When Communities Talk, Prevention Is Possible
WILMINGTON, Delaware—May 13, 2019. Brandywine Counseling & Community Services, Inc. is hosting an event as part of Communities Talk: Town Hall Meeting to Prevent Underage Drinking. The purpose of the event is to raise awareness about the impact of underage drinking, introduce new laws that prevent those under age 21 from obtaining alcohol, mobilize the community to take action, etc.
This event will take place on Friday, May 17, 2019 in the Longwood Room at the Central YMCA of Delaware located at 501 W. 11th Street, Wilmington, DE 19801 from 5:30pm to 8:00pm.
This event is set to bring together individuals concerned about underage drinking consequences and ways to prevent them. The event will feature panelists Mayur Chandriani, Prevention Specialist at Latin American Community Center; Lieutenant James Diana, Police Officer with the Delaware State Police-Division of Gaming Enforcement; and Adolide Wallace, Supportive Services Case Manager at Gateway House for Men.
Speakers and participants are encouraged to discuss the importance of talking about underage drinking prevention in order to develop strategies that can be effective on a community level.
Communities Talk: Town Hall Meeting to Prevent Underage Drinking will consist of a panel discussion with officials, specialist and members of the community. Together, speakers and participants will collaboratively explored tangible measures to prevent underage drinking.
Underage drinking is a major public health concern in our community and throughout the United States. According to the 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, about 9 million—or one in four, 12- to 20-year-olds—reported alcohol use during the past month. Of these, about 5
million were binge drinkers, meaning that they consumed five or more drinks on at least one occasion. Underage drinkers are at risk for negative consequences, including lowered academic performance, involvement with law enforcement, risk of violence and sexual assault, and death.
Illegal use of alcohol can result in severe, even deadly, harm to themselves and others. In our own community this includes the 14 lives that were lost of individuals who were aged 21 and under in an alcohol-attributed death according to the 2018 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Delaware State Report.
According to national data, parents’ voices do count when it comes to underage drinking. This approach, along with other environmental strategies, has proven to reduce the incidence of underage drinking.
Register to attend this free Communities Talk: Town Hall Meeting at https://bccs_communitiestalk.eventbrite.com and visit www.brandywindecounseling.org to learn more about underage drinking prevention.
The Communities Talk: Town Hall Meeting to Prevent Underage Drinking was created with support from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), in collaboration with the federal government’s Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Prevention of Underage Drinking. To learn more about this national initiative, go to https://www.stopalcoholabuse.gov/townhallmeetings. And join the online conversation, #CommunitiesTalk.
Contact:
David Okeke, Prevention Specialist
Brandywine Counseling & Community Services, Inc.
(302) 588-6991 | [email protected]
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