The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) reports the following facts about drug and alcohol abuse:

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1 Drug abuse prevention is the most effective method of reducing the emotional and financial toll that results from illicit drug use and addiction. In 2011, the government designated October as National Substance Abuse Prevention Month in order to raise awareness and lessen the stigma surrounding these issues, especially as it concerns country s population of kids and adolescents. The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) reports the following facts about drug and alcohol abuse: Approximately 25 million Americans, age 12 and older, are current illicit drug users In 2013, an estimated 8.7 million people, or nearly 23 percent of individuals aged 12 to 20, reported drinking alcohol during the past month In 2012, alcohol was a factor in approximately 31 percent of deaths from motor vehicle accidents More than 17 million Americans, aged 12 and older, are classified as dependent on or abusing alcohol Prevention aimed at teenagers is particularly important due to the process the brain is going through at this time in life. Neuroscience studies have discovered that the brain is going through a complex development process during adolescence, which lasts until around the age of 25. Evidence suggests that the young prefrontal cortex of the brain, the region responsible for making judgments, is one of the reasons teens are at risk for experimenting with drugs and alcohol. Abuse during this time can have a lifelong effect on the brain s ability to control impulses. The earlier a person uses drugs or alcohol, the more likely they are to develop addiction to drugs or alcohol. In fact, NCADD reports that children who use drugs or alcohol before the age of 15 are five times more likely to develop alcohol or drug dependence and addiction issues. Individuals, adolescents included, with substance abuse problems can also suffer from a dual diagnosis, which is the presence of a mental health condition, like depression or anxiety, along with addiction. Some studies suggest that as many six in 10 people with substance abuse disorder have a mental illness. This can be particularly challenging because regardless of which came first, both conditions make the other worse. Treatment must address both issues in order for a person to gain a strong foothold in recovery.

2 Leslie Perez Leslie Perez is a single mother of 6 children, ages 7, 10, 12, 15, 19, and 20. She is also a care provider for her elder Mother. Leslie manages a household of 8, including herself. She came to work with the Employment Coordinator in February of During this time, she was working providing childcare to her Grandson while her Daughter worked a full-time job. One of Leslie s barriers was living in a rural area with poor job opportunities. She was also dealing with some health issues that she worked hard to recover from. Leslie found confidence and motivation with her success in achieving her health goals. She set both short and long-term goals for education and employment. It didn t take Leslie long before she completed her resume and applied for the next available part-time position with her tribe in the Communities Activities Program. Leslie also enrolled in college and has successfully completed 2 semesters with the goal of becoming a certified substance abuse counselor. After a year of working part-time, Leslie set out to challenge herself again and applied for, interviewed, and was offered the position as the Cook for the Big Sandy Site OVCDC Early Head Start. Leslie continues to set challenging goals for herself and is using her past successes as motivation to continue with her future endeavors. We here at OVCDC are proud to have been there for her in her time of need with support, training, assistance, and encouragement. We congratulate Leslie on her recent success and wish her the best in her new position with OVCDC. Keep up the good work Leslie!

3 Remember it s the client s responsibility to make sure that their Monthly Eligibility Report (MER) with documentation is received in the office on the 10th of the month. MER s received after the 10th are considered late and will result in a late payment. If your MER is turned in after the 10th, please remember to complete a 10 day waiver form. Your are required to inform OVCDC Tribal TANF Program within 10 days of any changes in family income, family resources, number of persons in the household, change of address or living arrangements, children s school attendance or any other change that may affect your Tribal TANF eligibility. Remember, any and all events you see in this newsletter that are put on by OVCDC (TANF/Family Literacy/Employment Services/Language Prevention), are countable work participation hours if approved on your FSSP. If there is any confusion of this, please make an appointment with your Case Counselor to discuss and update your FSSP. Supportive Service Requests: Submission of a Support Service Request is not a guarantee of approval; OVCDC has 10 days after receipt of a completed Support Service Request, with all needed documentation attached, to approve or disapprove a request for supportive service. Failure to supply all needed documentation with a request will further delay processing. SSR S due Tuesday by noon. Supportive Service Request Receipts All original receipts (except child care) for amount of the supportive service assistance must be submitted within 30 days of receiving the assistance check/ direct deposit. Failure to provide receipts may affect future Supportive Service request and/or result in an overpayment. Please tape your receipts to paper to eliminate the possibility of loss or damage to receipts.

4 BSR Success Story: Alana Orosco Alana is a 23 year old single parent of 2 young children, ages 2 and 4. She has participated in OVCDC s family formation parenting classes, cultural beading, outdoor awareness, and professional development classes. She was always a joy to work with and have in our workshops. She would share her goals with the staff and took advice and motivation from her Case Counselor. Alana is a bright young lady who gained enough credits in high school to get her High School Diploma, but never walked at graduation. OVCDC requested an official Diploma and Alana was acknowledged for her unrecognized accomplishment during our Celebration of Success on June 1, Alana faces many barriers in her young adulthood. Some of which are: living in a rural area, no transportation, poor employment opportunity, and no work experience. She struggled to meet her work participation hours even though she cared for her children on her own, and her grandmother in her times of need. She decided she wanted to better her situation for herself and her children. She told us she wanted independence and she began to reach out to the community and found a job opportunity. On her own initiative she networked, interviewed, and landed a job as a housekeeper at Big Sandy Mono Wind Casino in May Alana has retained her full-time job for over 3 month now. She tells us she likes her job, but mostly she loves the freedom and independence she gets from it. She is making new goals and wants to save up money for transportation. Alana is capable and resourceful and we have faith she will continue to accomplish her goals to better herself and her family. Keep up the good work Alana! We here at OVCDC TANF, Big Sandy Site are proud of you.

5 BSR Success Story Tommy Johns Tommy is part of a 2 parent household responsible for 4 children ages ranging from 10 to 18 years old. He worked very hard last year and regularly attended OVCDC s Tribal TANF Professional Development Workshops where he learned job searching techniques, completed a resume, and practiced his interviewing skills. Tommy also regularly attended Parenthood is Sacred workshops at OVCDC s Big Sandy Tribal TANF Site. Tommy was a great participant and always actively participated and engaged with the curriculum. Tommy s barriers to employment were living in a rural area, transportation issues, low job opportunity, and a large gap in his employment. Tommy was a Certified Nursing Assistant and a graduate of the Culinary Arts. He worked as a CNA and Cook for a local long term care facility from when it closed down. With unreliable transportation Tommy needed a job in the area to ensure he would be able to get to work. Tommy made the decision to participate in OVCDC s Work Experience Program (WEX) to help him gain current work experience and gain marketable skills for the workforce. He was placed at a local worksite, Mar-Val Food Store, as a Clerk/Cashier. In the last 2 months, Tommy has wowed his worksite manager and showed he is a fast learner who is great with customers. His direct supervisors report that he is a joy to work with, has a great attitude, and is always willing to help. Tommy made such a great impression and is working towards gaining full-time unsubsidized employment with Mar-Val Food Store. Tommy s decision to participate in the WEX program has really helped his job outlook. He was able to show that he is dependable, capable, and a hard worker. Keep up the good work Tommy! The staff at OVCDC Big Sandy Tribal TANF Site are proud of you.

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