University/Schools Alliance
Executive Meeting
May 13, 2009 at 3:30 PM
UD Cooperative Ext. Office

Attending: Erica Melman, OPEI Fellow
Kristen Blanchard, SODAT Delaware
Kathy Ward, YMCA Resource Center
Jo-Ann West, Salesianum High School
Linda Brasel, PA, Arcadia University

Staff Attending: Roberta Gealt, USA Director
Mary Perno, USA Project Coordinator

Discussions:

Minutes-The April 15^th minutes were approved with one change—Duffy’s softball game will be played on Saturday, not Sunday.

DFC Grant-USA submitted the 6 month report for the Drug Free Communities grant on May 8th. The government requires that we collect and report specific data on:

· 30 day use of alcohol, marijuana and tobacco

· Perceived parental disapproval of youth use of alcohol, tobacco and marijuana

· perceived harm from using alcohol, tobacco and marijuana

· age of onset of use of alcohol, tobacco and marijuana

USA has been reporting this data since we got the DFC grant in 2001. Comparing 2001 to 2008 rates at the state level, all of the above measures are headed in the right direction (i.e., use is down, age of onset is up, and perceived risk and approval are up) in the 11^th grade survey, with the exceptions of perceived parental disapproval of alcohol, and perceived risk from use of marijuana, which have both decreased when we would have wanted them to increase. In New Castle County, there also appears to be a small decrease in perceived parental disapproval of youth marijuana use. Some of the change in disapproval and perceived risk associated with marijuana may have been influenced by the media around legalization efforts for medical marijuana, similar to trends in alcohol which may have been influenced by the media surrounding the study which found a daily drink may have lowered risk of heart disease (which is now being refuted). Binge drinking is another factor that USA and the state should consider because Delaware’s rates for teens are high, for young adults are higher, and the rates don’t start to decline until around age 34—the impact of this may be very great, since at these ages, many binge drinkers are becoming parents, and thus role models.

ALA Grant-is coming to a close. We have not tried out the “What Do You Know?” game with a real audience as of yet. Our new graphic designer has revised the materials—parent fact sheets, posters and promotional materials—to look more professional. USA is asked the Board’s approval to hire Erica Jesonis, the graphic designer who several years ago was responsible for the USA newsletters, for 20 hours per week from now until September 30^th (when the current grant ends). The motion was approved. Erica has also been written into the next DFC grant for 10 hours, and hopefully, the SIG will cover the remainder.

SPF-SIG Grant-Still no word if or when we will be receiving this grant. The state is working to develop one statewide prevention plan, as Delaware has never had one. If we get the grant, this plan will go to the SIG Advisory Board for approval. Following that, each of the four coalitions responsible for a county or the city of Wilmington would need to develop a parallel plan for their area. There was some discussion as to how USA’s current plan relates to the current version of the state plan, although they are in different formats. USA has our annual strategic planning meeting scheduled for August 5^th, 8:30-4 at Buena Vista Conference Center, by which time we should know if the state has been awarded the SIG, so we will be able to plan accordingly.

The state is also planning on doing readiness assessments to determine not only which communities have the greatest need, but also what level of organizational structure they have that would enable them to benefit from prevention and intervention services.

The plan also provides for an “early warning system,” in which information would be collected both ethnographically and from public and private agencies and gleaned for “emerging threats,” such as the increase in heroin use in the early 1990’s. For example, two drugs have been mentioned by a few students in the Delaware School Surveys in recent years in write-in questions which are normally very restricted in use. While only a handful of students have mentioned them, it would be useful to determine if all mentions came from the same area, and if there were other evidence, such as medical examiner evidence from arrests or from autopsies, which also mentioned the same drugs. This kind of information would allow the state to identify hot spots and to investigate potential sources.

A great deal of training will be available through the SIG at all levels of organization. The Board expressed some interest in training around Media Advocacy, which is marketing for public health initiatives such as reducing substance use and other risk behaviors.

USA Issue-There was a discussion of the need to have more diversity on the Board. Recommendations are being sought for sources of new representatives. Please contact Roberta (basha@udel.edu) if you have a recommendation. Some of the recommendations from attending members included:

· RSVP volunteers (senior citizens)

· Rose Hill Community Center (Afro-American population)

· LACC (Latino population, if they have anything outside of Wilmington)

Other Grants-Roberta just submitted a Teen Dating Violence grant.
USA is also currently writing a grant in collaboration with the Smart Drive program (Karen Busby and Pete Booker from WSTW--Delmarva Broadcasting). This grant will focus on increasing parental responsibility around monitoring the GDL license, seat belt use and access to alcohol. A media campaign and three additional parent modules will be added to the program in New Castle County, and effects on teen driving records will then be compared with Kent County which will receive only the current program, and Howard County, Maryland, which will not receive any services. This grant will be submitted on Friday.

Parent Chats-“Transition to High School” chats will take place this summer:

· Tower Hill School, August 19^th

· Christiana High School, date TBA

Physicians/Pharmacists Initiative- It is scheduled for October 31^st. Arcadia University will find out in July if they will receive the grant applied for to cover costs. Otherwise, Christiana Care has offered to help out.

OPEI Youth Summit-Will take place on Saturday, August 8^th at the Double Tree Hotel on King St. in Wilmington from 10 AM-4 PM. They do not have a keynote speaker as of yet. They will offer 3 workshops for kids, 2 for parents and have a celebrity panel. They are trying to get Alicia Keys or LeBron James. They are also seeking vendors for tables—there will be no cost for vendors.

DDATA Policy Summit-Is scheduled for Tuesday, September 15^th. Letters to Keynotes and Delaware Legislators will go out within two weeks.

OPEI Forum-Is scheduled for Wednesday, October 7^th in Dover. No exact location has been determined yet.

YELL Conference-Will be held on October 28^th at the Dover Sheraton Hotel.

What Do You Know? Game-We now have a promo flier and Mary will bug Roberta to send it out, with letters, to the schools next week. Kathy Ward suggested that USA provide a workshop at the YELL conference, demonstrating the game. We must spend the money from ALA by June 19^{th, so} all of the materials will be printed and the mailings completed by the beginning of June. Kathy suggested the game might be appropriate for use, not only with classrooms, but also with the youth diversion program, Back on Track. Kristen Blanchard thought she might also be able to use it for similar purpose.

The next USA meeting will be on JUNE 10^TH AT 1:00 (new summer time!) at Arcadia University, 111 Continental Drive, Newark. 2^nd floor.

Please Note!!

SAVE THE DATE!!!

The Annual USA Strategic Planning Meeting will be held at

Buena Vista Conference Center

August 5^th, 2009 8:30-4:00

Be There!!!