Seneca County Substance Abuse Task Force

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1 DiPronio Drive, Waterloo, NY 13165 315-539-5655

Co-Chairs

Christopher Manasari, Superintendent Romulus Central School

Patricia Amidon, Chair
Seneca County Board of Supervisors

Seneca County Staff

Mary P. Grace, Prevention & Treatment Prog. Dir. Seneca County Community Counseling Center

Janice B. Griffin, Director
Seneca County Youth Bureau

Attendees for May 18, 1999 meeting

Representative Representing Agency
Acquilano, Nelson Council on Alcoholism
Amidon, Patsy Senca County Board of Supervisors
Burger, Tina L. Finger Lakes Council on Alcoholism
Burrows, Sherry Mobile Youth Program, South Seneca School District
Fox, Bill Finger Lakes Alcoholism Counseling and Referral Agency, Inc.
Gable, Teresa Seneca County Public Health
Grace, Mary Community Counseling Center
Griffin, Jan Seneca County Youth Bureau
Lemmon, D. Parent
Manaseri, Chris South Seneca School District
McConnell, Marty Seneca County Alcohol Clinic
Smith, Toni F. Seneca County Sheriff's Department
Van De Moortel, Mary Parent


Minutes of Meeting of 5/18/99



III. Strategies to prevent alcohol and other drug abuse - The Hobart/William Smith approach - David Craig, Ph.D.

Dr. Craig can be reached at Craig@hws.edu. To download information regarding this initiative, contact http://academic.hws.edu/alcohol. Dr. Craig noted that he and his colleague, H. Wesley Perkins, Ph.D., are using theory to reduce alcohol abuse in the college setting. Both professors are willing to assist the Seneca County Substance Abuse Task Force in any way they can. The professor's approach involves educating students regarding the students' perceived notion that drinking on campus is worse than it really is. (ie as bad as the alcohol problem is, students think that it's worse). Over the past 2 years the professors have been collecting data at various points along a student's academic career via surveys. This data regarding alcohol use is then publicized via the school newspapers, handouts, computer screen savers in "catchy" ways. The positives about students' decline in alcohol use are publicized and promoted. Once the perception of alcohol use is seen as lower then students feel "they don't have to keep up with the Joneses". Binge drinking is statistically significantly lower over the last 18 months. A credit course has also been developed that explores the bio, psycho, social aspects of alcohol abuse. These students then assist the professors with education of all students. Dr. Craig notes that students taking the course could be available to help our Task Force.

There were questions and discussion by members regarding what could be replicated at the public school level.

Manaseri will discuss replicating these with the three other supts., aiming toward 1999-2000 school year action

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AGENDA:

M. Grace

Notetaker

MG/cs