East Bay Regional Coalition
Barrington • Bristol • Warren • East Providence
About Us
The East Bay Regional Coalition is comprised of members of municipal prevention coalitions and other community stakeholders from Barrington, Bristol, East Providence, and Warren.
The Coalition views prevention through a broad lens that accounts for similarities and differences between cities and towns, incorporates holistic health promotion and substance misuse prevention strategies across the lifespan, and coordinates media and events that endeavor to increase collaboration and sustain prevention activities across the region.
Marijuana: Protecting Our Youth and Communities
Interested in learning more about cannabis related licenses for businesses involved in the cultivation, manufacture, laboratory testing and for the retail sale of adult recreational use cannabis being issued in your town? Click the button below for two informational PDFs!
Click the button below to see what we accomplished in the first 5 years of state regionalization of prevention!
Focused On Keeping the East Bay Healthy and Thriving as a Community
“Police are using Narcan on ride-arounds on a daily basis”
As with other regions in RI and across the US, the East Bay is concerned about opioid misuse and overdose deaths. From February 2016 to May 2017, our region had 129 visits to the Emergency Department for overdose (www.preventoverdoseri.org). We will be working with local pharmacies and law enforcement agencies to educate the public about proper use, storage, and disposal of medications.
“It’s a trickledown effect: you legalize it, more people use it, it becomes more accessible, kids will be able to get it even easier.”
Massachusetts has legalized recreational marijuana and retail pot shops open in the summer of 2018. Because our region borders MA there is concern that our residents may cross state lines to use marijuana. This could create numerous public health problems including a rise in impaired driving. We will be working with our partners in other regions in RI to educate our residents through statewide media campaigns.
“Youth don’t have any training on how to ask for help.”
In the East Bay 17-32% of our youth say they have felt sad or hopeless and 27-31% of our elderly have been diagnosed with depression (East Bay Regional Coalition Needs Assessment 2017). The East Bay is working with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) to support evidence-based programming in all of our communities.
“Vaping is so new I don’t think adults know what to do or even what they look like.”
Use of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) by RI high school students is at 19% (health.ri.gov) and threatens to negate downward trending of tobacco use over the past few years. The East Bay will continue to work with the RI Department of Health to educate communities about ways to counteract the marketing and retail practices that contribute to this such as local retail licensing ordinances. In addition, the coalition will work with the East Bay Tobacco Youth Council to assist schools in addressing this escalating problem.
Programs
Project Sticker Shock
Youth leaders from the Students Taking Action Against Negative Decisions (STAAND) of Mt. Hope Highschool and the East Bay Regional Coalition, working together to create a safer, healthier lifestyle, want to combat the East Bay’s growing problems of underage drinking.
Media Ready
Media Ready is an evidence-based program for middle school students designed to give youth the ability to analyze media messages, recognize unhealthy behavior, and prevent substance abuse through the power of media literacy education.
Strengthening Families Program (SFP)
Developed in 1982 by Dr. Karol Kumpfer, Ph.D., and associates, with funding from the National Institute of Drug Abuse. It is an evidence-based parenting program designed to help parents and teens develop happier family relationships, improve mental health outcomes, and decrease youth alcohol and drug use, violence, and delinquent behavior. Visit StrengtheningFamiliesRI for more information.
Party Patrols
East Bay Regional Coalition provides support and funding for law enforcement officers that respond to reports of unruly parties in residential areas and ticket underage youth in possession of alcohol and the adults who provided the alcohol.
Project Alert
The Project ALERT curriculum was created and tested by the RAND Corporation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization. Developed over a ten-year period, Project ALERT addresses the pro-alcohol mindset of today’s teens and effectively increases their likelihood to remain alcohol-free.
Mental Health Awareness Training
Through a SAMHSA grant, we offer several courses for community members to learn about mental health and practice better ways to respond to a friend, family member, co-worker, or customer in mental distress. For more information, please visit EastBayMHAT or contact Emily Sweeney at [email protected]
East Bay Tobacco Youth Council
EBTYC (East Bay Tobacco Youth Council) – Under a grant from the RI Department of Health, East Bay youth implement tobacco prevention activities. Starting in 2022, this dedicated group of youth will transition to the East Bay Regional Youth Council, using their knowledge of tobacco prevention to expand their reach to all areas of prevention.
Follow Them on Social Media
Drug Safety/Overdose Prevention
We participate in DEA drug takeback events, in addition to promoting permanent disposal boxes at police stations in Barrington, Bristol, East Providence, and Warren and distributing lock bags and education at events. Naloxone, the opioid reversal medication, is available at all RI pharmacies.
Watch Our Video Here
Retailer Education
Stores that sell alcohol or tobacco receive education about the importance of following the laws. Alcohol retailers also receive trainings to ensure servers and sellers use best practices to avoid serving underage customers or overserving adults.
Needs Assessment Data
To access the Needs Assessment Data for the East Bay Regional Coalition or any of the individual community coalitions, please select from one of the links below.
East Bay Regional Strategic Plan Update – PFS2 Alcohol
East Bay Regional Strategic Plan 2018
East Bay Regional Coalition Qualitative Data Report
Barrington Data
Bristol Data
East Providence Data
Warren Data
Contact Us
Regional Directors
Denise Alves, CPS
[email protected]
Kristen Westmoreland, MD, MPH, ACPS [email protected]
MHAT Project Director
Jordyn Hagar
[email protected]
East Bay Youth Coordinator
Sean Palumbo, APS [email protected]
Our Community Coalitions
The BAY Team (Barrington Prevention Coalition)
Contact Us
Coalition Director
Denise Alves, CPS
[email protected]
(401) 247-1900 x 316
Outcomes Director
Kristen Westmoreland, MD, MPH, ACPS [email protected]
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Bristol Prevention Coalition
Contact Us
Coalition Coordinator
Barbara Palumbo, APS
Reynold’s Arts & Wellness Community
235 High St.
Bristol RI, 02809
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Warren Prevention Coalition
Contact Us
Project Director
Ann Marie Roy, ACPS
[email protected]
514 Main Street Warren, RI 02885
(401) 245-7387
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East Providence Prevention Coalition
Contact Us
Coalition Coordinator
Madeline Marlow, APS
[email protected]
(401) 435-1923 x11190