On Mon., May 13, 2019, KYCC joined Los Angeles County of Education, Day One, Asian American Drug Abuse Program, Social Model Recovery Systems, East Los Angeles College, Rethinking Access to Marijuana, and California Hispanic Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse to launch National Prevention Week 2019. National Prevention Week is an annual health observance dedicated to increasing public awareness of, and action around, mental and/or substance use disorders. National Prevention Week (NPW) this year took place May 12 through May 18, 2019.
Community-based organizations from different service planning areas throughout Los Angeles County gathered to raise awareness on the various topics such as suicide prevention strategies, opioid prescription drug misuse, preventing youth tobacco use, preventing illicit drug use, youth marijuana use, underage drinking and alcohol misuse. This event, funded by the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health, Substance Abuse Prevention and Control attracted 50 attendees.
Speakers at the NPW Press Conference inlcuded Stephanie Chen, Chief of Community and Youth Engagement at Los Angeles Department of Public Health, Substance Abuse Prevention and Control, the Dean of East Los Angeles College, Brenda Villaneuva, Program Director at Pueblo Y Salud, East Los Angeles College Students Against Substance Abuse and Rica Blanks, Prevention Specialist at KYCC.
Blanks spoke on behalf of KYCC and Coalition to Prevention Alcohol-related Harms (CoPALM) and urged listeners to be proactive about combating alcohol-related harms in their communities. Blanks discussed the “4 a.m. bar bill” currently in the California Legislature. The Senate Bill 58, if passed, would extend last call at nightclubs, bars and restaurants from 2 to 4 a.m. as part of a five-year pilot program.
In addition, Blanks described how CoPALM is working hard to get the Alcohol-Restricted Use Sub-district (ARUS) council motion #17-0117 passed through the Planning, Land Use, and Management Committee in Los Angeles City. ARUS is a flexible community tool that will give people the opportunity to provide input on what types of alcohol licenses they want in or out of a designated sub-district.
Participants stopped by “substance booths” where educational materials about alcohol, marijuana or prescription drugs were displayed. Participants joined in on a morning stretch on the ELAC lawn to focus their mind and body.
The Coalition to Prevent Alcohol-Related Harms in LA Metro (CoPALM) was launched by a group of concerned community leaders and stakeholders, with the support of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, to address alcohol’s impact on communities and to devise strategies to protect youth from alcohol abuse.
KYCC’s Prevention Education uses an “environmental” approach to substance abuse prevention. Our community organizers hit the streets for “knock-and-talks” with local storeowners, building partnerships that directly address retail access and alcohol availability. We also work with youth, parents and the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) by providing prevention education workshops. These workshops increase alcohol and other drug knowledge, as well as develop open communication between youth and parents. The program discusses the social and societal pressures that lead to substance abuse, and provides participants the tools for building healthy families.
For more information on our Prevention Education Services, please contact Gennesis Jerez at gjerez@kyccla.org or (213) 365-7400 Ext. 5119.
