South County Prevention Coalition
WesterlyMunicipal Coordinator: Jill Seppa
Email: [email protected]
Municipal Coordinator: Dan Fitzgerald
Email: [email protected]
Westerly
Daniel Fitzgerald, MPH, ICPS |He, Him, His|
Executive Director, Wellbeing Collaborative
Email: [email protected]
wellbeingcollab.org |401-556-9603| @wellbeingcollab
Municipal Coordinator: Kayla Van Gorden
Contact: [email protected]
Monthly meetings are the third Wednesday of the month.
Charlestown • Hopkinton • Narragansett • New Shoreham • North Kingstown • Richmond • South Kingstown • Westerly
Check Out this Interactive Tool to Learn More About What We Do!
Programs
PAWSitive Playbook
Meet PAWS, the guide to this PAWSitively great activity book! This elementary-aged book promotes healthy lifestyles and substance use prevention strategies while having the young ones complete fun activities such as mazes, word search, and coloring! Check out the playbook with your kids and “pause” to get to know yourself a little better!
Teen World
Congratulations Parents! You successfully made it through your child’s early formative years. But, hold on… welcome to the TEEN YEARS!! These years are a period of intense growth, not only physically, but emotionally and intellectually. So it’s completely understandable that, at times, parents may have feelings of confusion, frustration and sometimes being overwhelmed. We created this booklet with you in mind.
Raising Healthy Teens Newsletter
Raising Healthy Teens is a full-time job and we hope our newsletter helps to make that job a bit easier. In each issue you’ll find expert advice on adolescent development, trends that pose risks to a teen’s health and safety, and helpful how-to information for parents, teachers and everyone in the community who works with teens.
If you have any topics you’d like to see covered in our newsletter, please let us know. Send your ideas — or comments to your local coordinator found on our home page. We’d love to hear from you.
Hidden In Plain Sight
Hidden in Plain Sight allows parents a unique interactive opportunity to look into a teen’s mock bedroom. The room is full of common household items that could be used to hide or disguise drug, alcohol, tobacco use or other “risky” behaviors. Usually we set this up in the school during Open Houses, but during COVID we have created a virtual version that you can do at home!
Simply click on the picture of the bedroom below to explore this educational tool. Move your mouse around the room to “find” the items hidden in the room.
Please take the time to talk to your teen about the items you see – use this as a way to launch a conversation about substance use among peers.
As parents, we are the number one tool against substance use! Download the Hidden in Plain Sight Booklet
Partnerships for Success
Kent County and South County Regional Prevention Coalitions were thrilled to be awarded the Partnerships for Success (PFS) grant during the fall of 2018. This is a 5-year grant.
With this grant we will be able to identify factors within all high need RI PFS communities in our regions that contribute to underage drinking among individuals aged 12-20 and any required capacity building activities necessary to address the contributing factors identified.
We have developed community-level strategic plans addressing the factors that contribute to underage drinking with special attention to populations that may experience health disparities.
The implementation plan details how funds will be used to address underage drinking among the targeted population(s).
We will evaluate the impact of evidence-based interventions as well as capacity building community activities including:
· Alcohol Prevention Educational strategies addressing underage drinking in schools and the community.
· Environmental Strategies addressing social and retail access.
· Public Awareness Campaigns and local events.
· Workplace Interventions aimed at employers of 18-20-year old’s that fit the culture and context of their community.
Simple Questions & Straight Answers on Alcohol Prevention
Project Sticker Shock
Project Sticker Shock is a community awareness campaign designed to increase visibility of and compliance with Rhode Island underage drinking laws and discourage people over the age of 21 to provide alcohol to minors. Also, warning that the liquor stores are responsible and will ID everyone to keep anyone under the age of 21 from purchasing alcohol or using a fake ID. Project Sticker Shock provides an opportunity to work with local liquor stores to enforce these two laws. This campaign is implemented into 13 liquor stores around South County twice a year.
What is Media Ready?
Click below to learn more about the program!
Contact Us
Regional Director
Heidi Driscoll, M.Ed, ACPS
[email protected]
Partnerships for Success
Grant Manager
Lily O’Toole, BS, CPS
[email protected]
Eliminating Tobacco Disparities
Grant Manager
Deirdre O’Donnell, MPH
[email protected]
Monthly Meetings
Our Community Coalitions
Wellbeing Collaborative
For over 12 years, the Chariho Youth Task Force, now known as the Wellbeing Collaborative, has worked to educate, empower, and engage youth and adults in order to create a sense of community, to promote wellness, and to sustain opportunities for Chariho, and now Westerly, voices to be heard. As a 501(c)3 nonprofit, we work alongside our community partners to strive toward becoming a society driven toward physical and mental well-being created through collaboration, education, and activism to promote a positive community climate. We work primarily in substance use prevention and mental health promotion through authentic youth engagement and community programming. Click here to watch a quick video about the Chariho Youth Task Force!
Looking to get involved or receive more resources? Contact us today.
Daniel Fitzgerald, MPH, ICPS | He/Him/Him
Executive Director, Wellbeing Collaborative
[email protected]
Strong Arms Support Group
Do you have a loved one struggling with substance use or who is lost in the throes of addiction? Whether your child or loved one is actively using or you have lost someone to addiction, join us as we come together to support one another through this journey of hope. Click here to learn more.
Mental Health Resources
In collaboration with local and county-wide partners the Chariho Youth Task Force has curated a list of preventative and reactionary mental health resources. Click here for more information.
Chariho Youth Ambassadors
Our ambassadors are our “front lines” in activism. They are a youth-led group of advocates of all ages. Giving presentations, hosting events, and interacting with the community are just a few examples of the imperative ‘boots on the ground’ work they do. They represent the Chariho Youth Task Force and promote the CYTF mission in their everyday lives as educated and empowered members of the community.Ambassadors meet every other Tuesday evening at 5pm. Visit the calendar on the homepage of CharihoYouth.org for more details!
Every Body Is Beautiful
Let’s learn to love our bodies for what they are – a tool. A tool that allows us to walk, to run, to dance, to do all the things we love. Let’s thrive, celebrate, and appreciate! Check out the recently published children’s book “Every Body Is Beautiful” now available in local libraries near you! Click here to learn more.
Narragansett Prevention Partnership
The Narragansett Prevention Partnership(NPP) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to improving the health and well-being of all Narragansett community members by developing and implementing programs and strategies that support a healthy and safe environment. NPP’s members include a broad base of constituencies and community partners.
Kelly Cartwright
Municipal Coordinator
[email protected]
South Kingstown Prevention
South Kingstown Prevention, originally known as South Kingstown Partnership for Prevention, aims to lead South Kingstown in substance use prevention by using multiple strategies and resources in collaboration with all sectors of the community. SKP is funded by Rhode Island Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities, and Hospitals (BHDDH). The Coalition strives to build a healthier community in which the use of substances will be reduced through healthy alternatives, activities and education. Our coalition meets last Friday of the month from 8:00 AM to 9:00 AM.
Sue Barrett
Municipal Coordinator
[email protected]
Our Community Partners
These are all of our community partners! We are very thankful to have them work with us in what we do. Click the button below each partner to view their website.
Gateway Healthcare
South County YMCA
URI Community First Responder Program
Rhode Island Student Assistance Services
Rhode Island Army National Guard
Thundermist Health Center
CODAC Behavioral Healthcare
Healthy Body Healthy Minds
Hope Recovery Community Centers
