Community Coalition
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Keep up to date on Twitter (Hoosic Valley) or Facebook (Hoosic Valley Community Coalition). Also, there is a new email address; hoosicvalleycommunitycoalition@gmail.com. Meetings are the first Wednesday of each month at the Valley Falls Community Center from 6:30 - 7:30pm |
Community members and parents have sprung into action in response to disturbing evidence about underage drinking and drug use among Hoosic Valley students. Statistics presented by the Rensselaer County Underage Drinking Coalition show that the rates of this behavior are the highest among all school districts surveyed in Rensselaer County. The Coalition, which is a subset of the County Office of Mental Health, conducts biannual surveys of Hoosic Valley students in grades 6, 8,10 and 12, asking students to respond to questions concerning underage drinking habits and drug use. The results of the survey were presented last fall when Superintendent Kelley invited Coalition Coordinator Margaret Brennan to present her data during a Superintendent’s Forum. As a result the task force was created consisting of parents, religious, business and community leaders and others to confront this serious problem in the community.
Some of the data collected included the following:
- Asked whether they had used alcohol in the last 30 days: 60% of the students answered yes (all ages - 6th grade, 8th grade, 10th grade, 12th grade) compared to 55% county wide.
- Asked whether they had used marijuana in the last 30 days: 32% said yes (all ages - 6th grade, 8th grade, 10th grade, 12th grade) compared to 25% county wide.
- Asked about binge drinking (5 or more drinks in one sitting): 48% of the 12th graders questioned said yes they had in the last 30 days.
The group is meeting monthly in the community to continue the discussion, and plan for community intervention. With the assistance of Margaret Brennan the group will attempt to address the community problem in the same way neighboring communities have through community education programs involving students and parents at public forums. Assistance in developing effective school based and community based policies is available from the Coalition and Ms. Brennan will continue to assist the task force as they continue to meet. The consequences of substance use and abuse by young people can be pervasive and wide-ranging, potentially spinning into crime, academic impairments and safety and health issues for our kids themselves and our communities.
The task force welcomes and encourages extensive community involvement and interested persons should contact Ryan Bennett at 326-2753 or via e-mail at ryantbennett@gmail.com
Last Updated on July 22, 2009
