Cares Coalition’s youth brainstorming session sees good representation

The Northwest Community Cares Coalition held a youth brainstorming session at The Hangar, April 12, to reduce the trend of electronic cigarettes substance abuse among youth populations.

The Cares Coalition, who fear teens rarely hear the truth about the popular Juul that contain nicotine, was started approximately a year and a half ago when the St. Joseph Youth Alliance received a mega-grant from the state health department to enhance or start youth healthy educational coalitions in Andrew, Buchanan and Nodaway County.

In the past, Nodaway County residents have benefited from past successful health, safety and prevention coalitions.

“We are confident that the Northwest Community Cares Coalition will also make lasting changes in our county,” said Teri Harr, coalition member. “The collective experience of the members is impressive and their passion is contagious.”

The mission statement is to promote mental health services and protective factors to reduce substance misuse among youth and adults. The group is made up of representatives from organizations, agencies and interested community members.

The event was held to gain information about the current environment of substance abuse.

Attending the event besides members of the coalition were representatives from five Nodaway County schools and 30 students from grades seven through 12th. The coalition has seen the prevention of vaping and underage alcohol use as its priorities. It has been researching different strategies to aid in hearing from the schools as well as the students’ perspective. The coalition has also looked at the different communication platforms to use to reach the students with facts and information.

Speaker Dusty Slemp, Tarkio, is a peer support specialist. He shared his raw, real-life experiences with substance abuse and incarceration. Plus he informed the audience on how he turned his life around.

Slemp works with young people who are experiencing a variety of problems. After his talk, breakout sessions were held where the youth shared their thoughts on his presentation and how to help others who may be experiencing challenges.

A 2022 Missouri Student Survey was given to 714 Nodaway County students in grades sixth through 12th.

Among the questions/answers were what substances had been used in the past 30 days: tobacco, 2.5 percent; electronic cigarettes, 8.8 percent; alcohol, 12.6 percent; marijuana 3.7 percent; and others.

Substances that were ever used in your life: cocaine, 0.7 percent; hallucinogens, 1.2 percent; and “club drugs,” 0.2 percent.

Behavior questions over the last 30 days included: missed whole day(s) of school because you skipped or cut, 24.5 percent; did not go to school because you felt you would be unsafe at school, on your way to or from school, 4.8 percent; and rode with someone who was drinking alcohol, 13.7 percent.

Last three months special behaviors: spread mean rumors or lies, 16.8 percent; posted something online or sent a text that might embarrass or hurt another student, 14.1 percent; made fun of other people, 45.8 percent; and hit, shoved or pushed another student, 12 percent.

Last 12 months notable behavior: were in a physical fight, 15.2 percent; been threatened or injured with a weapon on school property, 5.9 percent; seriously considered suicide, 13.2 percent; planned suicide, 10 percent; and attempted suicide, 6.2 percent.

In the past month’s behavior, often or always on depression scale: very sad, 30.5 percent; grouchy or irritable or in a bad mood, 34.4 percent; felt hopeless about the future, 17.3 percent; felt like not eating or eating more than usual, 24.8 percent; sleeping a lot more or a lot less than usual, 32.7 percent; and had difficulty concentrating on school work, 33.6 percent.

According to Harr, “We felt the numbers and statistics we reviewed only told us a part of the story of what was happening.

“We didn’t want to make assumptions on what was needed until we got the student perspective.”

The coalition, in collaboration with schools, plans to continue to define problems and help create solutions to address the issues students are facing.

The coalition meets at 10 am, the first Thursday of the month at Mosaic Medical Center – Maryville. Community members and representatives from agencies or organizations are welcome to join. For more information, contact Member Bridget Kenny at 660.562.7945.