Our Work
CSAC is working in a variety of different areas right now. Through a unified, collaborative approach, we utilize existing community resources, organize programs to identify needs, and harness the energy and commitment of all to provide a safe, healthy environment in Charlestown. For more information, contact CSAC.
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Current Grant Activities
Tobacco Prevention Grant
The Boston Public Health Commission has received funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act/Communities Putting Prevention to Work Initiative to mobilize neighborhood coalitions to engage adults and youth across the City of Boston to work on policy, systems, and environmental change approaches related to tobacco. CSAC has been approved to carry out strategies in several policy areas.
Drug Free Communities Grant
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Opiate Overdose Prevention Grant
Massachusetts Department of Public Health
Boston Alliance for Community Health Grant
The Boston Public Health Commission has received funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act/Communities Putting Prevention to Work Initiative to mobilize neighborhood coalitions to engage adults and youth across the City of Boston to work on policy, systems, and environmental change approaches related to tobacco. CSAC has been approved to carry out strategies in several policy areas.
Drug Free Communities Grant
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Opiate Overdose Prevention Grant
Massachusetts Department of Public Health
Boston Alliance for Community Health Grant
Past Grant Activities
Service to Science Grant
In-School Programs
All Stars
The All Stars program seeks to prevent alcohol, tobacco and drug use, postpone sexual activity, and reduce fighting and bullying in young teens. More than this, All Stars helps teens build bright futures. CSAC facilitates the All Stars program in the Warren-Prescott School for 5th graders.
Life Skills
The Life Skills program is a research-validated substance abuse prevention program proven to reduce the risks of alcohol, tobacco, drug abuse, and violence by targeting the major social and psychological factors that promote the initiation of substance use and other risky behaviors. This comprehensive and exciting program provides adolescents and young teens with the confidence and skills necessary to successfully handle challenging situations. CSAC facilitates the Life Skills program in the Warren-Prescott K-8 School and the Edwards Middle School.
Voices
Voices was created to address the unique needs of adolescent girls and young women. It encourages them to seek and celebrate their “true selves” by providing a safe space, encouragement, structure, and the support they need to embrace their journeys of self-discovery. The program includes modules on self, connecting with others, healthy living, and the journey ahead. It is used in many settings (e.g., outpatient and residential substance abuse treatment, schools, juvenile justice, and private practice).
Voices is based on the realities of girls’ lives and the principles of gender responsivity; it is also grounded in theory, research, and clinical experience. The Voices curriculum advocates a strength-based approach and uses a variety of therapeutic approaches, including psychoeducational, cognitive-behavioral, and expressive arts.
CSAC facilitates the Voices program in Charlestown High School and the Edwards Middle School.
Youth Risk Behavior Surveys
In 2007 and 2009, CSAC conducted a Youth Risk Behavior Survey.
Science Based Prevention Programming Presentation
The All Stars program seeks to prevent alcohol, tobacco and drug use, postpone sexual activity, and reduce fighting and bullying in young teens. More than this, All Stars helps teens build bright futures. CSAC facilitates the All Stars program in the Warren-Prescott School for 5th graders.
Life Skills
The Life Skills program is a research-validated substance abuse prevention program proven to reduce the risks of alcohol, tobacco, drug abuse, and violence by targeting the major social and psychological factors that promote the initiation of substance use and other risky behaviors. This comprehensive and exciting program provides adolescents and young teens with the confidence and skills necessary to successfully handle challenging situations. CSAC facilitates the Life Skills program in the Warren-Prescott K-8 School and the Edwards Middle School.
Voices
Voices was created to address the unique needs of adolescent girls and young women. It encourages them to seek and celebrate their “true selves” by providing a safe space, encouragement, structure, and the support they need to embrace their journeys of self-discovery. The program includes modules on self, connecting with others, healthy living, and the journey ahead. It is used in many settings (e.g., outpatient and residential substance abuse treatment, schools, juvenile justice, and private practice).
Voices is based on the realities of girls’ lives and the principles of gender responsivity; it is also grounded in theory, research, and clinical experience. The Voices curriculum advocates a strength-based approach and uses a variety of therapeutic approaches, including psychoeducational, cognitive-behavioral, and expressive arts.
CSAC facilitates the Voices program in Charlestown High School and the Edwards Middle School.
Youth Risk Behavior Surveys
In 2007 and 2009, CSAC conducted a Youth Risk Behavior Survey.
Science Based Prevention Programming Presentation
Charlestown Overdose Reduction & Education Network (C.O.R.E. Network)
This program, under the direction of Network Navigator Shannon Lundin, provides help connecting to treatment and other support services. Call 617 320-9058.
Other Work
Connect2Prevent: Promoting parent-adolescent communication about alcohol and other drugs
National Institute on Drug Abuse
Parent and teen communication plays an important role in a teen’s decision to use drugs. Parents need tools and support to help this communication. Connect2Prevent is a study being conducted by health professionals at the National Development and Research Institutes (NDRI) in partnership with the Charlestown Substance Abuse Coalition, with support from the National Institute on Drug Abuse. The project works to make communication about substance use better between parents and young people.
Last fall, the Connect2Prevent team hosted parent and teen focus groups in Charlestown to start a conversation about adult/adolescent communication. These focus groups helped start the Charlestown Parent2Parent Facebook page for parents. This tool has sparked online interaction among parents in Charlestown about adolescence, including drug and alcohol prevention.
RECRUITMENT IS STARTING!! Starting in early Fall 2010, the Connect2Prevent team will begin recruitment for a within-family survey study of parents and teens. The survey will help the team better understand how parents and teens think about, and talk about, alcohol and other drugs. Results from this survey will help the team create an online resource for Charlestown parents that provides facts about drugs and adolescent development, offers tips and techniques for parent and teen communication, and highlights local and national resources for parents.
If you would like to learn more about this project, contact Caitlin Westfall, Research Assistant, at westfall@ndri.org or Sarah Lord, Primary Researcher, at lord@ndri.org or call (617) 401-2283.
National Institute on Drug Abuse
Parent and teen communication plays an important role in a teen’s decision to use drugs. Parents need tools and support to help this communication. Connect2Prevent is a study being conducted by health professionals at the National Development and Research Institutes (NDRI) in partnership with the Charlestown Substance Abuse Coalition, with support from the National Institute on Drug Abuse. The project works to make communication about substance use better between parents and young people.
Last fall, the Connect2Prevent team hosted parent and teen focus groups in Charlestown to start a conversation about adult/adolescent communication. These focus groups helped start the Charlestown Parent2Parent Facebook page for parents. This tool has sparked online interaction among parents in Charlestown about adolescence, including drug and alcohol prevention.
RECRUITMENT IS STARTING!! Starting in early Fall 2010, the Connect2Prevent team will begin recruitment for a within-family survey study of parents and teens. The survey will help the team better understand how parents and teens think about, and talk about, alcohol and other drugs. Results from this survey will help the team create an online resource for Charlestown parents that provides facts about drugs and adolescent development, offers tips and techniques for parent and teen communication, and highlights local and national resources for parents.
If you would like to learn more about this project, contact Caitlin Westfall, Research Assistant, at westfall@ndri.org or Sarah Lord, Primary Researcher, at lord@ndri.org or call (617) 401-2283.
