Healthy Choices Bulletin

The Healthy Choices Bulletin is a monthly summary of substance use prevention resources for school staff to use and share with students and families. Most of the titles and images are linked to fliers and websites. We want to encourage school teams to include them in their school newsletters and communications with families. If you have thoughts, questions or feedback please feel to reach out mkrogh@pps.net.

¡Empoderando Familias! - Celebrating Culturally Responsive Prevention Education!

Student Success & Health wants to recognize the leadership and incredible hard work of Marysol Jimenez, PPS CADC and our Multnomah County partners for offering this amazing event.

An entire day of culture, fun, food and strategies for substance use prevention for children and youth. Please check out the pictures from the event!

Even though November is almost over this is still a great time share resources and information about the dangers of vaping and electronic cigarettes. Vaping is the number one substance related discipline violation in PPS, which is why we continue to focus on education and prevention. Consider sharing some targeted messages with students and families.

Some things to consider;

• A study from the University of North Carolina found that the two primary ingredients found in e-cigarettes—propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin—are toxic to cells and that the more ingredients in an e-liquid, the greater the toxicity.
• E-cigarettes produce a number of dangerous chemicals including acetaldehyde, acrolein, and formaldehyde. These aldehydes can cause lung disease, as well as cardiovascular (heart) disease.
• E-cigarettes also contain acrolein, a herbicide primarily used to kill weeds. It can cause acute lung injury and COPD and may cause asthma and lung cancer.
• Both the U.S. Surgeon General and the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine have warned about the risks of inhaling secondhand e-cigarette emissions, which are created when an e-cigarette user exhales the chemical cocktail created by e-cigarettes.
• In 2016, the Surgeon General concluded that secondhand emissions contain, "nicotine; ultrafine particles; flavorings such as diacetyl, a chemical linked to serious lung disease; volatile organic compounds such as benzene, which is found in car exhaust; and heavy metals, such as nickel, tin, and lead."
• The Food and Drug Administration has not found any e-cigarette to be safe and effective in helping smokers quit. If smokers are ready to quit smoking for good, they should call 1-800-QUIT NOW or talk with their doctor about finding the best way to quit using proven methods and FDA-approved treatments and counseling.(American Lung Association)
• Here is a link to a 1 minute PSA for families that can be linked in your school newsletter.

Please see the links below for more resources for students and families. If your school needs more Vaping Prevention posters, please let me know mkrogh@pps.net.

The Anonymous Analysis Program is managed by the Oregon State Police. If families find a substance and want to have it anonymously tested, they can submit it free of charge, with no risk of legal consequences. The lab will test the drug and report back to the parent within 1 business day.

They are able to analyze substances for all drugs including methamphetamine, cocaine, MDMA (ecstasy), acid, etc. or innocuous substances. They are also able to test vapes.

After families are informed of what the drug is, the test results and requestor information are then purged, so there is no follow-up or tracking by OSP and no risk of charges being filed as a result of the request. This is the flier for the program.

Have you ever wanted to know more about EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and which students could benefit the most? Newport Academy is offering a free one hour webinar with CEU's on Wednesday, Dec. 13th from 10:00-11:00.

Participants will;

• Gain an understanding of EMDR Therapy and which clients it is appropriate for
• Learn the eight phases of EMDR Therapy
• Be able to identify one or more components of looking through an EMDR lens

Registration link here

In this one hour webinar participants will learn about digital media and smart devices and their persuasive influence over people of all ages, including the negative impacts they have on mental health, development, academic and workplace performance, and relationships. AMFM (A Mission for Michael) will offer this free one hour webinar with CEU's on Thursday, Nov. 30th 12:00-1:00.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Identify the 5 types of digital media overuse (DMO).
• Differentiate between digital media overuse and addiction.
• Identify the common co-occurring diagnoses and factors associated with DMO.
• Recognize effective harm reduction and abstinence-based diagnoses associated with DMO.

Registration link here

4D Teen Recovery Services include a drop-in resource center that is staffed with peer mentors for youth ages 14-17. Services at 4D include 12-step meetings, activities, outings, clean and sober parties, gaming systems, pool tables, ping pong, music and lots of snacks! They are here to help youth achieve their personal recovery goals in community with an emphasis on fun.

Please see flier with QR code to request a mentor. Please click on the image for a link to the full brochure. Or for an up to date list of activities, click here.

The Oregon Health Authority’s Save Lives Oregon initiative is offering school districts free opioid overdose reversal kits through its Harm Reduction Clearinghouse. Each middle and high school is eligible to receive up to three opioid reversal kits. Each kit includes instructions, emergency medical supplies, and the opioid antagonist Naloxone. Naloxone (Narcan) reverses an opioid overdose giving time for emergency medical services to arrive. This is a crucial step in providing school staff with the resources necessary to respond to an opioid overdose on or near a school campus.

Student, Success & Health will be accessing this program for Portland Public Schools. Schools do not need to apply individually.

More specifics will be shared as they become available. If you have additional questions, please reach out to Mary Krogh at mkrogh@pps.net.