Have you checked out the MYAA Fact Sheets or ACT Missouri Fact Sheets lately? We are always adding more topics. The MYAA Fact Sheets use facts for students, teachers, and parents, and are a great resource for your SADD group or school. If you don’t see a topic you would like to know more about, email us at info@actmissouri.org.
Every month, ACT Missouri encourages communities to observe and celebrate #SubstanceFreeSaturday. On this day, plan an activity with your friends, school, SADD chapter, or community that celebrates being Substance Free! Then share your event with us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram using the #SubstanceFreeSaturday hashtag. Be sure to watch Facebook and Twitter or check out your 2014 Red Ribbon Week calendar for #SubstanceFreeSaturday dates!
Let us know in the comments about your favorite #SubstanceFreeSaturday event, or the one you are looking forward to the most!
Today, September 10, 2014, is World Suicide Prevention Day.
Suicide is the third leading cause of death among teenagers and young adults (15-24). Risk factors for suicide include: mental illness, substance abuse, family history of suicide and previous suicide attempts.
So what can you and your community do to help prevent suicide? First of all, be sure to know the warning signs. Listen and get involved, directly. It is important to talk openly with the person and provide support to them. Most importantly, get help from a professional, or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is dedicated to reducing the national suicide rate 20% by 2025.
“Robin Williams’s recent death saddened our nation. It also prompted a much-needed conversation about this important health issue,” said Robert Gebbia, Chief Executive Officer of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. “Over the past few years, more and more people are speaking out about their personal experience with suicide. That’s a big change. And it’s why we believe that in the next ten years, by 2025, we can reduce the annual suicide rate by 20 percent. But to accomplish this, we need to take action – we need greater investment in research, education, and advocacy.”
The AFSP is asking that partner agencies use #EndSuicide on Social Media this week, and post their #SelfiesAgainstStigma on Friday.
The initial IT ONLY TAKES ONE campaign has concluded, with three groups winning top honors. To take part in this campaign, schools had to register in the fall. Then, students from 34 participating schools were presented a free t-shirt after submitting a completed parent-teen driving contract to their advisors. The t-shirts proved to be an effective tool to get students talking about the dangers of distracted driving, but many of the schools did not stop there. Students and advisors carried this message out into the community – with posters, thumb bands, belt checks, and other materials that sparked conversation between teens and adults about safe driving practices. Almost 1700 students were impacted by the campaign across Missouri.
For their participation, Campbell C2000 received 1st place with a prize of $1,000, Platte County High School received 2nd place with a prize of $750, and New Madrid County Family Resource Center received 3rd place with a prize of $500. Campbell C2000 completed pre/post safety belt surveys, presented a distracted driving program to their high school and distributed It Only Takes One parent contracts and shirts to students in their community. The coalition also wrote for funding for two large billboard signs for the city and school ballparks promoting their IT ONLY TAKES ONE message. They have big plans for their award including a creating a float for the upcoming Campbell PeachFair Parade and hosting an information booth at the Peach Fair and at the Back To School Open House Event in Campbell. MacKenzie Metheny, a student of the coalition, stated “This campaign has been extremely empowering for us because we have already seen that we are actually making a difference in our friends’ lives and their families’ lives!”
2015 IT ONLY TAKES ONE Campaign information and applications will be available through ACT Missouri in Fall 2014. The IT ONLY TAKES ONE campaign has been made possible by grants received from the Missouri Department of Transportation, Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety.
ACT Missouri is the statewide training and resource center for substance abuse prevention. Through free trainings, brochures, and education, ACT Missouri works with all areas of the state to combat drug and alcohol abuse, especially among Missouri youth. ACT Missouri also serves at the state representative for national organizations such as SADD and The Partnership at Drugfree.org.
Contact Information:
Chelsea Billeck
MYAA Project Director
ACT Missouri
428 E. Capitol Avenue
Jefferson City, MO 65101
(573) 635-6669
cbilleck@actmissouri.org
