NOVATO BLUE RIBBON COALITION FOR YOUTH MISSION: To positively impact the wellbeing of Novato youth through community action, policy advocacy, and education. This shall be accomplished by reducing alcohol and marijuana use, and by reducing incidences of bullying. GOALS: 1) By January 2019, reduce use of alcohol among Novato 11th grade students from 42% to 37%, as measured by the California Healthy Kids Survey (alcohol use in the past 30 days). 2) By January 2019, decrease the percentage of youth who report using marijuana by age 16 from 49% to 45%, as measured by the California Healthy Kids Survey. 3) By June 2016, reduce incidence of bullying among Novato middle school youth from 33% by 10%, as measured by the Novato Unified School District s bullying survey.
NOVATO BLUE RIBBON COALITION FOR YOUTH We use environmental prevention strategies: Changing aspects of the environment that contribute to the use of alcohol and other drugs Strategies that aim to decrease the social and health consequences of substance abuse by limiting access to substances and changing social norms that are accepting and permissive of substance abuse. Changing public laws, policies and practices to create environments that decrease the probability of substance abuse.
PARTNERS INVOLVED IN COALITION WORK Citizens, Groups & Organizations of Novato City of Novato Parks, Recreation and Community Services, & Novato Police Department Healthy Novato Marin County Dept. of Health & Human Services Prevention Hub Marin YMCA Youth Court North Bay Security Group Novato Promotoras Novato Unified School District Novato Wellness Center Novato Youth Center (Fiscal Agent) Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) Youth Leadership Institute
GRANT: Drug Free Communities The White House / Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration $125,000 per year for 5 years (as of July 2013, in final quarter of 2 nd year) PARTNER: Healthy Novato Project MCF Donor Advised Funds (Haas Family Fund plus additional MCF funding) $365,500 for first year; multi-year initiative (just beginning 3 rd year) Funding of the Coalition GRANT: Marin Community Coalitions FUNDING THE COALITION Marin Health & Human Services to City of Novato $295,000 over 4 years (just beginning 4 th year) Mental health funding added FY12/13 & FY13/14
First Full Drink of Alcohol Age 10 or Younger 12% 10% 8% 6% 4% 2% 0% 10% 8% 11% 8% 9% 7th Graders 9th Graders 11th Graders 6% CALIFORNIA HEALTHY KIDS SURVEY 2007-2009 Novato California ALCOHOL PREVENTION Current Objectives to Reduce Access: Reduction in youth stealing alcohol from merchants Reduction in youth who purchase alcohol through shoulder tapping Voluntary removal of flavored Malted Beverages (aka Alcopops) in Novato Reduction in youth accessing alcohol at rental facilities Target underage drinking at house parties Reduction in youth who access alcohol in public places
Smoked Marijuana in the Last 30 Days Novato 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% 6% 7% 20% 15% 34% 7th Graders 9th Graders 11th Graders 24% CALIFORNIA HEALTHY KIDS SURVEY 2011-2012 California MARIJUANA PREVENTION Current Objectives to Reduce Access: Decrease the number of youth accessing from medical marijuana dispensaries Reduce frequency of youth obtaining marijuana from dealers Reduce youth access to marijuana at house parties Reduce youth possessing marijuana at schools
Victim of Cyber Bullying in the Last 12 Months 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% 20% 18% 29% 22% 26% 7th Graders 9th Graders 11th Graders CALIFORNIA HEALTHY KIDS SURVEY 2009-2010 21% Novato California BULLYING PREVENTION Current Objectives to Reduce Incidences: Reduce classroom incidences and incidences at school-sponsored extracurricular activities Reduce incidents outside of school and at community activities Decrease cyber bullying Increase opportunities for peer relationship building
RECENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO REDUCE UNDERAGE DRINKING Mobilized residents and worked with local officials to block issuance of off-site alcohol license (Shell Station) in an already saturated market Stopped National alcohol-laced ad campaign Get Tanked (Tilly s) that was aimed directly at youth Novato City Council adopted April as Alcohol Awareness Month Novato Town Hall on Underage Drinking Novato police department conducts Decoy Shoulder Tapping Program and issues citations to adults that agree to buy alcohol for youth Count Me In Campaign launched to promote parental efforts to reduce underage drinking Novato City Council passes resolution for a voluntary Alcopop Free Zone Photo-Voice project with youth recommendations to reduce drinking
RECENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO REDUCE MARIJUANA USE Presented the results of a survey from park neighbors outlining problems occurring at a hot spot of drug and alcohol use in an area on county library property and adjacent to Lee Gerner Park, at a site known as the Pit ; city and county demolish the site concurrently to those efforts; follow-up survey a year later finds problem significantly reduced. Researched prevalence of and laws related to retail marijuana dispensaries in Marin County Worked with NUSD to increase the identification of substance users, as well as modify district policies to create alternatives to suspension with restorative practice and multisystemic responses RECENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO REDUCE BULLYING Novato Unified School District adopted and is implementing No Bully program Novato City Council adopted October as Bullying Prevention Month No Bully Solutions Team Film by Sinaloa Club Live Upstander Pledge Campaign launched
SOCIAL & RETAIL ACCESS COMMITTEE Reduce access to alcohol and marijuana in both social and retail settings. Explore opportunities for policy development, implementation and enforcement to address problematic environments. CURRENT ACTIVITIES Creating best practice outline & tip-sheet for rental facilities and other event planners. Developing recommendations to revise the Social Host Ordinance to make it more enforceable and/or adjust penalty structure Working with the City Planning Dept. in regards to alcohol density and developing criteria for public necessity or convenience in an over-saturated market, as well as informing the General Plan Update
BULLYING PREVENTION & INTERVENTION COMMITTEE Employing Strategies to reduce the incidence of bullying and harassment among youth in Novato CURRENT ACTIVITIES Developing a plan for more schools adopting and sustaining use of the No Bully Program Presented its first Bullying Prevention Forum attended by 100 adults and youth and following up with Upstander Campaign Utilizing bully survey results to inform work plan for next year
YOUTH COUNCIL Assure coalition efforts, decisions and leadership include youth perspective/voice. Provide youth meaningful opportunities to build skills, take on leadership roles, and engage with the community. CURRENT ACTIVITIES Photovoice exhibit and presentations continue Educating merchants on the Alcopop-Free Zone Resolution and eliciting merchants participation Developing a youth-adult partnership training
OTHER COALITION COMMITTEES Executive Committee: Oversight of entire Coalition operations and functioning Data & Evaluation: Assess local conditions by analyzing and collecting data, and ensure that Coalition s work plan is based on that local data Finance & Fund Development: Oversight of funding streams Media & Messaging: Crafting and disseminating Coalition messages related to its identified goals Membership Outreach & Development: Developing the volunteer base and community participation
RESOURCES TO STRENGTHEN COALITION WORK Alcohol Justice Berkeley Media Studies Group Center for Applied Research Solutions Center for Community Action & Training Community Systems Group Center for Volunteer & Nonprofit Leadership Families for Safer Schools Marin Community Foundation O Rorke, Inc. Parent Services Project Zan Media
CONTACT THE COALITION Bill Welch, Chair bill@northbaysecuritygroup.com Jasmine Freese, MSW Project Coordinator, Drug Free Communities Grant jasmine@novatoblueribbon.org Office: (415) 798-5329 Cell: (415) 858-5851 Samantha Kimpel, MA Project Coordinator, Marin Health & Human Services Grant City of Novato Parks, Recreation and Community Services skimpel@novato.org Office: (415) 899-8236 www.novatoblueribbon.org