The entire community can Unite for Youth

On behalf of the Lincoln County Unite For Youth Coalition, I would like to thank you for all you do to support children and families in Lincoln County.

Together, we are a part of the complex environment of our community in which these troubling health and safety risks exist:

• 40 percent (up from 23 percent in 2010) of Lincoln County 8th grade students reported using alcohol in the past month.

• Prescription drug abuse/misuse among students in grades 8-12 has tripled since 2010.

• Youth who start drinking prior to the age of 15 are five times more likely to become alcohol dependent adults.

• The average age of first drink in Lincoln County is 10.5 years.

As a coalition, Unite for Youth has worked hard to engage the very difficult questions dealing with how we as a community – our beliefs, our attitudes and our actions – including long-standing community norms, contribute to or support the problems we face as a result of underage drinking and prescription drug abuse in Lincoln County.  

What we have found is not always easy, but we have learned that by keeping the health and safety of our community at the center of this conversation, we can arrive at consensus and through collaborative prevention efforts, begin to implement strategies shown to reduce youth substance use.

We are making progress; Lincoln County is no longer first in the state for underage binge drinking – the number of high school seniors reporting binge drinking in a two-week period has dropped from 48.5 – 34 percent.  

But there is much more to do; focused attention to these matters is extremely important. Our community continues to face above average rates of underage alcohol use – especially among younger students – and according to a 2013 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, rates of prescription drug abuse have increased dramatically.

Together, with your input and support, positive sustainable community change in Lincoln County is possible. Consider the changes we have seen in the culture of seatbelt use and smoking over the past generation and the subsequent positive change in community health and safety.   Your partnership with the Unite for Youth community coalition contributes an authentic representation of the pulse of our community.

Your voice is vital to reinforcing our shared vision of a strong and healthy community, and your participation will help direct the implementation of proven strategies.

Partnering with Unite for Youth demonstrates your organization’s commitment to strengthening the youth and families of our community and publically advocates for our shared vision and mission.  

A united community message will be achieved through cross-promotional advocacy for your organization in Unite for Youth media campaigns and event planning. Opportunities for formal participation in Unite For Youth work include employee memberships, focus groups and surveys for community risk assessments and initiative planning sessions- as well as a number of other ways that we can work efficiently, effectively, and creatively to have a positive impact on the health, wellness and safety of our community’s youth.

Please consider learning more about joining in partnership with the Unite for Youth community coalition.  

— Michelle Boltz is president of the Lincoln County Unite for Youth Coalition.