YOUTH AND ALCOHOL

Every year, about 1,900 people under 21 die from car crashes involving underage drinking.
In a survey of teen drinkers, 65 percent said they got alcohol from  family members or friends.
What you can do to prevent underage drinking, at www.dontserveteens.gov
 

Women & Alcohol

 

 
IN THE SHADOW OF ALCOHOLISM:
WOMEN AND ALCOHOL
- Click here
to view ABC news story "Confessions of a Female Alcoholic
 
 

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HAVE A SAFE AND HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY HOLIDAY!

 

July 2, 2009

Hello everyone ~

 I was on a long weekend vacation in New Mexico this past weekend. On Monday morning, as my husband and I prepared for coffee and a leisurely newspaper reading, I picked up the Albuquerque Journal to read the front page headline: "4 TEENS KILLED." In a broadside vehicular collision, all four passengers (three 16-year-olds and one 15-year-old) were killed and the 16-year-old driver placed in critical condition, when a suspected drunken driver going the "wrong way" rammed into their car. The 28-year-old man driving the wrong way Jeep that hit the teens' vehicle has been arrested and charged with four counts of vehicular homicide and one count of great bodily harm by motor vehicle. He suffered minor injuries. The man also had a previous DWI, which raises additional concerns. If you want to feel the horror of this experience, go to http://abqjournal.magnify.net/video/911-Call-4-Teens-Killed

and hear the 911 call that followed the crash. PLEASE, DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE ~ FOR EVEYONE’S SAKE!!! THANK YOU.

   
     
     
HHODP STRATEGIC PLAN ROLL-OUT
On May 29, 2009, the Houston-Harris County Office of Drug Policy hosted a meeting at the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy at Rice University to officially share the Five-Year Strategic Plan that was inititated at the 2008 Drug Summit.  It was an inspiring and motivating event, and a number of Coalition members were in attendance.

 

Current members of the HHODP Executive Board
 
Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia, Harris County District Attorney Pat Lykos, Harris County Judge Ed Emmett, and Houston City Council Member Peter Brown
 
 

 

Coalition of Behavioral Health Services Meeting

NOTE: CHANGE IN VENUE
Houston Council on Alcohol and Drugs  303 Jackson Hill Street   Houston , TX 77007

 

Date: Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Time: 2:00 - 3:30 pm


Presenter: Crystal Morrison, MA, LPC-S, Houston Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse
Title: Your Teenager's Brain and How to Communicate With It

This training will address the development and function of the teenage brain and help parents and professionals understand how to communicate more effectively with teens, especially when substance abuse issues are present. Training objectives include: 1) to present the process of frontal lobe development between the ages of 12-25; 2) to present the function of the frontal lobe at various stages of development; 3) to identify when a teen is using their frontal lobe or not; and 4) to tailor communication with teens based on the frontal lobe functioning.

~ CEUs available for Social Work, LPC, LCDC and LMFT ~
~ No charge to attend or for CEU certificate ~
Questions? ~ Sandy Olson at cbhshouston@yahoo.com or 281-630-8665


 

 

 

 
     
Photos from June 9, 2009 Coalition meeting with guest speaker Donald J. Savell, PhD.  Dr. Savell has been a Sergeant with he Harris County Sheriff's Office since 1987, and is currently over the Employee Assistance Unit.  This office serves 3500 members of the department in areas of employee assistance program, critical incident stress management, and training.  He spoke primarily on the topic of suicide but also provided some information about substance abuse among law enforcement officers.
 
 

 

 

   
     
 
 
"Connecting Communities for Spring Branch Youth"

SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2009 ~ Housman Elementary School, Spring Branch Independent School District ~ Spring Carnival ~ Sheila Hunt and I had a great time representing the Coalition and our Spring Branch project at this Carnival. We distributed drug prevention messages and literature for both youth and parents, held a drawing for a free iPod Shuffle, handed out goodie bags with the prevention message "I don't want you to use marijuana, alcohol, tobacco, or any drug! --Love, your mom, your dad, your loving family." Several community members completed surveys for us. One parent indicated a strong interest in working with our Coalition, and Officer Gonzalez of the Spring Branch ISD Police is interested in working with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission to conduct minor stings in the area. "We really need to do that here, and I think our Chief will be supportive of this," Officer Gonzalez stated. A great time was had by all! You can tell from the pictures below.
     
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
     
     
 
January 8, 2009
HAPPY NEW YEAR!  IT'S MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL TIME!
 
Colleagues,
This past year has been wonderful in so many ways, in spite of a lot of difficulties.  I have appreciated and enjoyed working with all of you and look forward to a great 2009.  
 
We want to strengthen the Coalition over the coming year.  One of our goals is to increase membership to 50 individuals/organizations!  This is entirely do-able with your help.  We are currently at 36 members.  If each member makes an effort to recruit one new member, we can easily reach a goal of 50 members by this summer. 
 
If you know of anyone who is interested in the issue of substance abuse (think outside the box, it doesn't have to be a treatment provider!), give them a call and invite them to our next meeting.  This would be a great way to network and learn about others who are also interested in making a positive difference in their community. 
 
Please take a moment to look at the attached "Coalition Highlights 2008."  I have also included  a 2009 "Membership Renewal and MOU 2009" for you to complete and return with your check for $35.00.  Additional donations are welcome and tax-deductible.  
 
You can return payment and completed MOUs to Sandy Olson, Phoenix House, 501 Garden Oaks Boulevard, Houston, Texas 77018.
 
Thank you for the many opportunities to be of service.
 
Sandy
 
 
January 9, 2009
Hello everyone,

Rich Rosing and I have just returned from Washington DC where we have really had some intensive training in the Drug Free Communities Support Program and their efforts across the country.

We have prepared a (rough) draft PowerPoint for community presentations about the "Connecting Communities for Spring Branch Youth" program that the Coalition has been funded to do. We will be presenting at the meeting so that you all can (1) learn more about community organizing and community environmental strategies for preventing substance abuse and (2) give us constructive feedback about the presentation so that we can make it better. We will also be looking for volunteers who would like to be speakers on behalf of the Coalition and the drug free communities project in particular.

Also, remember to bring a friend or colleague who may be interested in getting involved with the Coalition!

Thanks,

Sandy

 
     
     

Next Meeting

July 14, 2009

Our Mission

 To mobilize Houston Harris County to prevent and reduce the abuse of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs and co-occurring mental illness by increasing the governmental and private resources of our community.

Contact

For more information about CBHS contact:
Sandy Olson
501 Garden Oaks Blvd.
Houston, TX 77018
713-426-2637 ext .4511
713-862-1849

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