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Back to Prevention Stories
Community Talks Event
Hosted by:
Drug Free Marion County
Please briefly describe your Communities Talk activity.
We had six panelists for the event, representing various sectors within Marion County. The sectors were law enforcement, mental health, Child Protective Services, parents, those with lived experience, and college-age individuals. Most of our panelists had a background with at least two of the sectors. The panelists offered prevention resources and information on marijuana and alcohol use in the county. The event was held in person and located inside of a church.
How does alcohol and other drug misuse affect your community?
Alcohol and marijuana use affects our community in a variety of ways, including the following. Nearly 4% of middle school students and over 17% of high school students have tried marijuana. Action steps include: Address the use of legal Delta-8, -9, and -10 THC products, with nearly 2% of middle school students and over 10% of high school students having tried these products. Emphasize the similarities in usage rates between Delta THC products and marijuana, and the significant increase in use among 12th graders compared to 9th graders. Present the data on current marijuana use, with nearly 2% of middle school students and 10% of high school students reporting use in the past 30 days. There are alarming rates of binge drinking among 18- to 25-year-olds in Indiana and they surpass the national average. Youth who drink before age 15 are four times more likely to develop alcohol dependency.
Which prevention strategy(ies), as defined by SAMHSA’s Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, best fit your Communities Talk activity?
- Community-Based Process Strategy - focuses on enhancing the capacity of the community to address AOD issues through organizing, planning, collaboration, coalition building, and networking.
- Information Dissemination Strategy - focuses on improving awareness and knowledge of the effects of AOD issues on communities and families through “one-way” communication with the audience such as speaking engagements, health fairs, and distribution of print materials.
- Problem Identification and Referral Strategy - focuses on identifying individuals who have infrequently used or experimented with AOD who could change their behavior through education. The intention of the screening must be to determine the need for indicated prevention services and not treatment need.`
- Education Strategy - focuses on “two-way” communication between the facilitator and participants and aims to improve life/social skills such as decision making, refusal skills, and critical analysis.
What goal(s) did you hope to accomplish with your Communities Talk activity?
- Hold meetings or discussion groups on alcohol and/or other drug misuse prevention.
- Develop strategic plans to reduce and prevent alcohol and/or other drug misuse.
Did you accomplish your goal(s)?
Yes
What challenge(s) did you face in planning your activity this year?
- Filling out the panel and carrying out the promotion of the panelist discussion.
How did you overcome these challenges?
We overcame these challenges in house and by calling in those we knew would show up for the event. We also revamped our promotional efforts once the panelists were identified. Furthermore, we addressed and adapted our location issues by conferring with the church and moving rooms to fit the event time.
What are your next steps?
- Expand our coalition with new partnerships in the community
- Support new prevention policies, legislation, or social ordinances
If you’ve conducted Communities Talk activities in prior years, how has your repeated participation contributed to progress in achieving your prevention goals?
It has given our agency a platform to engage our community partners, giving them a way to get involved and showcase the information they have been gathering over the course of the year. The Communities Talk event also allows our agency to get new perspectives and community partners as well. Lastly, we are able to inform, educate, and connect with our community and the issues present.
Organizations that conduct Communities Talk activities often involve other organizations in the planning and execution of events. Please indicate which type(s) of organizations you involved in your activity planning.
- Law enforcement
- Youth-led organizations
- State and local government agencies (e.g., public health departments)
Which of the following best describes the primary audience(s) for your Communities Talk activity?
- Youth
- Parents
- Teachers or other education staff
- Prevention specialists and volunteers
- Youth leaders (e.g., coaches, parks and recreation personnel, and scouting leaders)
- Black or African American community members
How did you reach and engage your primary audience(s) to encourage them to participate in your activity?
We did reach and engage our audience by implementing a Q&A session after the event.
Which Communities Talk resources (or other SAMHSA resources) were most helpful for your activity?
- Communities Talk website
- Communities Talk planning guides
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