OASIS Looks Back at Another Year of Substance Abuse Prevention Work in Stoughton

The following is from the OASIS group (Organizing Against Substances In Stoughton):

June is a time for celebrations, ending and beginning new cycles and opportunities for reflection.  

At OASIS we are celebrating nine years of substance abuse prevention work! We also took a look back at our year. Here is a sampling of some of the things we accomplished in 2012/2013:

• Built a new collaboration between the Norfolk Juvenile Court and the Stoughton Youth Commission to implement the Reclaiming Futures Program which provides mental health and substance abuse screening to all Stoughton Youth that are involved with the Norfolk Juvenile Court.

• Provided community education about the risks associated with youth marijuana use though parent workshops, web based media, articles and community presentations.

• Hosted two Prescription Drug Take Back Events in collaboration with the Fall and Spring Stoughton Hazardous Waste Days. Over $25,000 in controlled substances were collected and incinerated as a result of these events.

• Developed a new OASIS website! Visit us at www.stoughtonoasis.org.

• Produced 2 videos on “How to Talk to Your Teen”. Find them on our website!

• Launched the 1st Youth Leadership Institute for Stoughton Teens. To find out more or register for the Fall visit www.stoughtonoasis.org/leadership

• Administered the bi-annual Youth Health Survey to Stoughton High and O’Donnell Middle School students in February. This survey provides information and insight into the health behaviors of Stoughton Youth that OASIS and other local organizations use for planning and evaluation. (Click here for a summary of the results)

• Hosted a meeting between local Brazilian Families and the Stoughton Public Schools to share information and concerns.

• Joined a Regional Opiate Prevention Collaborative with Quincy, Randolph, Weymouth and Braintree to address local heroin and other opiate overdoses and prevent use. This group successfully wrote for a grant from the MA Department of Public Health.

• Built and strengthened collaborations with many town departments to collaborate on current and future initiatives.

Coming soon......OASIS plans and initiatives for next year!

To learn more about our work or get involved, visit our website: www.stoughtonoasis.org; find us on Facebook www.facebook.com/stoughtonoasis; or follow us on Twitter @StoughtonOASIS.

***