
- Cannabis extracts
- Edible cannabis or edibles
Each type of cannabis product may have different benefits and pose different health and safety risks so it is important to know how it affects the brain.
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FREE TRAINING FOR BUSINESSES | |
Wednesday, October 16, 2024
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Is your business a "safe space"? This is a great opportunity for local businesses to access FREE inclusion training in partnership with Out Maine. This training provides an overnight of terminology, rights, and laws to ensure your space is LGBTQ+ welcoming and supportive. Register via the QR Code or click on the image below.
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Developed in collaboration with parents, caregivers, and community organizations,
Be There for ME helps connect families with essential support, including housing, child care, and stress management, in a welcoming, judgment-free environment. Its resources are available in 12 languages through the website.
* Launched by the Maine Child Welfare Action Network (MCWAN) and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)
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FREE FOOD DISTRIBUTION
Let’s come together to support our community as many families struggle with food insecurity. Please share this Youth Full Maine free food distribution schedule freely for dates listed through November. This initiative is open to everyone, and no registration is required.
For more details and to view the distribution schedule, simply click on the image to enlarge it or follow Youth Full Maine's Facebook Page for updates.
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Coastal Healthy Communities Coalition
207-602-3551
chcc@une.edu
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