The GCPC maintains regular office hours Monday through Thursday 8:30 am to 4:00 pm. If you need assistance outside of these hours, please call 810-285-9047 to make arrangements. Our primary goal is to maintain access to prevention services and resources to our community. Please reach out to us if we can be of assistance in providing information and support for addressing substance use and mental health concerns. Access to a variety of programs and supports can also be accessed through the Opportunity Youth Service Providers Portal at Youth Services Provider Portal.
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JUNE COMMUNITY PARTNER MEETING
Tuesday, June 14th, 8:30 to 10:00 a.m.
Community Partner Presentation
Mothers of Joy Institute for Parenting and Family Wellness, Inc.
Trauma-Informed Approach to Parenting Programs
Shearese Stapleton, Executive Director
Register in advance for this meeting:
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Upcoming Workgroup Meetings
- Prescription Drug Workgroup: Tuesday, June 21, 9:00 to 10:30 a.m.*
- Marijuana/Vaping Workgroup: Tuesday, June 28, 9:00 to 10:30 a.m.*
- No meetings in July.
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Underage Drinking Workgroup: Tuesday, August 2, 9:00 to 10:30 a.m.*
*If you would like to join a workgroup Zoom meeting and are not currently a member of a workgroup, please contact Andrea Keller at akeller@theGCPC.org to be added to the email distribution list.
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NYLC invites young people across the world to join us for a FREE two-day virtual leadership experience. This immersion in leadership development has young people (ages 14-18) explore their identities and leadership skills through interactions with inspiring leaders.
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Youth Community Service Day
Donations With Love Foundation, Inc.
Saturday, June 11
10am-4pm
5184 Lennon Rd, Flint
- Lunch provided
- Raffles: Game Stop cards, American Girl Doll, and more!
For more information call 810-618-0838.
Community Partners: United Way, Meijer, Traverse Place-Flint, Motherly Intercession, Heart of Worship Dance Studio, and the YMCA.
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Outreach Center Grand Opening
Wednesday, June 15
Noon-2pm
1170 Longway Blvd, Flint
Genesee County Youth Corporation and Shelter of Flint cordially invite you to an open house celebrating the opening of their combined Outreach Center.
Stop by, enjoy some lunch, and learn about this unique partnership designed to address housing, health, and other disparities in our community. Ribbon cutting at 1:00pm.
RSVP to sof@shelterofflint.org
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21st Annual Unity March Against Violence
Saturday, June 25, 2022
8:30 am - 3:00 pm; March 11:00 am - 1:00 pm
6202 Dupont St. Ste. B, Flint, MI 48505
This march honors and remembers the life of those we have loss to violence and celebrates youth and families actively working to be agents of positive change. These safety efforts and unifying events are examples of what Community means: Connecting people, building relationships, increasing neighborhood safety and creating opportunities for youth and families.
When we join as a Community, we can accomplish our goals and be victorious within our homes, neighborhoods, and surrounding communities.
Can we count on you to be a partner? Through this collaborative partnership you can provide an engaging resource table, volunteer, donate cases of bottled water, non-perishable food or toiletry items, sponsor kid-friendly activities, contribute monetary donations and most importantly give time and talent to make this March and Community Expo a success and memorable occasion. Sponsorships available.
WOW Outreach
810-789-7700
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Flint Pride Festival
Downtown Riverbank Park
Saturday, June 25th
2pm-8pm
1 Riverfront Center W, Flint
Flint Pride in the Park organized by
Wellness Services
Hosted by Furillostar
Flint Pride Mini Ball starts at 7:00pm
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As we celebrate the start of the summer, make sure adults are prepared to take advantage of the opportunities in June to have talks with kids about underage drinking and other substance use. Take a look at the list below and encourage parents, caregivers, and school professionals to have these important conversations this month.
Check out this month’s pre-crafted social media package, which includes great content to help with your messaging for all the observances this month. As always, thank you for keeping the prevention conversation going in our community!
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Good afternoon!
The NPW Events Team would like to thank you all for joining us for this year’s National Prevention Week. Though the events for NPW have concluded, the recordings for SAMHSA’s Prevention Day and Communities Talk events are now available on the National Prevention Week virtual platform to watch on demand until August 13. Feel free to share the link with your friends, family and colleagues!
And please stay tuned – In the coming days, we’ll be sharing our own highlight reel, featuring snippets of the best and most inspiring moments of NPW 2022!
Best regards,
NPW Events Team
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FREE youth substance misuse and mental health awareness resources available.
- Youth Connections Magazine
- My Life My Quit vaping posters
- Do Your Part: Be the Solution Toolkit & Resource Guide
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Pick-up or delivery options available. |
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8 Ways to De-Stress That Aren't Vaping – Vaping nicotine isn't the stress reliever it is believed to be and can actually make people feel worse over time. Truth Initiative provides 8 alternative ways to deal with stress that do not involve vaping.
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Monitoring E-Cigarette Use Among Youth – The CDC Foundation recently released a new national and state data brief through 2021 that provides updates on trends in unit sales of e-cigarettes in the United States by product and flavor type.
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NIDA’s Parents and Educator Resources – Designed for young people and those who influence them (i.e., parents, guardians, teachers, and other educators), these resources (i.e., lesson plans, activities, conversation starters, etc.) inspire learning and encourage critical thinking so teens can make informed decisions about drug use and their health.
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What We Know About Marijuana – Using marijuana, especially at a younger age, increases the risk for developing Marijuana Use Disorder (MUD). To learn more about the health effects and risk associated with using marijuana, visit the CDC’s Marijuana and Public Health webpage.
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My Life is Worth Living – Produced by Utah’s Cook Center for Human Connection, in partnership with Wonder Media, My Life is Worth Living is the first animated series that models the human connection shown to be protective against suicide. Available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese and Mandarin, My Life is Worth Living includes five stories told over 20 episodes. In each episode, “relatable teen characters wrestle with challenges that are all too familiar for many viewers and discover strategies to cope when it feels like their own thoughts are against them. Over the course of each character’s journey, they realize that life is worth living.
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One Choice – Managed by the Institute for Behavior and Health, One Choice is a free online resource and toolkit for substance use prevention coalitions, student prevention groups and clubs, and anyone interested in having an impact on youth substance use. “ One Choice celebrates the fact that an increasing number of young people are making the healthy decision to avoid substance use and shines a light on that trend.” The toolkit includes information on brain development, campaigns, facts, language, mental health, and other resources. For more information, visit the link provided.
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2022 Michigan Higher Education Network VIRTUAL Conference
Friday, 6/17/22 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Recovery and How It Relates to Trauma
This year's conference focuses on many different aspects of trauma and how it relates to recovery and substance misuse on a college campus. It will also focus on ways to interact and be inclusive with LGBTQ+ students within recovery, and what providers can do to improve care. We will then go over ways to keep a student population engaged while being virtual, hybrid, and in person, specifically within peer education. The conference will also focus on recovery programs on college campuses and ways to bridge the roads of prevention and recovery.
Active participation for the entire conference is required to receive CE credits, no partial credit will be given.
Registration is only $20 and closes on June 14, 2022.
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Michigan Opioid Collaborative Webinars |
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All of our services are free, and our webinars are open to anyone interested. Most of our webinars offer CME, CEU, and MCBAP credits. Please let me know if you have any questions or if there is anything I can be of assistance with. Click each for registration
Katrina Hernandez, MS
Behavioral Health Consultant – Central Region 4
knumeric@med.umich.edu
Cell: 734-545-4069
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Youth & Mental Health News |
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Our Youth Are in Crisis,
But It Is Not Too Late to Help Them
By Jermine Alberty, M. Div., MHFA National Trainer on May 3, 2022
Our youth need our help. A new CDC survey shows significant increases in high school students reporting persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, considering suicide or attempting suicide over the past decade – trends that have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since the pandemic began, more than two out of five students (44%) reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness that caused them to stop doing usual activities. About one in five seriously considered suicide, and nearly one in 10 attempted suicide.
Alongside this jarring news, the survey also reported that students who felt they could turn to someone at school were significantly less likely to report poor mental health during the pandemic. Research shows that having caring adults outside the family who serve as mentors and role models can serve as an important protective factor for children. This connection underscores the importance of Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA).
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Approach and assess for risk of suicide or harm.
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Listen non-judgmentally.
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Give reassurance and information.
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Encourage appropriate professional help.
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Encourage self-help and other support strategies.
If it weren’t for the skills-based training I received as a Mental Health First Aider and my experiences as an Instructor and National Trainer, I wouldn’t have had the tools I needed to support my son. When he was 17, the bullying he was experiencing in high school led to his deep depression, anxiety and ultimately suicidal ideation. I am grateful that he is now on his recovery journey and doing well!
However, getting there wasn’t easy. I utilized the MHFA Action Plan (ALGEE) to get him the help he needed and into treatment. If it were not for “L” – “Listen nonjudgmentally” – I might not have recognized the signs and symptoms of his mental health challenges or known the right resources to connect him to.
I am convinced that our youth not only need, but also want, our help. However, so often young people are hesitant to convey the pain they are experiencing for fear of being judged or not taken seriously. We must show them that we care and want to hear what they have to say. We can do that by committing to listening nonjudgmentally.
I have no doubt I have been able to help my son and the many youths I have served as a mentor and role model because I listened nonjudgmentally. The keys to listening without being judgmental are three-fold:
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We must accept what they convey to us, even if we disagree.
- Avoid “faking” concern. Genuinely and authentically embrace them. (They know the difference.)
- Show them empathy and compassion. While it’s important to remember our own struggles from when we were younger, keep the focus on the youth – don’t get side-tracked telling your own stories in an effort to relate.
In addition to using the MHFA Action Plan (ALGEE), whenever I encounter young people in distress, suffering or experiencing feelings of isolation, I employ four steps to “HELP” them:
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Hearing them.
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Engaging them.
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Learning from them.
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Planning with them.
The key in my HELP model is that it must be the youth’s plan, something we create together. When we empower the young person to create their own strategy with our support, they are more likely to follow it.
I have written more deeply about these steps in my book, “Bottled Up Inside: African American Teens and Depression,” when I said, “Hearing youth means we allow them to share freely with us their experiences, and we encourage them not to worry about trying to filter their words to make us feel comfortable.”
After hearing our youth, we must meet them where they are to engage them authentically. We can’t focus on pushing and prodding them to take the path we want them to take; we must walk alongside them on their journey of recovery and healing.
Once we engage our youth and walk with them on their journey, we will learn what they need from us. As we learn more about their needs, there is a perfect opportunity to give reassurance and information. And as we continue on that walk, we might encourage them to seek appropriate professional help and encourage self-help and other support strategies. We can also emphasize the importance of youth building out a personalized circle of support of parents and other trusted, caring adults who can help support them on their journey.
Although as a nation we are experiencing a mental health crisis, we can overcome the challenges that the pandemic has amplified in the lives of our youth. But we can only do it together. I encourage you to get trained in Youth Mental Health First Aid, because you might be the one adult that can #BeTheDifference for the youth you encounter.
If you or someone you care about feel overwhelmed with emotions like sadness, depression or anxiety, or like you want to harm yourself or others, call 911.
You can also contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Disaster Distress Helpline at 800-985-5990, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 (TALK) or text “MHFA” to 741-741 to talk to a Crisis Text Line counselor.
References
Share and help spread the word.
Article taken from Mental Health First Aid from National Council for Mental Wellbeing
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Marijuana, Tobacco & Vaping News |
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