Alcohol Awareness Month
April
#AlcoholAwarenessMonth was started in 1987 to increase awareness and understanding of the causes and treatment of the nation’s #1 public health problem: alcoholism.
Children start forming views about alcohol as early as 9 years old. If you're not the one informing your child about alcohol consumption, someone else less responsible might be. Visit Talk. They Hear You a for more information and tips on how to start the converation.
Did you know that many short and long term health risks can be avoided by not drinking alcohol or only in moderation? Moderate drinking is 2 drinks or less in a day for men and 1 or less for women. Find out more on Alcohol Use and Your Health on the CDC's site.
National Prevention Week
May
National Prevention Week (NPW) is a national public education platform bringing together communities and organizations to raise awareness about the importance of substance use prevention and positive mental health.
We have many activities at the schools during Prevention Week. In 2022 we put out Public Service Announcements on Bull Country 99.5 & ZFun 106
National Night Out
August - First Tuesday
International Overdose Awareness Day
August 31st
More than 105k American lives were lost to drug overdose in 2022.On this International Overdose Awareness Day, we: -Remember those we’ve lost from drug overdose -Encourage substance use disorder support and recovery -Continue the fight to end overdose by sharing prevention strategies -Learn more about how to stop overdose and save lives: https://www.cdc.gov/stopoverdose/index.html
National Recovery Month
September
National Recovery Month (Recovery Month), sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), is a national observance held every September to educate Americans that substance use treatment and mental health services can enable those with mental and substance use disorders to live healthy and rewarding lives. This observance celebrates the millions of Americans who are in recovery from mental and substance use disorders, reminding us that treatment is effective and that people can and do recover. It also serves to help reduce the stigma and misconceptions that cloud public understanding of mental and substance use disorders, potentially discouraging others from seeking help.
"Recovery is for Everyone:
Every Person, Every Family, Every Community"
Recovery Month theme, “Recovery is for Everyone: Every Person, Every Family, Every Community” reminds people in recovery and those who support them, that recovery belongs to all of us.
Recovery Month celebrates the gains made by those in recovery, just as we celebrate improvements made by those who are managing other health conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, asthma, and heart disease.
Each September, Recovery Month works to promote and support new evidence-based treatment and recovery practices, the emergence of a strong and proud recovery community, and the dedication of service providers and community members across the nation who make recovery in all its forms possible.
National Medicine Abuse Awareness Month
October
Each generation of kids looks for new ways to get high. Recent trends indicate they are increasingly turning to prescription (Rx) or over-the-counter (OTC) medicines. Teens report getting many of these medicines from home medicine cabinets and mistakenly believe that abusing them is “safer” than other drugs.
Help Prevent Medicine Misuse/Abuse
TALK to your teen about prescription (Rx) and OTC cough medicine misuse. Teens listen, even if they act like they don't. In fact, teens who learn about the risks of drugs from their parents are 50% less likely to use drugs.
SAFEGUARD your medicne cabinets. Know what you have and how much so you know if anything is missing. Discard any unused medications.
SHARE what you have learned.
SPEAK UP at school meetings, sports events, community events and other gatherings of parents - to make sure others active in your teen's day-to-day activities know about the dangers of medicine misuse.
Learn More
Red Ribbon Week
October - Last Week
Red Ribbon Week is the nation’s longest running drug-use prevention campaign. It was established as a grassroots, nonprofit organization in 1980 by a handful of concerned and determined parents who were convinced they should begin to play a leadership role in drug prevention. In response to the murder of DEA Agent Enrique Camarena, angered parents and youth in communities across the country began wearing Red Ribbons as a symbol of their commitment to raise awareness of the killing and destruction cause by drugs in America.
Take Action to Stay Drug Free
National Family Partnerships (NFP): Since its founding thirty years ago, NFP has devoted its efforts to the well-being of youth. Today, NFP is a national leader in drug prevention education & advocacy. NFP’s mission is to lead and support our nation’s families and communities in nurturing the full potential of healthy, drug free youth.
We participate in Red Ribbon Week during the last week in October. Red ribbons are symbols that serve as catalysts to mobilize communities to educate youth and encourage participation in drug prevention activities.
Students at the elementary and high school participate in activities to promote healthy choices to stay drug free.
In 2023 we launched a Red Ribbon Week Poster Contest. The entries had posters printed and posted around the high school. The First Place winner had their artwork featured on the billboard just outside of town.
