DHCS SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER STATEWIDE CONFERENCE

COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT PREVENTION: MODEL FOR COMMUNITY

GRASSROOTS EFFORTS

AUGUST 20, 2019 LORENA VELASQUEZ, MSPA & IRENE LIM, LCSW

The Substance Use and Prevention and Treatment Program

has no relevant financial relationships with the

manufacturer(s) or any commercial product(s) and/or

provider of commercial products or services discussed in

this CME activity.

We do not intend to discuss unapproved/investigative use

of commercial product(s)/device(s) in this presentation.

1

Disclaimer

Learn how to:

• Use an evidence based curriculum (GGC) as a tool to

mobilize parents

• Effectively create strong partnerships with community

members

• Incorporate community concerns in prevention efforts

2

Learning Objectives

• Work closely with parents/community members in the

Northeast LA area - Glassell Park, Cypress Park,

Highland Park.

• Word of mouth

• Community meetings

• Recruitment from local schools

3

Engaging Community Leaders

Guiding Good Choices

“Guiding Good Choices is a family skills-training program for parents and their middle-school aged children. The program is based on the social development model and its primary objectives are to enhance protective parent-child interactions and to reduce child risk for early substance use initiation.”

• Channing & Bete

Guiding Good Choices Lessons

• How to Prevent Drug Use in Your Family

• How to Develop Healthy Beliefs and Clear Standards

• Saying No to Drugs

• How to Control and Express Your Anger Constructively

• How to Strengthen Family Bonds

– Maintaining the Parent Network

• Culmination Activity

Maintaining the Parent Network

• With the group, make a plan of action as to how to form a parent network

• Questions to think about:

– How to stay in contact with each other?

– What would the topic be?

– Who would be the leaders of the group?

– Where, day and time of your meetings?

– How would you recruit more parents/community member to participate?

Risk Factor

• Lack of parental/caregiver

involvement

• Child abuse & maltreatment

(ongoing and/or history of it)

• Inadequate supervision

• Neighborhood poverty & violence

• Aggressive and/or violent behaviors

• Poor or negative image of the self

• Trauma

7

Protective Factors

Protectors

• “Family” involvement (chosen or

by blood)

• Involvement in community

and/or afterschool programs

• Limited availability to AOD

• Environments that encourage

positive change to:

• Learn new coping skills

• Learn emotional regulation

• Encourages positive views of

the self

• To address gaps in prevention efforts by the experts, community members, who know what’s helpful:

– such as the availability of meaningful activities for youth and families, transportation access, community beautification efforts, impact of gentrification, immigration status, and cultural connectedness.

“ If we only focus on the use or misuse of alcohol and other substances, then we miss the opportunity to notice how the

surrounding environment and issues affect families and communities as a whole.”

8

Why Community Leaders & Empowerment?

1st Phase of Parent Leadership Group, Nov. 2013

Established as Padres Guardianes de Nuestra Comunidad after successful

delivery of GGC at NMS

Mutual Collaboration @ Nightingale MS

• Need for more staff supervision on/off campus during

lunch, before and after school.

• Volunteering at the school

• Tools:

– Whistles

– Name Badges

– Volunteer sign in/out sheet

The Bridge Fight: Spring 2014

The Padres Guardianes were able to stop a fight from happening on the

bridge using their presence and their whistles. Campus security was

alerted and fight was averted.

Celebrate each other - Mother’s Day, 2014

Padres Guardianes organized their own Mother’s Day picnic at

the park. CHLA supported them with providing them small gifts.

Picnic day June, 2014

• Once school was out for the summer, Padres Guardianes organized a picnic

at the park. The purpose was to provide their children and community a

positive experience.

• It has always been important to the group to make sure their families are

involved in what they are doing.

Padres Guardianes de Nuestra Comunidad, Fall 2014

Identity and Visibility counts!

2nd Phase Ownership of Mission & Vision, Sept. 2014

• Mission: Create a healthy environment

• Vision: Create leaders that advocate for a healthy

community free from alcohol and drugs.

Marijuana Health Effects Forum: Oct. 2014

Attended by over 75 community

members at local library

Community Members are active partners

in the planning and delivery of SU

prevention education

Celebrations and Recognitions

Time to celebrate, recognize, reflect and plan for the next steps

Training is an on-going process

Restorative Justice, SUD & Mental Health, & Responsible Retail Framework

Restorative Solutions, 2017

https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/common-

comorbidities-substance-use-disorders/part-1-connection-between-substance-

use-disorders-mental-illness

Community Clean Up February, 2015

Partners included: CHLA, school

admin, parents, students, LAPD,

Council District 1, Home Depot &

Dept of Transportation.

Fully engaging multi-sectored

partners in projects

• Make your connections

As a member of your own community, what would you need in

place to stay connected and volunteer in a Community based

leadership group?

20

Activity

Neighborhoods Taking Action (NTA), Spring 2015

• NEIGHBORHOODS TAKING ACTION (NTA) – Purpose: Establishing neighborhood partnership to address issues

happening now & in the future

• Approach – Neighborhoods Taking Actions to:

• 1. Identify problem

• 2. Understand problem

• 3. Create plan of action

• 4. Carry out the plan

Neighborhoods Taking Action

Agency partner, KYCC, provided NTA training:

• ACTIVITY

– Drawing a picture in our neighborhood

– Identify your daily routine areas (ex. home, work, school, bank, grocery

stores, church, park, and more)

– Locate and mark the area on the map

– Count the number of Liquor Stores near your area

• Are your kids safe? Draw a line from home to your kid’s school

• Count the number of Liquor Stores

Neighborhoods Taking Action:

No More Trash in Our Community Campaign, 2015

• Unidos por NELA/United for NELA (U4NELA)

– Unity to bridge NELA communities and include

all community members

– Responsive to changes in partnering

organizations

– Creation of logo

– Participation in Northeast Consortium

– Board Member seat of Greater Cypress Park

Neighborhood Council

24

3rd Phase: Signs of Growth

Engaging the Larger Community, Fall 2015

With increased community visibility U4NELA hosted a neighborhood walk with LAPD and Council District 1 to get a better sense of community safety and lighting.

Continual Recruitment Efforts

U4NELA led meetings

Regular community

clean ups

Culturally significant

events

La Posada

Dia del niño

Educational Forums

Know Your Rights Events

Q&A with LAPD, 2016

Taking initiative to bring the community together to learn about possible

California Recreational Marijuana Use legalization.

Prescription Drugs: Safety & Risks to Your Health, 2017

With Unidos por NELA’s support, CHLA organized a series of forums that

addressed Opioid misuse and harms. The panelists included a Medical Dr.,

Law Enforcement, Therapists, and a Youth representative.

An Activated Community

30

Community leaders took it upon

themselves to empower NELA as

anti-immigrant/POC sentiment

grew. Know your Rights Forum, 2017

34

Día del Niño, 2019

Substance Use Prevention & Treatment Program

Division of Adolescent & Young Adult Medicine

5000 Sunset Bl, Suite 701

Los Angeles, CA 90027

Lorena Velasquez &

Irene Lim

(323)361-2463

35

Questions?