RCASA Board of Directors - Reading

RCASA Board of Directors
June 30, 2016
Call the meeting to order
“RCASA’s mission is to strategically address our substance abuse problem that youth in Reading,
Massachusetts abuse alcohol, prescription drugs, tobacco, and other illegal drugs at unacceptably high
rates that emerge early in adolescence, happen frequently, and indicate heavy use. To realize our
mission, we will promote a healthy community environment using the strategic prevention framework
to ensure everyone who lives, works, or goes to school in Reading can enjoy an optimum quality of life.”
CELEBRATE
Greg Grass, our Drug Free Communities federal project officers recommended RCASA for the CADCA
Coalition of Excellence Award for reducing underage drinking in Reading. Although, the application
process is extensive, CADCA will provide access to technical assistance that will benefit RCASA.
What is CADCA? Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America, is the national membership organization
representing over 5,000 coalitions and affiliates. CADCA's mission is to strengthen the capacity of
community coalitions by providing technical assistance and training, public policy advocacy, media
strategies and marketing programs, conferences, and special events.
FOCUS ITEMS


RCASA Goals & Research Update
Director’s Updates
 Friends and Family Day on June 11, 2016- 91 people visited the RCASA booth to learn about
medication safety and pick up resources.
 Health Education: SRO Muolo and the Director conducted workshops in all of the 9 th grade
health classes on opioid prevention. The Director participated in 3 planning meetings to assist
elementary educators in offering ten health lessons next year in grades 3, 4, 5.
 Staffing: Kelsey McCarthy, Youth Organizer returned to RCASA in June. She has assisted with
the Law Enforcement Survey Report and Chemical Health Policy research.
Save the date:
 Hidden in Plain Sight- Planning with Burbank Y, exhibit to take place Oct 17, 18, and 19
 No July meeting. Next Board meeting at Reading Police Department is August 25, 2016 @ 5:30 pm
 RCASA Annual Meeting, September 29th, 7-9 p.m at Reading Memorial High School PAC
Attachments:
 New England Narcotic Enforcement Officers Association Conference Report
 RCASA Goals & Research Update
8/1/2016
GOAL 1, DEFINE PRIORITIES FOR COLLABORATION
Build capacity so Reading is a
Prevention-Prepared
Community
RCASA Primary Goals
1) INCREASE COMMUNITY COLLABORATION
2) REDUCE SUBSTANCE ABUSE
Prepared by Erica McNamara, MPH, CPS- RCASA Director for Board of Directors meeting on June 30, 2016
GOAL 2, DEFINE WHAT SUBSTANCE ABUSE WE ARE
PREVENTING OR REDUCING
 Prevention OR reduction of
injury and related
consequences from misuse
of substances
 Introduction of substances
to a developing brain
 Alcohol poisoning
 Polysubstance misuse
(mixing meds, etc.)
 Impaired driving and or
other risks
 Reduce the development of
addiction and substance use
disorders.
According to NIDA, “Addiction is a
developmental disorder that begins in childhood
and adolescence, sometimes as early as
childhood, for which effective prevention is
critical.”
 Adolescents who begin drinking before the
age of 15 are 4x more likely to develop
alcohol dependence. Each additional year of
delayed drinking onset reduces the probability
of alcohol dependence by 14%
 Of youth who began drinking before age 15,
40% were classified as dependent later in life
 Children who first smoke marijuana under the
age of 14 are more than 5x as likely to abuse
drugs as adults, than those who first use
marijuana at age 18.
•
Collaborate with regional, state, and
federal systems to enhance local
efforts
•
Research and report on Health Risks
of Youth Substance Use
•
Provide Info on Effective Prevention
Strategies to Police, School & Health
sectors.
•
Support Substance Abuse Prevention
at all school levels (K-12)
•
Enable Law Enforcement to
Participate in Community Prevention
Programs
•
Mobilize Parents To Educate Youth to
Reject Drug Use
•
Spread Prevention to the Workplace
•
Make Drugged Driving prevention on
Par with Drunk Driving
Understanding substance use,
addiction, and growing research on
developmental disorders
According to the National Institute of Drug
Abuse, “Drug addiction is a complex
illness. The path to drug addiction begins
with the act of taking drugs. Over time, a
person's ability to choose not to take drugs
is compromised. This, in large part, is a
result of the effects of prolonged drug use
on brain functioning, and thus on behavior.
Addiction, therefore, is characterized by
compulsive drug craving, seeking, and use
that persists even in the face of
negative consequences.”
GROWING RESEARCH INDICATES…
“Addiction is a
learning
disorder, that
people, kids
mostly, learn to be
addicts. That is,
they develop the
habits of pleasure,
action, reaction,
etc., that makes up
their addiction.”
1
8/1/2016
ACCORDING TO THE AMERICAN SOCIETY
OF ADDICTION MEDICINE
“Addiction is a primary, chronic disease of
brain reward, motivation, memory and
related circuitry. Dysfunction in these circuits
leads to characteristic biological, psychological,
social and spiritual manifestations. This is
reflected in an individual pathologically
pursuing reward and/or relief by substance use
and other behaviors. Addiction is characterized
by inability to consistently abstain, impairment
in behavioral control, craving, diminished
recognition of significant problems with one’s
behaviors and interpersonal relationships, and
a dysfunctional emotional response. Like other
chronic diseases, addiction often involves
cycles of relapse and remission. Without
treatment or engagement in recovery activities,
addiction is progressive and can result in
disability or premature death.”
DSM CHANGE IN TERMINOLOGY FROM SUBSTANCE
ABUSE TO SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER
 The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth
Edition (DSM-5), no longer uses the terms substance abuse and
substance dependence, rather it refers to substance use
disorders,
 which are defined as mild, moderate, or severe to indicate the
level of severity, which is determined by the number of
diagnostic criteria met by an individual.
 The most common substance use disorders in the U.S. include:
Alcohol Use Disorder, Cannabis Use Disorder, Stimulant Use
Disorder, Hallucinogen Use Disorder and Opioid Use Disorder.
 Co-occurring disorders such as Anxiety, Depression, and other
mental illnesses are often identified when treating SUD and must
be addressed as part of a comprehensive treatment plan.
 The treatment system for substance use disorders is comprised
of multiple service components, including the following:
Individual and group counseling, Inpatient and residential
treatment, Intensive outpatient treatment, Partial hospital
programs, Case or care management, Medication, Recovery
support services, 12-Step fellowship, and Peer supports
Sources

White House Office of National Drug Control Policy: National Drug Control Strategy Report
https://www.whitehouse.gov/ondcp/prevention-and-the-national-drug-control-strategy

From ONDCP, National Drug Strategy Report :Collect Further Data on Drugged Driving and
Screening Methodologies; Work with policymakers to adopt Per Se Drug Impairment Laws ;
Enhance Prevention of Drugged Driving by Educating Community; AND Provide Increased
Training to Law Enforcement

NIDA, https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/teaching-packets/understanding-drugabuse-addiction/section-i/2-drug-addiction-complex-illness

Quote by Dr. Nora Volkow, Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (2006). Underage Drinking A Growing
Healthcare Concern. Available:
http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/PSA/underagepg2.htm.

Grant, B.F., and Dawson, D.A. Age at onset of alcohol use and its association with DSM-IV
alcohol abuse and dependence: Results from the National Longitudinal Alcohol Epidemiologic
Survey. J Sub Abuse 9:103-110, 1997.

The National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA) report. August 23, 2002.
Available: http://oas.samhsa.gov/2k2/MJ&dependence/MJdependence.htm

http://www.npr.org/sections/13.7/2016/04/29/475991514/unbroken-brain-offers-newinsights-on-addiction
2
New England Narcotic Enforcement Officers Association Conference Report
Submitted by Reading Police Detectives Division
Date:
June 1, 2016
To:
Erica McNamara, RCASA Director
From:
Det. Michael Fitzgerald, Lt. Richard Abate, and Det. Rob MacHugh
Re:
New England Narcotic Officers Association
46th Annual Drug Conference (May 25-27, 2016, Rhode Island)
The New England Narcotic Officers Association represents over 900 law enforcement
professionals in the region. RCASA provided travel funds for three officers to participate in
their spring conference. Please see below for their feedback on the conference:
Det. Mike Fitzgerald
“I want to thank you for allowing us to participate in the 2016 NEOA Conference. The
conference this year was educational. The cyber-crimes class was interesting. There was a lot
of information that involved understanding the computer itself and how the government and
law enforcement work to shut down websites that fraudulently sell prescriptions in the United
States. I also found the class on search warrant/undercover operations and undercover safety
to be interesting. Although this class was, an overview of topics already learned, I noticed a few
new techniques. I was also able to learn some new safety tips during the undercover class that
could be useful to any police officer during their career no matter what path they choose. The
Narco class on the operation that took down Pablo Escobar was also interesting. As always, I
find these conferences a great conduit for being able to network not only with other narcotics
detectives but with other Detectives in the Law Enforcement field.”
Lt. Richard Abate
“I attended the same classes as Det. Fitzgerald. The most important thing I learned was the
importance of networking with the attendees of the meeting. Although this is an informal
process, we built incredibly important relationships with communities that are dealing with the
same issues as us. It was important to hear what other areas are seeing for drug use and
distribution methods. Obviously, substance abuse is an issue that has no boundaries and I think
it was important to have an understanding of what is going on regionally.”
Det. Robert MacHugh
“While at the conference I attended a live Meth cook and Butane Hash Oil (BHO) extraction
conducted by the DEA Clan Lab team. This training was to show investigators different
techniques used by drug manufacturers to produce methamphetamines. BHO extraction was
conducted using just three items all sold at local head shops and on the internet. The
conference also touched upon responding and handling Fentanyl for first responders. Fentanyl
is becoming more common and can pose a danger to law enforcement if handled incorrectly.
Overall, the conference was beneficial. Not only did it provide the latest trends to law
enforcements dealing with narcotics it also provides a forum to network with other agencies
from different communities throughout New England.”