E-update - August 2006

In this e-Update:

This Month's Success Story

This Month's Success Story

New Futures News

1. New Futures has moved
2. 8^th Annual Leadership Recognition and Awards Celebrationn
3. Seeking Tom Fox Scholarship Nominees

Legislative Update

1. Governor signs HB 1581
2. Legislators in Recess

Resources

1. Belknap County Juvenile Community Justice Report
2. Enrich A Child's Future
3. Substance Abuse in Rural and Small Town America
4. JOIN TOGETHER: Early Childhood Behavior May Predict Adolescent Substance Use
5. Linking Addiction Treatment & Communities of Recovery
6. Blue Print: Policies to Improve the Ways States Organize and Deliver Alcohol and Drug Prevention and Treatment Services

Upcoming Events

1. An Open Space Forum on Empowering and Supporting our Youth
2. Governor's Commission Meeting
3. Social Marketing for Coalitions
4. Recovery Ambassadors Workshop
5. Moving Beyond Symptoms: Identifying and Treating Core Issues in Addiction
6. Action through the Eyes of Youth
7. Mapping the Maze Autumn Meeting to Focus on the Front Lines
8. Drug Courts: Community Alliances Make a Difference
9. Keeping the Holidays Safe and Merry

SUCCESS STORY

This Month's Success Story

Poetry readings - or "poetry slams" as they are often called - are making a comeback. Thanks to a creative group of youth at Hinsdale High School, the Town recently had its own performance poetry event. Students and even some faculty members read original poetry before the audience of parents, school staff, and community members. Thanks to the Hinsdale Prevention Coalition these young people are able to take their great ideas and turn them into reality! Communities with more activities for youth tend to have fewer underage alcohol problems. To learn more about poetry slams, coffee houses and other youth run activities, contact Patrice Strifert at pstrifert@hnhsd.org

New Futures News

1. New Futures has moved

   On February 27, the New Futures office relocated to Exeter. Please note our new contact information in your address books:

   8 Continental Drive, Unit G
   Exeter, NH 03833
   Phone:(603) 658-2770
   Fax: (603) 658-2306
   

2. 8^th Annual Leadership Recognition and Awards Celebration

   This year's Leadership Recognition and Awards Celebration will be held on Friday, October 20 from 12:00-2:30 in conjunction with the Department of Health and Human Services' Annual Substance Abuse Conference at the Attitash Grand Summit Resort and Conference Center in Bartlett, NH. The Tom Fox Award for Excellence, the Tom Fox Scholarship for Prevention, and the Tom Fox Scholarship for Treatment will be given during the luncheon, followed by a celebration of the good work being done in communities across our state. More details will be forthcoming.

3. Seeking Tom Fox Scholarship Nominees

   Please help nominate someone for one of two Tom Fox Scholarships. The Tom Fox scholarships recognize two individuals for exemplary contributions to the delivery of alcohol and other drug services in New Hampshire -- one in prevention and one in treatment. The deadline for submissions is Friday, September 15. Visit the New Futures website in a few weeks or contact Aviva Meyer at 658-2770 or ameyer@new-futures.org for award criteria and information on submitting nominations.

Legislative Update

1. Governor signs HB 1581

   On July 12th, Governor John Lynch held a bill signing ceremony, where he was joined by Legislators and community supporters to celebrate the passage of House Bill 1581. HB1581 will create new "vertical" New Hampshire drivers' licenses for those under 21. A vertical license is the same size as a standard drivers' license, but it is read up and down, as compared to the standard horizontally-printed drivers' license. Over 13 other states have adopted vertical licenses. Vertical drivers' licenses provide merchants and law enforcement personnel with an instant visual cue as they verify a license holder's age. Easy to recognize licenses for those under 21 are recommended in New Hampshire's Strategy to Reduce Underage Alcohol Problems.

2. Legislators in Recess

   Please remember that while legislators are in recess over the summer, it is a good time to invite them to your community organization, coalition meeting, or other settings so that they can understand the impact of good work being done to address alcohol, tobacco and other drug problems across the Granite State. All policymakers need to hear from constituents on a regular basis about alcohol and other drug problems in our state to help them learn about the impact of these issues on the communities they represent. You can learn more about your member(s) of the NH House of Representatives or Senate, including contact information and voting records at: www.gencourt.state.nh.us/ie/whosmyleg/.

Resources

1. Belknap County Juvenile Community Justice Report

   The Belknap County Citizens Council on Children and Families is pleased to present its first report card on the Belknap County Juvenile Justice System. To view the report or learn more about the restorative justice model it examines, go to: www.bccj.org/index.html.

2. Enrich A Child's Future

   Volunteers are urgently needed to represent the needs of children in the special education process. As a volunteer you represent a child who is a ward of the state regarding educational decisions in the development and monitoring of the Individual Education Plan. Free training is provided around the state by the Parent Information Center and your time commitment is usually not more than 20 hours per year. For more information and to join this program, please contact Denise Feeney at 1-800-947-7005 or 224-7005 ext. 15 or dfeeney@parentinformationcenter.org.

3. Substance Abuse in Rural and Small Town America

   This report from the Carsey Institute at UNH illustrates helps us understand patterns of substance abuse in rural America. The data show the high prevalence of the abuse of alcohol, especially among rural teenagers, and the limited number of treatment options for rural Americans who need help. Read the full report at: www.carseyinstitute.unh.edu/documents/SubstanceAbuse_final7-14.pdf

4. JOIN TOGETHER: Early Childhood Behavior May Predict Adolescent Substance Use

   New research suggests that adolescents who were less able to control their behavior at ages 3 to 5, or whose behavior control increased more slowly over time, were more likely to drink, to report having been drunk, to have more alcohol-related problems and to have used drugs other than alcohol. Find more details at www.jointogether.org/news/research/summaries/2006/early-childhood-behavior-can.html.

5. Linking Addiction Treatment & Communities of Recovery

   This Primer for Addiction Counselors and Recovery Coaches opens the door to change in the professional addiction treatment community. Addressed to the thousands of counselors and therapists on the daily firing line, it offers them a renaissance of ideas that will provide the suffering addicts with which they work an increased opportunity for lasting recovery. Learn more at: www.ireta.org/store/customer/product.php?productid=100&cat=7&page=1

6. Blue Print: Policies to Improve the Ways States Organize and Deliver Alcohol and Drug Prevention and Treatment Services

   Without state strategies that improve current organization and delivery systems, progress in treatment and prevention of alcohol and drug problems is near impossible. To address this, Join Together asked a bi-partisan leadership panel to hear testimony from national experts and to make recommendations for improvements in the state system. Their unanimous findings and proposals are available at www.jointogether.org/blueprint.

Upcoming Events

1. An Open Space Forum on Empowering and Supporting our Youth

   August 12, 2006, 9:30 am - 4:00 pm
   NH Teen Institute is sponsoring this innovative event. Many adults are fond of saying "our children are our future." And yet, if we are honest, the world we have created for them to inherit is more disturbing and confusing than reassuring and inviting. Many young people don't really believe they have a future. Is this empowering to our youth? There is no charge for this event. Please call 603-226-0111 or email ttrebby@nhteen.com to register or request more information.

2. Governor's Commission Meeting

   August 25, 2006, 9:30 - 1100 am
   Mark your calendar for the next quarterly meeting of the Governor's Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention, Intervention and Treatment. The Governor's Commission is now meeting every other month. Their meetings are open to the public. The meeting will take place in Room 201-203 of the Legislative Office Building at 33 North State Street in Concord.

3. Social Marketing for Coalitions

   August 31 2006, 3:00 - 4:30 pm
   This session will outline the steps for developing a strategic social marketing plan. Discussion will include the differences between social and commercial marketing, use of logic models, the importance of research and evaluation and tactics that social marketers use to implement behavior change. Register here: www.udetc.org/CADCA_registration.asp

4. Recovery Ambassadors Workshop

   September 8, 2006, 1130 am - 5:15 pm
   The workshop, facilitated by the Johnson Institute, is open to all, and designed to provide participants the skills to change society's attitudes and policies toward addiction and recovery. The workshop fee of $40 per person will include materials, a light lunch, afternoon snack and 4 CEU credits. Some scholarships are available. To register, call (603) 653-1912 or go to www.turningpointclub.com.

5. Moving Beyond Symptoms: Identifying and Treating Core Issues in Addiction

   September 7-10, 2006, Hyannis MA
   The Nineteenth Cape Cod Symposium on Addictive Disorders will offer over fifty workshops to be conducted by a faculty composed of nationally and internationally known presenters as well as those less known who have their own unique contributions to make. Learn more and register at www.ccsad.com.

6. Action through the Eyes of Youth

   September 21, 2006 3:00 - 4:15 pm
   In this audio-call you will hear from YOUTH who will share their accomplishments and challenges with these efforts. Through this audio call the audience will understand that in working through a solution to prevent underage drinking we must recognize the Action through the eyes of youth! Visit www.udetc.org/audioconfregistration.asp to register.

7. Mapping the Maze Autumn Meeting to Focus on the Front Lines

   September 22, 8:30 am - 1:00 pm
   What types of problems are the police in various communities seeing in regards to substance use? Who is showing up in the hospital emergency departments? What are the kids seeing/hearing? To find out the answers to these questions and more, we've invited a large panel including police, emergency department physicians, school counselors, recovery professionals, parents, teens and women's services personnel to share what's happening from their perspectives. There will be $20 donation suggested to help defray costs. Call 653-1912 for more information.

8. Drug Courts: Community Alliances Make a Difference

   September 21-22, 2006
   UMASS Boston
   The 6^th Annual New England Association of Drug Court Professionals' conference will focus on the critical community connections needed to ensure the success of Drug Courts. National experts will present information on treatment strategies, probation approaches, ethics and confidentiality, the emergence of DUI and Mental Health Courts and much more. For registration, sponsorship or exhibiting information please contact Maria Gagnon at (603) 658-2770 or mgagnon@new-futures.org

9. Keeping the Holidays Safe and Merry

   October 19, 2006 3:00 - 4:15 p.m.
   The holidays are a time of family and community celebrations. Alcohol often becomes a central figure within these celebrations, which, unfortunately, can have life altering consequences. During this National Electronic Seminar, speakers will provide information on the use and abuse of alcohol during the holidays, plus interventions and practices for making the holidays safer for all. Visit www.udetc.org/audioconfregistration.asp to register.

TO UNSUBSCRIBE, PLEASE CALL (603) 431-1770 EXT 103 OR E-MAIL new-futures@new-futures.org, SUBJECT: UNSUBSCRIBE

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