Beyond Substance Abuse Prevention: Key to Sustainability · Rebranding Ourselves Vision:...

Beyond Substance Abuse

Prevention: Key to

Sustainability

“Together,

building a

healthier

community”

Our Community

◼ Service area includes the

City of Oxford and four

surrounding Townships =

144 square miles (same

area as Talawanda School

District)

◼ Rural area situated between

Cincinnati and Dayton

◼ Home of Miami University

with approximately 16,000

students

◼ City of Oxford has

approximately 7,000 full time

residents

Brief History

◼ Roots go back to 1996 with the creation of the Ohio “19”

initiative sponsored by Ohio Parents for Drug Free Youth

and First Lady Hope TAft to address increasing concerns

over the issues and concerns of alcohol consumption on

college campuses.

◼ Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services

began awarding funds to support the above work. Miami

University’s Department of Health Education received its

first grant.

◼ Under Miami’s leadership, applied for Drug Free

Communities funding in 2000.

◼ Fortunate to receive funding from 2000-2010 to focus on

underage and high risk alcohol use as a campus-

community.

History continued

◼ In writing for 2nd five years, focused on having “systems” in

place in the school district, at Miami and in the general

community.

◼ Towards the end of DFC funding, staff created 3 different

models of what sustainability could look like and brought

major community players to the table to discuss the

Coalition’s new “home”.

◼Fully funded with full time staff

◼Partially funded with part-time staff

◼No external funding, focus on existing relationships

Maintain the Spirit of the

Coalition

◼ Community sectors come together to

◼ Identify issues

◼ Raise awareness

◼ Problem solve

◼ Strong commitment on behalf of the

community!

◼ Community took ownership of the work

once it was not tied to a specific funding

source = OPPORTUNITY!!!

Rebranding Ourselves

Vision: “Together, building a healthier

community”

Mission: “People taking action to raise

awareness, develop strategies, support

initiatives, and influence policies that

promote a healthier community”.

Key Question: What makes a healthy

community?

Keys to Sustainability

1. Expansion to other health priorities

2. Intentional relationship development

3. Be a Thriving Community!

Key to Sustainability #1:

Expansion to Other Public

Health Priorities

◼ Worked with Miami University to conduct a

small scale, general resource assessment

◼ Partnered with McCullough-Hyde Memorial

Hospital in their required Health Needs

Assessment

◼ Every 3 years

◼ Required to retain non-profit status

◼ Implementation plan

Local Results - 2012 & 2015

◼ Alcohol & Other Drug Use

◼ Mental Health

◼ Obesity Prevention (Healthy

Eating & Active Living)

Established Workgroups

◼ Engaged new members

◼ Brought new energy and

resources to the table

◼ Did not happen immediately!

New Structure

Coalition for a Healthy Community - Oxford

Area

Leadership Team

Alcohol & Other

Drug Prevention

Workgroup

Mental Health &

Wellness WorkgroupObesity Prevention

Workgroup

Alcohol & Other Drugs

The Alcohol & Other Drug workgroup seeks to address the issue of substance use and abuse at the community level. By implementing and supporting multiple strategies across multiple sectors of the community, residents of the Oxford-area will live healthier lives.

Alcohol & Other Drug Work

◼ Drug Take Back

initiatives

◼ Host community forums

◼ Piloted the Medication

Lock Box Project

◼ Partnered with Vet

practices and Realtors to

promote medication

safety

◼ Marijuana education

campaign

◼ SBIRT in Schools

Mental Health

◼The Mental Health Workgroup is

focused on increasing access to

mental health resources for

residents in the greater-Oxford

area and reducing the stigma of

seeking treatment.

Mental Health Work

◼ Compiled resource list for

community

◼ Partnered with United Way

to promote 211

◼ Host Mental Health First Aid

Trainings

◼ Community-based

training

◼ All school district

personnel

◼ Focus on senior

population this fall

◼ Advocated to bring back

mental health services

Obesity Prevention

◼The obesity prevention

workgroup seeks to engage

community members of all ages

to promote a healthy lifestyle,

especially in the areas of nutrition

and exercise

Mascot for Healthy Choices

• Developed by a Talawanda Middle School Student

• Used throughout our community to represent the Coalition and “Healthy Choices”

• Has become a “Rock Star” at our elementary schools

• Unlimited uses and benefits

Obesity Work

• Worked with Miami University students to develop a survey on how recognizable Rox is and what he represents

• Held a community-wide walking challenge. People from every township, of all ages and from our 4 major employers participated. 276 community members recorded 13,692,863 steps on the website program developed by the city!

• Advocated for Oxford Area Trails

• Walk/Bike to school day has led us to start working with City/TSD to have crossing guards/safe crossing on routes to school EVERYDAY!

• Advocated for playground in a township

Obesity Workgroup

Thriving Oxford: A grant to empower our

community to improve our well-being and

increase healthy choices that are easy and

affordable.

Key to Sustainability #2:

Relationship Development

◼ Re-commitment by schools, hospital, University,

City of Oxford & existing partners

◼ Cultivated new relationships◼ Non-profits

◼ Township communities

◼ Individual community members

◼ New relationships = new resources available◼ Funding

◼ Volunteer

◼ Time

◼ Expertise

◼ In-kind contributions

Key Sustainability #3:

Be a Thriving Community!

◼ We all share a common vision!◼ Articulate the Coalition’s vision

◼ See the value and want to engage

◼ Everyone sees their role in a healthy community!◼ An increase in the number of individuals and

organizations wanting to be a part of the work.

◼ Efforts are coordinated!◼ Reduce working in silos through communication,

planning and collaboration

Plant the Promise

Objectives:

◼To engage the community in

year-round prevention

◼To build capacity for Coalition

initiatives

“These red tulips remind us

daily that our community cares

for us and we have a collective

responsibility to foster a healthy,

strong, connected community.”

Staff, Miami University

Thank you!

◼ Sharon Klein, Director of

Community & Employee

Wellness, McCullough-Hyde

Memorial Hospital/TriHealthsharon_klein@mhmh.trihealth.com

◼ Amy Macechko, Health &

Wellness Coordinator,

Talawanda School

District/Project Coordinator,

Coalition for a Healthy

Community - Oxford Areamacechkoa@talawanda.org