What exactly is Healthy Lamoille Valley?

Partnering to do great things!

You may be wondering, "What is Healthy Lamoille Valley?" We are an organization composed of community members whose Mission is to change community norms through collaboration with diverse community partners to prevent youth substance use, to reduce substance abuse, and to support healthy personal choices. While the work in the Lamoille Valley began in 1999, the name "Healthy Lamoille Valley" became formal at the start of the 2014 to capture the broader work of the organization and partners. Two separate organizations have come together, the Lamoille Valley Fit and Healthy Council and the Lamoille Prevention Campaign, to facilitate this work. These activities are supported by Vermont Department of Health’s Community Based Grant Programs and Vermont Department of Health’s Partnership for Success Grant Program. A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to sit around a table and hear as some of our partners shared their work. Here's a glimpse...

• AlcoholEdu at Johnson State College - Johnson State College is requiring all incoming freshman and transfer students (under the age of 23) to complete the AlcoholEdu and HAVEN online class. This class offers additional educational information related to risks associated with alcohol or other drug use (AlcoholEdu) and provides education on what a healthy relationship should consist of (HAVEN). This class also offers tips and strategies for students to utilize in helping keep our JSC campus community safe and healthy. 88% of incoming students have completed AlcoholEdu and personal follow-up is being done with those who haven't. Last semester there were only 20 alcohol related incidents on campus. 

• Lamoille County Planning Commission - The Lamoille County Planning Commission is conducting ground-breaking work in developing a manual for Town Planners for addressing substance use issues in town plans that will be made available to all Vermont towns. Additionally, we will be developing a map of alcohol establishments in the county to help the working group research policies of alcohol prevention and planning language in other places, and provide outreach on our findings. 

• Lamoille County Court Diversion - In collaboration with Lamoille County Court Diversion and six local law enforcement agencies, developed a plan to conduct saturation patrols, party patrols and increase education about the consequences of underage drinking with middle school students. 

• eCheckUP To Go - Partnering in 2014 with countywide employers to implement the eCheckUP alcohol self-survey and education program targeted to 18-25 year olds.

• Nurturing Father's Program through the Lamoille Family Center – A 13 session course designed to teach parenting and nurturing skills to men that provides proven, effective skills for healthy family relationships and child development. This program guides each father/man in exploring his unique history, experiences, values, and attitudes about parenting. Topics addressed include: dealing with feelings; managing anger and resolving conflicts; choosing healthy behaviors, fathering sons/fathering daughters; teaching values and being a role model; teamwork within the family; and issues around work and fathering.  Contact: Jackie Stanton – 888-5229 ext. 149 or jstanton@lamoillefamilycenter.org.

• Parent & Community Education - We conduct four educational events each year including our annual “Time to Talk About Youth” event during Alcohol Awareness Month (4/24 - Location TBA). Local and regional experts present on the risks of substance abuse and engage community members.

• Youth Engagement - Engaged area youth through projects such as “Sticker Shock” and sponsoring youth participation in Prevention Day at the Vermont Statehouse. The Green Mountain Technology & Career Center Multimedia class designed a logo for LPC and the 2014 class has created an advertising template for our “State of Our Youth” campaign to educate the community about the status of youth in the areas of underage drinking, binge drinking, prescription drug abuse and social hosting laws.

• Healthy Retailers - Working with 7 local independent store owners to make their stores a healthier place for the community to shop and to make the healthy choice the easier choice.

• Prescription Drug Awareness Program - Working with local pharmacists and physicians to promote safe storage, use, and disposal of prescription drugs.  Next Take Back event to dispose of unused prescriptions is April 26th, 10-2: Locations TBA

• Lamoille Valley Fit and Healthy Council - Healthy Community Design projects in Wolcott, Morrisville, and Cambridge including plans for constructing or mapping local recreational spaces and paths for residents.  This work also informed the work plan for the Healthy Retailers project as we learned more about the needs and desire of residents.  Planned Morrisville's Octoberfest 5k run.  Awarded mini-grants to the communities of Eden, Morrisville, Cambridge & Johnson to support their recreational facilities projects.  

• Blog, Social Media Education, & Website -  http://healthylamoille.blogspot.com/ and Find us on Facebook: Lamoille Prevention Campaign. Our website should be launched in a couple of weeks, the address will be www.healthylamoillevalley.org once it goes live.

Healthy Lamoille Valley has over 200 partners in the Lamoille Valley and serves the communities of Cambridge, Jeffersonville, Waterville, Belvidere, Eden, Johnson, Hyde Park, Morrisville, Wolcott, Stowe, Elmore, Hardwick, Greensboro, Craftsbury, Walden, and Woodbury.

As a result of our work we have seen an increase in intervention and substance abuse treatment with teens and an increase in parent’s knowledge of the risks of underage drinking. Increased engagement by our partners has improved visibility of the issue of substance abuse and has resulted in strong partnerships that provide sustainability to prevention efforts.

Since our substance abuse prevention efforts began in 1999 we have seen a steady decline in rates in teen alcohol use and binge drinking as evidenced in the Lamoille County Youth Risk Behavior Survey Results.

	1999	2013
Consumed alcohol, ever	79%	64%
Drank alcohol before age 13	28%	18%
Binged, past 30 days	33%	21%

If you'd like to become involved email: healthylamoille@gmail.com.