Newsletters

The Maui County Drug Prevention Network's goal is to keep you connected.  We provide newsletters on current local events and news, national news, and training opportunities relevant to the drug prevention workforce.  Check out our latest newsletter below. 

Current Newsletter Edition:  July 2021

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View this email in your browser Maui County Drug Prevention Network Newsletter July 2021 This newsletter provides local, state, and national resources, training opportunities, and other relevant information for substance abuse prevention providers and stakeholders in Maui County.   Aloha and mahalo for reading the Maui County Prevention Network Newsletter.  The primary focus of the newsletter is to provide information to substance use prevention providers and stakeholders on local, state, and national news and resources relevant to the field.  We hope you find the information relevant and useful.  Please share with whomever you feel may benefit.   A big mahalo to all of those that contributed to this month's edition.  We hope you and your family are staying safe and enjoying your summer. Mahalo for reading.  -Rick Collins & Curtis Jamison Local News & Resources Moloka‘i Youth Focus on Summer of Service While many teens see summer break as a time to sleep in and relax, a group of youth on Moloka‘i are spending their summer giving back to their community.  The Ho‘iho‘i Leadership Group, a program of ALU LIKE, Inc., engages youth in positive activities to build self-esteem, connection to their community, culture, and to one another.  This summer, the youth have chosen to focus on service activities that assist community members who continue to face challenges brought on by the pandemic.  The youth have spent time learning about the harms of underage drinking, volunteering at the local Food Bank distributions, and setting up their own free little libraries called "Ho‘iho‘i Shacks," where anyone from the community can find free books and other necessities.  "It's been really great to see the youth give back to their community," said Melia Kalawe, Program Specialist for the Ho‘iho‘i Leadership Group.  "This was their idea to give back, and it's been so inspiring to see.  Many people on Moloka‘i have been so grateful for their service." ​If you know of a youth on Molokaʻi who want to participate, or if you have any unused items to donate, please contact Melia on Molokai at 808-658-6730. Members of the Ho‘iho‘i Leadership Group showing off their newly built Ho‘ihoi Shack Governor Ige Vetoes Bill that would Eliminate Key Tobacco Prevention Funding On July 6th, Governor Ige vetoed HB1296, a bill that would have repealed the Hawai‘i Tobacco Prevention and Control Trust Fund to fill budget shortfalls.  This decades-old fund has been one of the primary funding sources for tobacco cessation and prevention efforts that include programs such as the Hawai‘i Tobacco Quitline, youth e-cigarette prevention programs, and community cessation programs.  Seen as a victory to public health advocates, Governor Ige's decision prioritized public health over the profits of the tobacco industry by ensuring that Hawai‘i continues to fund tobacco prevention throughout the State for years to come. Ige commented on his veto decision at the press hearing, saying, "Over the past twenty years, these [tobacco] programs have helped prevent youth from initiating smoking, have reduced the number of residents who smoke, and have reduced tobacco-use-related healthcare expenditures by over one billion dollars."  Jessica Yamauchi, CEO of the Hawai‘i Public Health Institute saw the veto as a victory for tobacco prevention, but also noted that funding is only part of the solution.  "We also need comprehensive policies that regulate e-cigarettes in the same manner as all other tobacco products."      Maui Family Support Services Hosts Summer Life Skills The pandemic created numerous challenges to prevention providers who have historically conducted in-school and after-school youth prevention programs.  While everyone has learned to pivot in creative ways, Maui Family Support Services/Youth Services Program is trying something new this summer: offering free, virtual Life Skills sessions to teen across the county.  Maui County middle school and high school youth are meeting throughout each week of the summer to talk about teen life, and to gain new skills to help them make healthy choices while navigating their lives.  "Youth in our summer program have all voluntarily chose to participate," said Momi Medeiros, Supervisor of the program.  "It's been really neat to watch them want to learn from us and each other, and to see them grow and connect throughout the program."  What's more? Participants even have chances to win prizes, and Momi gives thanks and appreciation to her funders, the Maui County Department of Housing and Human Concerns (DHHC) for making this happen.  "It's nice to be able to award students for their participation, and I have to mahalo DHHC for that.  They've been willing to adapt with us in our changes."     Project Venture Maui  Connects Youth to Nature & Each Other A group of youth from Kalama, ʻĪao, and Maui Waena Intermediate Schools have been spending their summer outside in the surf and dirt, making new friends, learning new cultural practices, and serving the ‘aina.  Project Venture, a native-based prevention program, focuses on connecting youth to nature, community, spirituality, and themselves through outdoor experiences and service projects.  Maui Youth & Family Services has been facilitating the program for over a decade, but this summer was like no other.  "Since many of the youth have been isolated from their peers and the community for so long, we made the commitment to increase our program offerings this summer, and to provide meaningful experiences to them.  The youth deserve it," says Travis Fernandez, Program Coordinator for Project Venture.  Commenting on the move to in-person activities, Travis says, "Meeting in-person has certainly had its logistical challenges to keep the youth and staff safe, but it's also been very rewarding to provide experiences that help them learn, connect, and serve."  The youth have participated in a number of summer projects that include Ko‘ie‘ie Fishpond restoration, farming at Kipuka Olowalu, canoe paddling, and overnight camping. Project Venture youth learning to canoe paddle Project Venture's overnight camping trip on the Maui Youth & Family Services campus Interested in Getting Your Certified Prevention Specialist (CPS) Credential? Interested in learning more about the Certified Prevention Specialist (CPS) and building your resume and experience?  Having a hard time knowing where to begin and how to get your application started?  Want help creating a plan and timeline to obtain your CPS?  Schedule a free appointment to review the process and create a work plan that fits your goals.  You can schedule a one-on-one meeting or a meeting for your entire department.    To schedule a meeting, contact Rick Collins at rick@rcmaui.com Upcoming Training Opportunities   Virtual Substance Abuse Prevention Skills (SAPST) Training Are you relatively new to the substance use prevention field?  Are you looking to learn more about the Strategic Prevention Framework?  If so, this training is for you.  The SAPST is a FREE 4-day virtual training specifically for Maui County and Kaua‘i County providers.  The training will occur on August 16th, 19th, 30th and September 2nd from 9:00am - 3:00pm each day.  Space is limited to 20 attendees, and the registration deadline is August 6th.  To register, click the button below. Click to Register for the Substance Abuse Prevention Skills Training (SAPST) Maui County August Network Meeting Join us for our August Network Meeting, scheduled for Friday, August 27th from 10:00am to 12:00pm.  This event will give providers and stakeholders the opportunity to share and discuss organizational updates, relevant news, opportunities for collaboration, or other relevant prevention-related information. We'll also review the current training calendar and provide information on upcoming training opportunities. Continuing education credits will be provided to participants.  We hope you'll join us!  Click on the link below to register. Click to Register for the August Network Event Virtual Training: What's Cultural Competence got to do with Prevention? Leaders and practitioners in the field of health have an ethical obligation to provide culturally congruent services and programs to an ever-increasing diverse population to be the most effective. However, for decades there have been debates about what it means to be culturally competent and how to operationalize cultural competence into our work. This session will explore the meanings of culture and how it functions in our communities where we work and live. Participants will reflect upon their own cultures and work toward a philosophical approach to cultural competence that they can apply to their work.  This training is a 2-day event and will be held on August 6th and 12th from 10:00am to 12:00pm each day. Click to Register for the Cultural Competency Training Evaluation 101: The Whys, Whats, and Hows to Evaluating Your Program Organizations are continuously faced with the challenge of doing many things on a shoestring budget. As a result, evaluation can be overlooked or fall in priority rankings; however, there is a lot organizations can do! This interactive session will allow participants to better understand program evaluation and how they can evaluate their own programs more effectively.  The training will be held on Friday, September 24th from 9:00am to 12:00pm. Click Here to Register for the Evaluation 101 Training Virtual National Prevention Network Conference The annual National Prevention Network Conference is scheduled for August 24-26, 2021, and will once again be a virtual event this year.  The conference is specific to the substance use prevention field and has over 20 breakout sessions and keynote presentations on topics relevant to the field. Whether you are new to prevention or have been in the field for years, this conference provides up-to-date information on the prevention field.  The conference offers 13.25 hours of continuing education for the Certified Prevention Specialist credential.  For more information about the conference, click on the button below. Click Here for the National Prevention Network Conference Hawai‘i Alcohol and Drug Abuse Division Training Calendar Interested in other virtual trainings being offered? The Alcohol and Drug Abuse Division (ADAD) has a newly updated calendar of virtual trainings that are available for substance use treatment and prevention providers.  All trainings are also approved for continuing education hours.  Click on the link below for the ADAD training calendar. ADAD Virtual Training Calendar National News & Resources   New research  estimates that underage drinkers consume $2.2 billion of Anheuser-Busch InBev drinks – like Budweiser – per year. AP Photo/Reed Saxon A new paper published by Dr. David Jernigan and a few of his colleagues studied the revenues alcohol companies pocket from underage drinking.  The study looked at information available to calculate the percent of alcohol sold in the U.S. that was consumed by underage people, and then calculated how much underage drinkers are spending, and which companies are making this money.  The study estimates that 8.6% of all drinks purchased are consumed by underage youth.  Youth make up an estimated 7.4% of total dollars spent on alcohol, which translates to $17.5 billion.  Which companies profit the most from underage drinking?  Dr. Jernigan writes, "Anheuser-Busch InBev accounted for 21.2% of of these drinks, from which they earned $2.2 billion. MillerCoors sold 11.1% of the booze, earning $1.1 billion. Spirits- and beer-maker Diageo also sold 11.1% of the beverages youth drank – and, since liquor tends to be more expensive per drink compared to beer, earned $2 billion from underage drinking."  For more details on this report, visit The Conversation.  Juul Buys Out Medical Journal for $51k to Run Pro-Vaping Studies E-cigarette company, Juul has taken academic corruption to a new level in a recent report outing the company for its buy-out of a medical journal to run its company-funded pro-vaping studies.  Juul paid the American Journal of Health Behavior $51,000 to publish 11 of its company-funded studies in a recent special edition exclusive to these studies.  According to a New York Times report, Juul paid $51,000 to the journal, including $6,500 to make it open access.  The journal charges contributors to publish studies, but what was unusual was the company's ability to purchase an entire special edition devoted entirely to the issue with studies funded entirely by Juul.  Critics are concerned about the publication.  "Pretty much all the articles take the Juul party line that e-cigarettes help convert smokers away from combustible tobacco products, and thus aid public health," wrote David Dayen, executive editor of The American Prospect.  Juul's five-figure buyout of the journal issue is part of a public influence campaign that the Center for Responsive Politics tallied at more than $3.9 million in 2020 alone.  For more on the story, visit the MEDPAGE TODAY article. Want to be included in our upcoming newsletter?  Please send your request to Rick Collins at rick@rcmaui.com.  Training events, news stories, and other substance use prevention-related topics are encouraged and welcome! Have suggestions to improve the newsletter?   We love feedback!  Please contact us at rick@rcmaui.com Funding Acknowledgement:  This newsletter is funded by the State of Hawaii Department of Health, Alcohol and Drug Abuse Division through the Partnerships for Success Grant funds, in partnership with the County of Maui, Department of Housing and Human Concerns Our mailing address is: Maui County Drug Prevention Network PO Box 1192 Kula, HI 96790 Want to stop receiving these emails? You can unsubscribe from this list.

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Previous Newsletters

summer 2020 newsletter

Spring 2020 Newsletter

Winter 2019 Newsletter