Date:  

October 12, 2006

Facilitator:  Maureen Cary

Location:

3 Blue Streak Blvd., 2^nd floor, School District Administrative Offices

Recorder: Robin Ambrosino

Attendees:

Robin Ambrosino, Kelley Bayer, Kati Behrens, Maureen Cary, Julie Cobello,
Roberta Goliber, Dianne Greene, Michelle Hadden, Elizabeth Herlihy, John Kelly,
Mike Laudicina, Marie MacPherson, Diane McGarry, Eleanor Stanton, Judy Tirelli,
Dan Tallman, Dave Torres.

Materials Distributed:

Talk to Your Teens about Gambling brochure, Responsible Gambling brochure, Project Hope and Power brochure, Meth 360 presentation flyer

Overview

Discussion

Decisions/Actions

News & Announcements

·     Domestic Violence/Rape Crisis and the Soroptimists are sponsoring an 8-week workshop for women in Saratoga County called Project Hope and Power. The course will focus on financial management, affordable housing options, job skills training, and safety planning for women seeking more independence. Participants will receive a stipend upon completion of the program. For more information, call 583-0280.

·      The next presentation of the Health and Human Services Coalition will be on Meth 360,  a campaign designed by The Partnership for a Drug-Free America to build awareness about methamphetamines and how to prevent it from getting a hold in area communities. The free workshop will take place on Tuesday, October 17^th from 9:30-11:30 a.m. in the Community Room at the Saratoga Springs Public Library.

·   Later this month, Dave Torres will be make his annual Scared Straight trip to a local prison group with 15-20 at-risk kids, including youth court kids. They will receive a tour of the prison and will talk to inmates.

·  John Kelly and Dave Torres worked with Elaine Houston from Channel 13 last week on a series she’s producing about truancy in the Capital District. Elaine came on a  drive along with them to the local housing authority, where they found 10 homes with truant kids. Charges will be filed against parents or guardians for not keeping kids in school. These in-person truancy outreach efforts will take place once a month in conjunction with other county agencies (CPS open cases, probation, parole, etc.). Dave will let us know when the segments will run on Channel 13.

·    Oct 28^th is Make a Difference Day. Roughly 50 kids from the Presbyterian New England Congregational Church Youth Group will be “Trick or Treating” for canned goods to restock the EOC food pantry. Please open your doors to them!

·     John Kelly will be taking Russ Terpening’s position as School Resource Office at Saratoga Springs High School in mid December. Russ is getting ready to retire.

·     John mentioned that he’s starting to see prescription drug abuse in the cases he’s investigating. The kids think it’s no big deal to steal their parents’ medication – oxycontin, hydrocodone. They crush and sniff it.

·   John suggested we include questions about prescription drugs in our parent and youth surveys.

·     Maureen will check into how to get more info on this to the Partnership. 
 

Partnership Updates

·    The school district’s Character education initiative is now being called Profiles in Character. There will be a profile in The Saratogian at the end of October to kick off the event. Maureen circulated nomination from Mike Laudicina about a kid who donated hair for Locks of Love. All good deeds and kids’ names will be listed in the paper. One will be chosen at random for a picture and more detailed profile.

·       The Youth Survey will take place at the high school on Monday, October 16^th, and at Maple on Monday, October 23^rd.  Both schools have been helpful in getting details together.

·    Still working on Parent Survey dates. Stewart’s has OKed our using their phones. Need to discuss how else to get surveys completed besides phone calls home. Has to be anonymous and confidential. School concerts, mail, online, via a company, via a speaker to draw attendees were all suggested.

·    Strengthening Families is underway at the middle school for 11 families. YMCA leadership kids are helping us, along with a student  who needs volunteer hours for the National Honor Society. 

·   Nominations for kids doing good deeds are still needed.  Can submit nominations at any time despite the monthly themes. Click here for the nomination form.

 ·   Maureen is still taking names for anyone interested in becoming a facilitator. E-mail her if you are interested.

Gambling
Presentation

 The Prevention Council’s Problem Gambling Prevention Coordinator, Michelle Hadden, gave a presentation to the group. Highlights include:

·    Research has shown that adolescent brains don’t mature until age 24.

·    Kids want experiences that are new. But their brains are very sensitive to new stimuli. Often, kids don’t have the developmental ability to  weigh consequences and exercise good judgment.

·    Kids who gamble are more likely to participate in other risky behaviors – drinking, marijuana, etc.

·    Our job is to get kids involved in safe activities that still offer risk –adventure-based games, etc.

·    Gambling venues that pose the greatest risk to adolescents are card and internet games, state-sponsored lottery games, and sports betting.

·    Local survey showed that most gamblers report beginning before age 12. They perceive that they’re able to gamble during school. They are playing for money, but not exchanging money during school.

·    Gambling is an addiction – up to 50 percent of adults who enter treatment centers also say they gamble.

·    There’s a 2-question survey to identify warning signs:  Do you feel the need to bet more and more money?  Do you need to lie to people about your gambling habits? If answer is yes to either question, the person needs a more thorough evaluation.

·    Anyone who needs treatment should contact the Center for problem Gambling 518-462-6531, Gambler’s Anonymous  518-292-0414 (meets 2x a week in Saratoga Springs), or the Help Line 800-437-1611.

·    Gambling prevention and information has already been integrated into existing programs housed at The Prevention Council:  Youth Court, SAP counselors, Too Good for Drugs, Be Smart Don’t Start, All Stars curriculum, and Youth and Parent surveys.  Hope to integrate it into Strengthening Families curriculum.

·    Questions about gambling have also been added to youth surveys around the county in order to compile county-level data.  

Michelle will be speaking about this topic at Middle School lunch groups, high school and middle school PTA meetings, and at CAPTAIN.

·     If members are interested in having Michelle speak to their group, please send her an e-mail.

·     She also needs help getting kids together to see whether area retail stores comply with laws governing location, oversight of vending machines. Anyone whose kids might be interested in helping, please let Michelle know.  Partnership members suggested she contact PIG classes, Health classes, business classes and John Brady’s sports marketing class.

Next Meeting

The next Partnership meeting will be a LUNCH meeting. It will take place on Thursday, November 9^th at 12 p.m. in the school district offices at 3 Blue Streak Blvd.