Youth Service Advisory Board

May 21st, 2019 Time: 8:45 a.m. Attendance Present: Rayallen Bergman (NYFS), Pat McMahon (Community Member), Jodi Savage (NFA), Deb Barber (DCF), Judith Post (Community Member). Excused: Angelo Callis (NYFS), Tiana Powell (PFS), Gail Palladino Marsh (Juvenile Probation), Christine Goracy (NYFS). Absent: Steve Callender (Norwich PD), Katelyn Wagner (Norwich Public Schools), Sue Dub (Uncas Health), Jaime Miller (Norwich Tech), Kerry Sisson (Joshua center) Review of April’s Meeting Minutes • Unable to accept without Quorum. Old Business • Board Members Month in Review: o NFA Walkathon 7 Music Festival will be held this evening on the Green. • Juvenile Review Board: Full board, implementation for anger management called Healthy Choices as a diversion. 3 female participants. They will meet for 8 weeks, once a week for an hour. Attendees must attend school in Norwich or live in Norwich. • World Youth Day/Drug Take Back Events: (2) Successful Drug Take back events! Total with PD drop box, collected 210lbs of Rx Meds. Additionally, distributed (15) lock boxes to community members. • Middle School Diversion: Tiana and intern Lexi have finished their girls group from Teachers called Voices. Lexi will be leaving but Tiana will continue the group in the next school year. Andre is wrapping up his boys group with Kelly STEAM May 29th. Requested to develop a Youth 2 Youth working program within the school for Kelly Middle School. Details to come. • Paint Night: Held on June 9th, planning with Kelly Middle School. Hosted at Recreation Hall and a local artist will facilitate the group. • Steered Straight at NFA: Event completed with Michael DeLeon speaking to entire NFA student body and an additional parent’s workshop for 20 parents. Speaker was not as dynamic as the last event and members would have liked more focus on vaping, the designated issue. The LPC and School will review additional avenues for reinforcing the dangers of Nicotine use and Vaping. Received health Class curriculum from DrugFree.org, resources to teach substance abuse prevention in the classroom. New Business • Youth Service Award: Successful event with local officials in attendance. 9 youth were awarded. • State/Local Budget Report: Budget Supportive of YSB functions; state increase to enhancement grants. • Summer Jam & Learn: Grants submitted and the program is fully funded. 1 vacant staff position. Recruiting students; first slots available for JRB/FOISN youth.  • SOR Grant: grant application denied; seeking additional support for harm reduction tactics such as fentanyl test strips. • Youth 2 Youth: Recruiting (1) Middle School Student & (1) High School Student to attend Youth 2 Youth Summer Conference at Bryant University. Rayallen & Tiana will also attend the conference. Norwich Prevention Council • Vaping Compliance Checks: We will be putting this off until summer with SERAC. • Suicide Prevention Walk: Walk is this Saturday, April 27th. • Suicide Prevention Week: During that week they will have information table at sporting events, they will have morning announcements for suicide prevention/awareness and they have a dress down day to wear teal. Angelo will be doing Question Persuade Refer (QPR) trainings. • Steered Straight: Michael DeLeon will be back to present to NFA students on May 16 and parents/community members on May 15. The presentations will be on vaping and marijuana. Meeting adjourned at 9:45am Next Meeting: June 18th, 2019 at 8:45am Youth & Family Services 75 Mohegan Rd Page 2