SAFE Newsletter: May 2021
Hello everyone! Thank you for taking the time to read about Prevention-related information and events in our area. Please help us spread the word about these important topics by forwarding and sharing this information.

The next meeting is this Thursday, May 6th at 11:30 a.m.

After the May meeting, there will be no additional full group SAFE meetings until our fall kick-off in August/September. We are not having a June Planning Meeting this year. We will be contacting you for small group sector-specific check-ins during the summer months. We will also keep in contact through newsletters and other resources. Please keep in contact over the summer!
National Prescription Drug
Take-Back Day Update!
April 24th was Take-Back Day and there were 245 lbs of medications collected in our local drop-box since the previous Take-Back Day in October. Remember that the drop-box at ESPD is open 365 days/year! Help us get the word out about the importance of prescription drug safety and proper disposal.
May is Mental Health Month!
May is Mental Health Month and this is a great time to put some mental health education tidbits in your newsletter or on social media. Mental Health America has a great toolkit full of ready-made media. Download it free on their website here!
Partnership with
Big Brothers Big Sisters KC
Thank you for your support of the partnership between SAFE and Big Brothers Big Sisters! We've hosted two "Be A Big" Sessions virtually and would like to continue with helping to recruit both "Bigs" and "Littles" so that more local youth can experience the benefits of BBBSKC! Keep spreading the word! To sign up to Be a Big, go here. To enroll a Little, go here. Here is a flier that you can share with families who are interested in enrolling. If you would like BBBSKC to speak at your next meeting, Julia can connect you to our representative.
Youth Connections Magazine
The new edition of SAFE's magazine, Youth Connections, has been published and was mailed out to parents in Excelsior Springs! If you would like some copies delivered to your workplace, let Julia know. Here's the link to the online version. A big Thank You to all those who helped with collecting local photos and advertisements for the magazine!
Facebook Pages
Thank you to all who have liked/shared on the prevention FB pages! It really helps to get the messages out to a broader audience. Here are some pages we'd love for you to follow:
  • Parent Up is our Regional collaborative campaign for empowering parents to prevent youth substance use.
  • Roots of Resilience is our Regional collaborative campaign for educating about the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences and building Resilience in youth.
  • Encourage Hope and Help is the Youth Suicide Prevention Initiative from Tri-County Mental Health.
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This Is Quitting
SAFE is collaborating with other regional DFCs on a youth vaping cessation campaign. This is Quitting is a national text-based quit tool by the Truth Initiative and we have our own regional keyword to track regional quit data. If you know youth who want to quit vaping, have them text BREAKFREE to 88709! We need your help to get the word out to youth and the community. We have posters, fliers, and palm cards that you can share! Let Julia know if you'd like some materials delivered to you or download a printable flier here.
Community Champion Award
Congratulations to Kelsey Shook, Counselor at Excelsior Springs Middle School, for winning last month's Community Champion Award! The Asset of the Month was "Peaceful Conflict Resolution". SAFE's Community Champion Award is based on the 40 Developmental Assets that help youth to be successful. See more about the Community Champion Award and/or nominate someone here!
Show-Me Hope/Pandemic-Related Mental Health Help
Tri-County Mental Health is delivering stress management resources and resource referrals to citizens feeling the stress and emotional strain caused by COVID. Here's more info and the Youtube Channel for Show-Me Hope.