Tonawanda City School District

Tonawanda Drug Free Coalition - Tonawanda Is a Small, Proud Community Located Midway Between Buffalo and Niagara Falls, and Bordered by the Niagara River. Poverty Is a Significant Factor, With 54% of Students Considered “economically Disadvantaged” and a 100% Free Lunch Rate in District. Despite This Challenge, Tonawanda Has a Long History of Community Mobilization to Meet Local Needs. With Nearly 29% of Tonawanda Secondary Students Reporting Experimentation With Nicotine And/or Cannabinoids, There Is No Denying That Tonawanda Is Facing a Steep Climb. the Disruptions and Distractions of the COVID-19 Pandemic Created Fertile Soil for an Addiction Epidemic That Has Run Unchecked for Nearly Three Years. Once Challenges Were Identified and Quantified, However, Mobilization Began at an Unrelenting Pace. Led by the Tonawanda City School District, Invitations Were Sent Out to Reconvene the Tonawanda Drug Free Coalition That Had Been Derailed in 2019 Due to Covid, and 100% of Invitees Attended, Bringing Ideas and Enthusiasm. Nicotine and Cannabinoid Were Quickly and Unanimously Identified as the Substances of Focus, Based on Local Needs. Tonawanda Is Ready to Leverage the Seven Strategies for Community-level Change to Proactively and Sustainably Address Nicotine and Cannabinoid Addiction Among Local Youth. the Tonawanda Drug Free Coalition Is on a Mission to Build the Community Services and Supports That Can Protect Tonawanda Youth From Addiction. - Objective 1: by September 29, 2023, Increase the Number of Partners in the Drug Free Coalition by 15%, to Be Measured by Attendance Rosters. - Objective 2: by September 29, 2023, Reduce by 10% Current Use of Nicotine (use Within 30 Days) Among Youth Grades 6-12 to Be Measured by Pre- Post-past 30-DAY Use Surveys. - Objective 3: by September 29, 2023, Reduce by 10% Current Use of Cannabinoid (use Within 30 Days) Among Youth Grades 6-12 to Be Measured by Pre- Post-past 30-DAY Use Surveys. at This Time, Tonawanda Youth Have Limited Exposure to Substance Use Prevention Programming. With Five Years of Action, the Tonawanda Drug Free Coalition Will Shift This Reality. the District Will Be Saturated With Evidence-based Prevention, Reaching Students and Parents With Formal Programming in Grades 5-12. the School Environment Will Pivot, With Socially Influential Students Trained as Peer Leaders, Ongoing Prevention Programs for All Students, and Vaping Prevention Posters in Visible Locations in Hallways, Bathrooms, and Outdoor Gathering Locations. Social Media Campaigns Will Keep Drug Awareness and Prevention Conversations Fresh. Reaction to Student Substance Use Will Embrace Best Practices, Including Supportive Services and Evidence-based Addiction Recovery Strategies to Reduce Suspension Time. Please Note: These Services Support Positive Change, Helping Persons to Avoid Relapse, Build Community Support for Recovery, and Work on Life Goals Not Related to Addiction Such as Relationships and Education. Addiction Coaching Is Action-oriented With an Emphasis on Improving Present Life and Reaching Future Goals – It Is Not a Treatment Service. as Appropriate and With Parental Consent, Students Will Be Referred to the Prevention Council of Erie County’s Student Assistance Prevention Counseling (SAPC) Offering Licensed Prevention Counseling Through the Nys Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse (no Grant Funds Will Be Needed to Support These Community-based Options.) the Tonawanda Community Will Formalize Referral Networks, Ensuring That Youth Involved With Illegal Substances Are Connected With District-led Recovery Programming Regardless of the Environment They Were Identified in. Finally, the Community Will Rally Behind an Annual Red Ribbon Week Celebration of Being Drug-free, With Motivational Speaker Events for Secondary Students and High-interest Activities for All Families K-12, Cementing an Annual Opportunity to Spotlight Awareness and Prevention Related to Nicotine and Cannabinoids.