‘Prevent kids from ruining their lives’: Southern Utah coalitions work to combat substance abuse

Madison Bang, co-president of the Washington County Youth Coalition, St. George, Utah, date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Madison Bang, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — Seventeen-year-old Madison Bang said she noticed an uptick in kids using drugs, alcohol and tobacco products. Perhaps this is due to added stress brought on by pandemic isolation, remote learning or witnessing people becoming sick or even dying from COVID. Whatever the cause, Bang said she isn’t going to stand by and just watch it happen.

Seventeen-year-old Madison Bang, co-president of the Washington County Youth Coalition, St. George, Utah, date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Madison Bang, St. George News

Three years ago, Bang followed in the footsteps of her two older sisters by joining the Washington County Youth Coalition. The group works with leaders in the community to implement evidence-based strategies aimed at preventing substance abuse before it happens.

“If I can prevent kids from ruining their lives then it will be a better world for me,” Bang said, noting kids are more receptive to prevention messages when they come from other kids. “If a kid takes time out to tell you something is a problem and they’ve noticed it too, they’re more likely to see it like a big brother, big sister thing.”

The Washington County Youth Coalition goes way beyond just working with fellow students at school. At the end of this month, Bang, along with fellow coalition members, will travel to Washington D.C. for substance prevention training and to meet with federal legislators. Then in February, the coalition will apply the skills they have learned to advocate for state legislation at the Utah Capitol Hill Prevention Day.

The coalition will be keeping current on federal and state bills regarding substance abuse and mental health. The initiatives the coalition supports and advocates for are prevention strategies such as reducing easy access to substances, increasing risk perception and empowering the community through education on the danger of substance abuse.

While the measures being taken by the Washington County Youth Coalition involve serious work, Bang said being a member is also a lot of fun. She said she enjoys helping her fellow students just say “no” to unhealthy behaviors.

“Kids will listen a lot better if it’s kids telling them,” Bang said.

Keeping it local

Members of the Washington County Youth Coalition, St. George, Utah, date unspecified | Photo courtesy of the Washington County Youth Coalition, St. George News

When it comes to substance abuse prevention programs, one size doesn’t fit all. That’s why the coronavirus relief bill allows communities with evidence-based prevention strategies to craft individual programs aimed at addressing needs unique to the areas they serve.

“If they have different risk factors, they’re going to need different programs to address those risk factors,” said Utah Division of Health Services State Prevention Administrator Craig PoVey.

Several prevention programs in Southern Utah have been awarded coronavirus relief grants including $75,000 for the Washington County Youth Coalition, $50,000 to the Iron County Prevention Coalition, $75,000 to the Beaver County Prevention Coalition and $125,000 to three Garfield County Coalitions. PoVey said the money was given to existing programs with proven track records of success.

“The science tells us that any time kids bond, attach or develop an identity with any kind of institution with healthy rules and expectations, that helps protect them from stress and risk factors,” PoVey said.

While there are a lot of worthy substance abuse treatment programs, PoVey said it’s far better for individuals and families to not have to deal with the chronic disease of addiction, adding also that it is far cheaper to prevent the problem from happening in the first place.

“We can reduce tobacco and e-cigarette use by 40%,” he said. “We can reduce opioid misuse by 28%.”

Substance abuse prevention programs are a marathon rather than a sprint. PoVey said it often takes a few years before positive results can be measured, but still believes this is a better path forward. For every dollar communities invest in science-based prevention programs, they can expect a return of between $4 and $38, he added.

Taking it to the streets

Panguitch Prevention Coalition Family Bonding Kits, Panguitch, Utah, date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Panguitch Prevention Coalition, St. George News

Prevention specialists in Southern Utah take a “boots on the ground approach” when it comes to combating drug and alcohol abuse. Melissa Veater serves as the Southwest Behavioral Health Center’s prevention supervisor for Garfield, Beaver, Iron and Kane Counties.

The Panguitch Prevention Coalition, Bryce Valley Coalition and Escalante Coalition will use a total of $125,000 in grants for evidence-based programs that have already been in place for several years. Veater said these programs have been so successful, the Garfield County commissioners use money out of their budget to pay for preventions specialists for all three coalitions.

“I believe we are the only area in the state of Utah where the County commissioners contribute to prevention in that kind of way,” Veater said. “Kudos to our County commissioners who see the need to prevent things before they happen.”

People abuse substances for different reasons, which is why prevention programs need to be tailored to the areas they serve. For example, Veater said, in Panguitch, people tend to gather at school sporting events. Veater uses these functions as a way to get out the word about a variety of proven prevention measures, such as bonding programs.

“If you’re setting clear rules and standards and you’re bonding, kids are less likely to drink,” Veater said. “This is a researched-based program.”

Some of the bonding initiatives used by the Panguitch Prevention Coalition include cupcake decorating kits for families, and distributing books with prevention messages that parents can read to kids. Veater said the bottom line is to decrease risk factors and increase protective factors.

In it together

Communities are healthier when people work together to solve common problems. Grant money through the coronavirus relief bill comes at a critical time. The pandemic has added stress to people’s lives which can contribute to substance abuse. The goal of the grants is to head off such issues before they turn into even bigger problems.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2022, all rights reserved.

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