Rachel is your Regional Substance Abuse Prevention Consultant. She works with community groups, schools, human service agencies, hospitals, law enforcement, parents and youth. The purpose of this work is to educate communities about the risks of alcohol and other drug use and to reduce misuse among youth, young adults and adults through:
- Community organizing
- Program planning and consultation
- Presentations and training
- Community grants information and guidance
- Information and referral
Prevention Works!
Community Organization Focuses on Preventing Alcohol and other Drug Use
The Collaborative and The Alliance for Community Transformations provide coordination of prevention partnerships in your community. These partnerships aim to reduce underage drinking, binge drinking, prescription drug misuse and marijuana use by promoting municipal policy changes, providing opportunities for education and providing referrals to local resources.
Talking to Your Kids About Alcohol and Other Drugs
Using alcohol and other drugs in early life can have a negative impact on your child’s health now, and later on by impacting proper brain development and creating other risks. You are their #1 influence. Parent Up Vermont (link is external) has tips on how to start and continue to have conversations with your children early and often, no matter how awkward.
Prescription Drug Disposal
Properly storing and getting rid of unused prescription medications protects your loved ones an the environment. Here are three easy steps:
LOCK: Store your medications in a lock box or locked medicine cabinet.- DROP: Drop off unused medication at a kiosk or local pharmacy or police stations. Find a location in your area.
- MAIL: Mail unused medication in a pre-paid envelope. Request a free mail-back envelope.
TREATMENT IS EFFECTIVE!
Treatment might look different depending on the level that you need. Find the type of treatment that is right for you or your loved one, what to expect, how soon you can get help and the treatment services specific to youth, people who are pregnant or breastfeeding and older adults on our Treatment Options page.
There are a number of treatment options in your community. Find them, as well as answers to common questions you may have about treatment in the Bennington County Resource Guide.
PEOPLE RECOVER!
There is no wrong door to recovery. It is a life-long journey that is not always a straight line. Find recovery opportunities and supports in your area on our Recovery page.
The Regional Prevention Partnerships provides five years of funding to our region. It is led by The Collaborative, a well-established prevention coalition that offers programs in the mountain towns, in partnership with implementing partners across the region. The goals of the Regional Prevention Partnership are to:
- Reduce underage drinking and binge drinking in people aged 12-20
- Reduce prescription drug misuse in people aged 12-25
- Reduce marijuana use in people aged 12-25
- Increase statewide and regional infrastructure to implement substance abuse prevention activities.
Prevention efforts by local coalitions have led to local policy changes, positive campaigns to change norms (implemented by ACT and students of Mount Anthony Union High School) and increasing school and community commitment to reducing substance misuse and abuse. Activities have included a campaign by the police department to recognize and reward positive adolescent behavior, and placing stickers on alcoholic beverages to inform buyers of penalties associated with providing alcohol to underage people. Ten schools and approximately 400 students are now participating in The Collaborative’s Refuse to Use prevention program.
Learn More
Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS)
Bennington County Profile
Alcohol and Other Drug Use Scorecard
Opioid Scorecard
Substance Information