National Prescription Drug Take Back Day- April 24
April 24, 2021, 10am - 2pm
Ventura County is committed to preventing prescription drug misuse and abuse. One of the ways the county works to address the issue locally is by reducing access, especially to teens. The Ventura County Sheriff's Office in collaboration with Ventura County Behavioral Health established a countywide Rx disposal program that allows residents to safely dispose of unused, unwanted, or expired Rx medication via secure, confidential disposal bins. Over the last several years, this has expanded to other jurisdictions and retail pharmacies.
The DEA’s Take Back Day provides an opportunity to prevent drug addiction and overdose deaths. It encourages people to dispose of prescription drugs while also educating the public about the potential for abuse of medications.
What You Can Do
- Commit to safely disposing of your prescription drugs
- Get the facts on Rx & OTC drug abuse
- Dispel the myth that Rx drugs are safe to abuse
- Know the signs and symptoms of drug use
- Monitor and secure all medications
Learn more:
Medication Disposal Drop-off Locations
www.venturacountyresponds.org/medication-safety/safe-medication-disposal
DEA Take Back Day
"Marijuana: What You Need to Know" Presentation
CVUSD's BreakThrough Student Assistance Program and The Conejo Schools Foundation gave a workshop for parents and students on Tuesday, March 23 on "Marijuana: What You Need to Know." Presentations were given by professionals from Los Robles Regional Medical Center, Ventura County Behavioral Health and the Thousand Oaks Police Department followed by a Q&A. This workshop was for all CVUSD Parents/Guardians and students 12 years of age and older.
See the presentation at https://youtu.be/EXkoaikkkVQ
Learn more:
Marijuana FactCheck
March Parent/Guardian Workshop: "Marijuana: What You Need to Know"
Please join CVUSD's BreakThrough Student Assistance Program and The Conejo Schools Foundation for an online workshop on Tuesday, March 23 at 6:00 PM - "Marijuana: What You Need to Know."
Presentations will be given by professionals from Los Robles Regional Medical Center, Ventura County Behavioral Health and the Thousand Oaks Police Department followed by a Q&A.
This workshop is open to all CVUSD Parents/Guardians and students 12 years of age and older. A presentation will be given by Erika Fernandez, SUS Prevention Services, Community Services Coordinator.
Learn more:
National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week® 2021
March 22-28, 2021
National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week® links students with scientists and other experts to counteract the myths about drugs and alcohol that teens get from the internet, social media, TV, movies, music, or from friends. It was launched in 2010 by scientists at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) to stimulate educational events in communities so teens can learn what science has taught us about drug use and addiction.
Teens may be seeking coping mechanisms to handle the increased stress that has come with many changes and challenges in their daily lives. Teens also need resources to develop the necessary skills to make informed decisions about their health.
Learn more:
National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week®
National Institute on Drug Abuse
https://teens.drugabuse.gov/national-drug-alcohol-facts-week
Featured Partner: BRITE Connections
Expressions of Gender: Creating Safe Spaces for Youth
BRITE (Building Resilience & Inclusion Through Engagement) engages and educates Ventura County’s youth on prevention and wellness topics. BRITE Connections, a free monthly livestream series open to youth ages 14+, brings together youth and adult experts in discussion on important issues. Expressions of Gender was the first BRITE Connections livestream event of 2021 and was held on January 28th. The event featured a performance of youth poetry and music titled “Stereotypes” and an expert panel of caring adults discussing gender expression and LGBTQ+ equity in schools within a Q&A format.
The event raised awareness about the negative effects on youth who feel excluded by and unable to express their gender identity due to the traditional binary views of gender roles and stereotypes that exist at home and at school. Youth that identify within this group are at an increased risk for many negative behavioral health outcomes including depression, suicide, and drug use. The event focused discussion on ways that teachers and parents can help support youth within this group.
Learn more:
BRITE Connections - Expressions of Gender livestream event
2021 Teens Kick Ash Virtual Conference
Teens Kick Ash is intended to develop the next generation of tobacco-free advocates. Through hands-on training and team-building activities, middle and high school students from all over Ventura County learn about e-products and other tobacco-related health risks. They do this while networking with peers on how to effect positive change in their own behavior, in their schools, and within their communities. The conference teaches students about nicotine addiction and the e-product and tobacco industry’s marketing strategies to attract young people.
Ventura County Office of Education (VCOE)
February 23 & 25, 2021
For information: www.vcoe.org/health/tka
Featured Resource for Teachers: Mind Matters Series, NIDA
“Mind Matters” includes engaging printed materials designed to help students in grades 5 – 8 understand the biological effects of drug misuse on the brain and body, along with identifying how these drug-induced changes affect both behaviors and emotions.
There is no more important time to address these issues with adolescents than in the middle school years, when they are forming opinions about the health risks of drugs. These educational materials are also easy to print and use. There is an accompanying Teacher’s Guide which includes background information and activities to enhance students’ learning.
Learn more:
Mind Matters Series, National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Rx Drop-off Day - December 5
Drop off your unused and expired Rx Medications at the Oxnard Police Department's Rx Drop-Off Day on Saturday, December 5!
National Impaired Driving Prevention Month
Every year, thousands of individuals are arrested for impaired driving in Ventura County, causing harms to drivers, passengers and the public. Increasingly, marijuana and prescription drug use, alone or in combination with alcohol, are growing factors in DUIs countywide. Our goal is to reduce impaired driving among Ventura County youth and adults.
Learn more:
Get a Ride. Not a DUI.
REGISTER NOW! - 5th Annual Preventing Suicide: Help & Hope Conference
Register for the 5th Annual Preventing Suicide: Help & Hope Conference, which will be held online Thursday, December 10 at 9am.
Keynote Speaker Pablo Campos from Active Minds will share his insights about struggling with depression and addiction – and his road from attempting suicide to recovery.