Agency

Programs or Initiatives In Place or Planned for reducing substance use in youth

Children’s Services Council of Martin County

·          In 2002 CSCMC together with the United Way of Martin County and the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties invested in the Whole Child Project.  The purpose of the project was to examine the well being of the children in Martin County and to access the service delivery system for children and families.  The project included identifying indicators of well being for children and analyzing those indicators where Martin County fell below State and/or national averages.  Included in this study was the rate and patterns of youth substance use and abuse.

·          In June of 2003 Children's Services Council awarded a grant to support the start up of a level II MADD Chapter in Martin County

·          In 2003 CSCMC partnered with the Martin County School System to fund the Communities that Care two day strategic planning session focused on youth substance use and abuse.

·          In 2004 based on the findings of the Whole Child Project (a joint effort between CSCMC, the United Way of  Martin County, and the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin County) CSCMC has specified youth substance use prevention as a priority in its targeted funding category for 2004 awards cycle. 

·          In addition, Children Services Council staff participate on various agencies, Boards, Councils and Coalitions that are continually working on removing barriers and enhancing service to children and families to prevent youth substance use and abuse.  Examples include; Shared Services Network of Martin County, Martin County Juvenile Justice Council, Circuit 19 Juvenile Justice Board, the Martin County Interagency Coalition, Healthy Communities Healthy Youth Martin, the Treasure Coast Coordination Coalition, Substance Abuse Task Force coordinated by Representative Gayle Harrell and Leadership Martin County.

City of Stuart Recreation Department

·          With the popularity of Dancing in the Streets amongst the teens, the City of Stuart Recreation Dept. and Martin County Parks and Recreation have joined efforts to offer a similar event exclusively for teens that provides the same excitement and musical entertainment that is alcohol and drug free as well as conducive to ideal teenage life.  This event attracts approximately 300 - 400 teens.

·          Music is a great attractor for teens and the City of Stuart Recreation is capitalizing on the power of music by offering the "Low Do" concert series at Flagler Park. This ongoing program is free of charge and provides a drug and alcohol free alternative  for teens to hang out on a Friday night under the supervision of the Stuart Police Department and City Recreation staff. We estimate that 60 - 80 people attend the monthly concert.

·          The 2^nd annual Surf Fest was held in April 2003 and featured all-day live music, a fashion show, and various contests at Stuart Beach. Almost 1,000 teens attended this event.

·          The power of the pen is mighty which is what makes the "Da Hook" teen column a great collaboration with the Martin County Teen Advisory Board, City of Stuart Recreation and the Hometown News. This column offers a central place where teens can submit positive news stories and a sample of their creative writing skills as well as finding out about local activities.

·          Halloween is a fun time of the year and the City Recreation Department is taking advantage of those teens who appreciate working with their hands and want to dress up for the haunted house. This program offers any teen the opportunity to plan, build, and act in the Recreation Center Haunted House as well as participate in the Halloween Teen Blacklight Dance.

·          The Holiday Surf Camp is instructed by a Red Cross certified instructor and is designed for the beginning surfer ages 10 and up.

·          For the athletic teen we offer the following events annually. Pepsi  Pitch, Hit and Run and the Gatorade Punt, Pass and Kick Competition.

·          Specialty camps are very popular and provides an opportunity to better their skills with a wide range of Sport scamps. Camps are being offered for such sports as Football, Baseball, Windsurfing, Kayaking, Jr. Life guarding, Cycling, Golf, Tennis, Bowling, Fishing, and many more.

Department of Children and Families

·          Programmatic activities may differ depending on the type of service that DCF has purchased from providers but most substance abuse prevention activities are a type of educational group setting.

·          Substance abuse treatment services range from individual and group counseling to residential care.

·          Each contract outlines the performance measures that are established by the legislature for each of the target populations that can be served with substance abuse money.

·          Purchased services include, but are not limited to early identification, in-depth assessment, recommendations, facilities placement, monitoring, reports on all clients, aftercare, residential substance abuse treatment programs, and school-based programs intended to prevent high-risk students from becoming involved with alcohol and drugs.

·          The District 15 Department budget for substance abuse services for children is $2.3 million and for adults is $2.8 million for the current fiscal year.

Exceptional Student Education/ Student Services Department:  Martin County School District

·         Through the IDEA grant, individual and group counseling is provided on all school campuses

·         Through the Mental Health Collaborative Comprehensive Mental health service i.e. case management, mental health therapy, psychiatric services and medical management services we provided to eligible students on all school campuses

·         Project Adventure, a structured social skills training program is taught to all students participating in personal skills class

·         Embedding Social Skills training has been provided to ESE Teachers at the elementary and secondary level. This training provides materials and teaches teachers how to teach social skills through literature.

·         The ESE Department continues to sponsor intensive parent training and will do so throughout the 2003-2004 school year.

·         An Exceptional Student Education (ESE) Parent Advisory Council was formed to improve communication with parents of the students served by ESE.  Agenda topics include community action planning to reduce youth substance abuse and discipline topics as they relate to students in ESE.

·         A Social Skills Manual designed to assist ESE Teachers in teaching social skills has been developed and distributed to all

Health Department:  Martin County

1.        Provides preventative and primary care to the STOP Camp.

2.        Reviews Health Care Policy and Procedure for the STOP Camp.

a)        Classes on fetal development provided every 3 months

b)       STD/HIV  Classes provided three times a year

3.        Provides Family Planning and Sexually Transmitted Disease Clinics.

4.        Provides school health nurses and social workers in collaboration with the School District.

5.        The Department is researching youth development programs, or programs that help children learn a skill to give back to the community in an effort to promote public health.  The Health Department promotes the approach that youth have assets and we should capitalize on the assets.  The Health Department could provide the following youth volunteer opportunities:

a)        Pharmacy Program: teach youth skills to be a pharmacy tech.

Martin County Board of County Commissioners: Health and Human Services Division

·          The Edward Byrne Memorial Grant (75%) and the BCC (25%) provides funds for the Adult Drug Court in Martin County. The great preponderance of funds are utilized to provide contracted inpatient and outpatient substance abuse treatment services to Adult Drug Court clients.

·          The division provides psychosocial evaluations for all participants of Drug Court (Juvenile and Adult) to determine eligibility for the Program and to make appropriate clinical referral recommendations. Contract management for substance abuse treatment providers utilized by drug court clients.

·         Provides clinical case management and court liaison services for all Drug Court clients (Adult and Adolescent).

·         Provides urine drug screens for Adult and Adolescent Drug Court clients.

·         Division is licensed by the Department of Children and Families as a prevention/intervention services resource and staff consists of a licensed mental health counselor and certified substance abuse professionals and is able to perform Marchman Acts (involuntary commitment) upon individuals in need.

·         Provides a life skills training module to Program clients (Adult and Adolescent)

·          Provides facilitation to the Martin County Drug and Alcohol Abuse Awareness Committee, an advisory committee to the Martin County Board of County Commissioners, which has been designated by the Governor's Office of Drug Control as a Prevention Coalition for Martin County.

·          Provides diagnostic services and/or brief counseling in the area of substance abuse for Martin County residents and referral to most appropriate treatment resource.

·         Provides urine drug screens, at cost, to Martin County residents.

·         Provides clinical support/advice, as requested, to State Attorney’s Office, Public Defender's Office, Department of Juvenile Justice, Sheriff's Department, Department of Corrections,  Court Administration, Department of Children and Families, and, Judiciary.

·          Developing an area substance abuse resource directory.

Martin County School District and the Safe and Drug Free Schools Program

·          Act Smart/Stay Smart for 3^rd and 4^th grade students implemented collaboratively with Boys and Girls Club.

·          Project Northland: a research based, scientifically proven effective middle school alcohol prevention curriculum.  First implemented among 6^th grade students during the 2001-02 school year, 7^th grade students during the 2002-03 school year and 8^th grade during the 2003-04 school year.  This program is provided during Social Studies class and has the potential to reach every middle school student.

·          Reconnecting Youth, a research based, scientifically proven effective high school prevention program in the third year of operation at both South Fork High School and Martin County High School.  This program is funded by a grant from the Department of Children and Families.  This program serves approximately 175 at-risk youth a year.

·          WiseSkills, character education curriculum purchased fall 2003.  Training for assistant principals and Character Counts representative’s completed November 2003. 

·          Peer mediation is offered at both the middle and high schools.  Training for new mediators takes place yearly.  As a result, reductions in on-campus fights have been documented.  Additionally, at elementary and middle schools bullying prevention education is offered.

·          Developmental Assets incorporated into Safe and Drug Free School activities. 

·          Participated in the Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey 2002.  Many presentations given school and community wide regarding results and prevention planning.

·          High schools have attended the Florida State Prevention Conference for the past two years.

·          12 high school age youth attended the MADD Power Camp summer 2002.

·          Group Interactive Feedback Technology system purchased and utilized extensively throughout the community and class rooms to gather relevant local data.

·          Not on Tobacco, smoking cessation programs exist at both South Fork High School and Martin County High School.

·          Student Assistance Program, a collaborative with New Horizons, exists at Hidden Oaks Middle School and Indiantown Middle School.

·          Substance abuse education and awareness through Health classes at both the high school and middle school level.

Martin County School District and the Safe and Drug Free Schools Program

·          A variety of support groups exists at school sites through guidance to assist youth with specific issues.

·          A variety of parent education workshops exist throughout the year at various school sites.

·          An increase number of faculty is attending professional development workshops related to substance abuse and violence prevention.

·          Collaborating with the newly developed Martin County MADD Chapter.

·          Safe and Drug Free School brochure developed and distributed to schools and community locations.

·          “Teen Information for Parent Survival” developed and distributed to schools, parents, and various community locations.

·          Communities that Care – Community mobilization and prevention planning process was supported financially by Safe and Drug Free Schools.   This was a community wide planning session to develop and action plan to reduce youth substance abuse.

·          Safe and Drug Free Schools web site under construction.

·          Collaborating with the States Attorney’s office to develop and localize the “Those Who Host – Lose the Most” awareness campaign.

Public Defender’s Office 

·          Drug Court (this program helps prevent re-abuse and is expanded to include both adults and children).

·          Referral to the Public Defender’s Client Services Program.  The Client Services Program was developed to offer misdemeanor clients; clients identified with mental illness or retardation and other qualified clients an individualized rehabilitation plan which provides opportunities for education, health services, counseling, employment and other life skills training.  The Client Services Program finds programs that are available for people who need them and presents these alternatives to the court.  These alternatives help break the cycle of crime.

·          Distribution of educational literature to clients and families, i.e. “Facts for the Family” pamphlet produced by Learn to Read of St. Lucie County.

·          Efforts continue to ensure that Drug Court will continue in Martin County.

Sheriff’s Office:  Martin County

·          The Martin County Sheriff’s Office continues to take an active role in targeting stores that sell alcohol and/or tobacco to minors.

·          Local businesses have been targeted with ninety-eight store clerks arrested in undercover sting operations.  In most cases stores were closed for the evening.

·          House parties were adults serve alcohol to minors have been targeted and several adults who were present and/or supervising the parties have been arrested.  Additionally, fifty juveniles have been arrested for possession of alcohol.

·          The Sheriff’s Office continues to conduct sting operations at the Treasure Coast Square Mall and other special functions where juveniles are cited for drinking or smoking.

·          Educating the community on activities of law enforcement continues to act as a deterrent to underage drinking.  The local media has been following the zero tolerance policy of the Sheriff’s Office.

·          DARE education classes taught by deputies continue to be a part of the class curriculum of fifth graders.

·          Drug education and awareness classes are taught at local civic and business meeting by Detective Mark Middleton.

State Attorney’s Office

·          Continue to provide a prosecution team member for Juvenile Drug Court and to support and help perfect the program.

·          Provide presentations regarding juvenile crime statistics in Martin County over the past five years to parent, community groups, etc.

·          Provide classroom teaching regarding the effects of alcohol use, with professional video and pre and post testing.

·          Be available to assist Martin County Sheriff’s Office and Stuart Police Department with any special operation teams targeting juvenile drug and alcohol gatherings, and provide full prosecution of any related arrests.

·          Provide volunteer opportunities within the office for local high school students.

·         Provide active membership to the local MADD chapter.

·         Provide expertise and work experience to the local Parent Action Committee.

·         Provide active membership to the Martin County Drug and Alcohol Awareness committee

Stuart Police Department: 

·          DARE instruction: substance abuse program that is provided to all fifth graders in every public and parochial school in the city. 

·          Youth Intervention Program: offers counseling to children in the program whose lives might be adversely affected by substance abuse.  The Youth Intervention Officer can offer advice and referrals to families seeking information about or experiencing difficulties with substance abuse regardless of whether they have children in the program.

·          Juvenile First Offender Program: provides a voluntary opportunity for first time juvenile misdemeanor offenders, including those charged with drug and alcohol offenses, to avoid involvement with the Juvenile Court. In exchange, the offenders admit guilt, participate in counseling and appropriate supervised sanctions, and must remain arrest free for one year or face official charges. The program currently has an 89% success rate.

·          The Police Department periodically conducts compliance checks of licensed vendors in the city. A recent operation targeted 22 vendors, but found only 2 violators.

·          The Department is actively represented on the Martin County Shared Services Network, the Martin County Juvenile Justice Council and the local MADD steering committee.

·          Officers provide high visibility presence at hotels, parks and other areas where youth might gather to drink on prom and homecoming weekends. Officers also keep special watch for impaired drivers on these nights.

·          The department requires event promoters who intend to sell alcoholic beverages to meet special requirements to ensure that no alcohol is sold to minors. This includes requiring that promoters hire off-duty police officers to help monitor compliance.

·          Statistics show that Martin County has a high smoking population.  The Department continues to focus on enforcing non-sale of tobacco products to minors.    Education is better than enforcement.

United Way of Martin County Inc.

·          The United Way of Martin County, Inc. will continue to invest funding in after-school activities and other effective youth prevention programs, especially for youth, ages 10-14, the age range when first use is occurring.

·          The United Way will continue to invest funding in community-based, youth substance abuse treatment programs.

·          Programs seeking United Way funding for Building Strong Families/Successful Children are encouraged to promote building developmental assets in children and families to address the underlying causes of substance abuse and other problems.

·          The United Way will continue to be an active participant in groups like the Shared Services Network of Martin County and the Shared Services Alliance of Okeechobee and the Treasure Coast that are seeking solutions to problems affecting children and youth such as substance abuse.

·         Volunteer Mentoring Program: identifies children who need a mentor.  Employees spend one hour per week with the student.  This program is in partnership with Mentors for Martin.

OTHER COMMUNITY AGENCY RESPONSES

2000-2002 Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey

Boys and Girls Clubs of Martin County

Teen Pregnancy Prevention through the “Baby Think It Over” program at all Martin County high schools.  Teens take an infant simulator for a weekend experience of what it might be like if they should have to care for a baby at their age. In addition to taking home the baby, they are visited in class by the Father & Child Resource Center who gives them vital information on responsibility and cost involved with having a baby.

Boys and Girls Clubs of Martin County

·         In collaboration with Shared Services Network, we are providing leadership for the annual PSA/Poster Contest which is themed anti-drug, alcohol, tobacco or violence.

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·         Smart Moves (Skills Mastery and Resistance Training) is available to all youth in Martin County between the ages of 6 and 18. This program focuses on self-awareness, decision making and interpersonal skills, while communicating age appropriate information about themselves, alcohol, tobacco, drugs, and teen pregnancy. It includes how to identify and resist peer, media, and social pressures to use ATOD’s and to engage in early sexual involvement. Smart Moves is provided in elementary, middle, and high schools (on request); all Boys & Girls Club branches; youth centers with Martin County Parks & Rec. and City of Stuart Parks & Rec.;  Boot and STOP camps.

Smart Moves has 10 components:

                                                                Act Smart - HIV/AIDS (6 to 12)

                                                                Smart Kids (6 to 9)

                                                                Start Smart (9 to 12)

                                                                Smart Leaders (13 to 17)

                                                                Street Smart (10 to 17)

                                                                Passport to Manhood (11 to 14)

                                        Smart Girls (8 to 10) & (11 to 14)

                                        Net Smart (All Ages)

·                                                                  Keep Smart (Parents)

Children’s Home Society

·          CINS/FINS-WaveCREST Shelter provides substance abuse education to individuals and groups as a preventive means to all clients in the program.

Savanna’s Hospital

·          Although Savannas Hospital is not located in Martin County, we do provide services to Martin County residence.  We work with children and adolescents with alcohol and substance abuse issues.  Our treatment program is designed to achieve maximum progress toward recovery in a relatively short stay.  The Adolescent Treatment Team is a multidisciplinary group of treatment specialists who have extensive experience working with young people, including psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, family therapists, addiction counselors, physicians, nurses, expressive therapists and special education teachers.  The Treatment Team works closely with school and court personnel  and insurance companies to help insure a timely discharge and smooth transition back to family, community and school.

Suncoast Mental Health Center, Inc.

·          Suncoast Mental Health Center, Inc. provides a small Prevention Program in Indiantown. Suncoast Mental Health Center, Inc. is licensed to provide Prevention Level 2 services. The program is posted at the Hope Rural School.  There are 99 children being served.  Last year the program was extended to include a  2-session day camp so the children would continue to be engaged.  This program serves children in grades K-5.

·          Suncoast currently accepts referrals form teen drug court in St. Lucie County (dually diagnosed only) and has been approached to provide similar services in Martin County.  Suncoast would be happy to comply if there was a way to pay for b\licensure and the recruitment of staff to provide the services.  A referral base must be present to sustain a CAP certified therapist and keep their caseload full.

Tykes and Teens

·          Anticipate providing  substance abuse treatment youth in the community by July 1, 2004

·          Alternative to Out of School Suspension – provide substance abuse education to participants who have been suspended or identify use of substance during the program.  Education is measured by pre and post test.