Services

 

Services SAC Provides:

  • Education and Training Programs that Assist Youth and Families
  • Technical Assistance to area Schools, Churches, and Community Groups
  • Development of Community-Wide Drug Prevention Plans Through Collaboration with Area Organizations
  • Facilitate the Calhoun County Substance Abuse Council Advisory
  • Co-Chair the State-Wide Anti-Drug Coalitions of Michigan Consortium
  • Leadership/Support to Drug Court Initiatives
  • Media Campaigns
  • Collaborate with Law Enforcement to Conduct County-Wide Underage Alcohol Compliance Checks
  • Support to area SADD/MADD
  • Resources for the Community by Distributing Print Materials and Maintaining Web Site for Easy Access to Resources

Coalition Activities

Strengthening Families Program

The Strengthening Families Program is for parents/caregivers and their youth ages 10 – 14.  It consists of seven sessions over a seven week period for two hours a session.  The parents/caregivers meet separately from the youth for the first hour.  In the second hour the two groups come together.  It is designed to build stronger families and, in the process, reduce juvenile substance abuse and other delinquent behaviors. 

Youth sessions focus on strengthening goals for the future, dealing with stress, appreciating parents and building the skills necessary to resist peer pressure.  Parent sessions include discussions of parents’ positive influence on young teens.  These discussions focus on understanding the developmental characteristics of youth, providing nurturing support, dealing effectively with children in everyday interactions, setting appropriate limits and following through with reasonable and respectful consequences, and sharing beliefs and expectations regarding alcohol and drug use.  The family sessions provide the opportunity for the parents and youth to practice listening and communicating with each other with respect.  The family will identify their strengths and family values, learn how to use family meetings to teach responsibility and solve problems, and learn how to plan enjoyable family activities.  All the sessions include discussions and games designed to build skills and strengthen positive interaction among family members.

This program has proven effective in reducing adolescent substance abuse and other problem behaviors and in improving parenting skills and enhancing child-parent relations.  Andrea, an 11 year old who went through the program in March 2001 said, “I can now talk with my mom better than before.” This is a program that any family can benefit from.   The Strengthening Families Program makes healthy families stronger while it also strengthens those that might need a little help.  The adolescent years can be challenging.  Communication and understanding are important keys in drug and violence prevention.

The Substance Abuse Council offers this program free of charge to the community numerous times throughout the year.  Childcare for younger children and a meal are also provided.  To find out how this program can be offered at your church or organization, or to refer a family to a community session, call Heather Vought at (269) 968-4699.

Youth Forum

This forum is held annually with elected officials to give Calhoun County's Youth a chance to voice their concerns and interests that may have an influence on legislative policies.

SAC Community Recognition Breakfast

Every year in October the Substance Abuse Council hosts the Community Recognition Breakfast to recognize and honor those who have contributed to making Calhoun County a healthier community.  Area businesses and community members have donated their time and services to this community event. Every year 12 or more awards are presented to individuals, groups, or organizations who have made an outstanding contribution to the prevention of Substance Abuse in Calhoun County.

Poster Contest

SAC collaborates with the office of the Calhoun County Prosecuting Attorney on an annual anti-drug poster contest.  Awards are given and posters are displayed around the community. 

Life Skills Program

This program is an upper elementary program that teaches healthy decision making skills, self-esteem, assertiveness, communication, social skills, stress management, critiquing of media messages, and tobacco resistance.  The goal of this program is to better equip youth to make good decisions and avoid the dangers of substance use.   

Girl Power

Sessions focus on topics of interest and importance to teen girls with the underlying message that drugs have no place in solving problems, relieving stress, or developing one’s true personality.

Towards No Drug Abuse (TND)
 This program is designed for high school youth ages 14 to 19 and consists of 12 in-class interactive sessions that provides cognitive enhancement activities (to not use drugs), social and health consequences of drug use, effective communication skills, coping skills, stress management, and self-control to counteract risk factors for drug abuse relevant to older teens.

Towards No Tobacco Use (TNT)
This program is a comprehensive, classroom based curriculum designed to prevent or reduce tobacco use in youth 10-15 years old in grades 5 through 10.