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| From left: Angelica Martinez, Rep. Betty McCollum, Matteo Martinez-Fleming, Salvador Martinez-Fleming, Ellie Church, Wendy Felton, Carmen Robles |
Members of the Healthy Youth Community Coalition met with Congresswoman Betty McCollum today. They gave the Congresswoman information about the coalition's work in South St. Paul on preventing underage drinking. Rep. McCollum grew up in South St. Paul and graduated from South St. Paul High School, so she was interested in the coalition's work in the community. She had questions for Salvador, a Jovenes de Salud member, about how to coalition's work had affected him. He told her about how Jovenes had helped him gain refusal skills and helped him help his friends when they were thinking about trying alcohol or drugs. Rep. McCollum said she was proud of the work the coalition is doing in South St. Paul.
Prevention in South St. Paul, What is the goal?
The role of prevention is to create healthy communities in which people have a quality of life:
*Healthy environments at work and in school
*Supportive communities and neighborhoods
*Connections with families and friends
*Drug and crime-free
How are we accomplishing prevention?
* By continuing an alcohol prevention curriculum in grades 6-12, curriculum focuses on prevention of alcohol, tobacco and other drug use with young people.
* By implementing a Positive Community Norms Project
* Providing Latino Outreach
* Offering support to youth and parents in South St. Paul
* Providing environmental approaches, community-wide approaches to preventing underage alcohol, tobacco and other drug use
The South St. Paul Healthy Youth Community Coalition Meeting Dates
The South St. Paul Healthy Youth Community Coalition meets the third Monday of each month from 3:00p.m. to 4:00p.m at Central Square Community Center in South St. Paul--JOIN US!
Subcommittees meet at 4:00 p.m. immediately following the coalition meeting.
Funding Provided by the Minnesota Department of Human Services-Alcohol and Drug Abuse Division
The South St. Paul Healthy Youth Community Coalition is funded through a block grant by the Minnesota Department of Human Services.
South St. Paul Special School District #6 is the recipient of the block grant.
The coalition links the schools, community and family in it's work to prevent and reduce alcohol, tobacco and other drug use in South St. Paul.
For more information about the coalition or to join the coalition, please contact Ellie Church at 651-457-9491
