Community Against Substance Abuse, Inc. (CASA) is a broad-based community coalition that has been in existence for more than ten years to address issues of substance abuse among youth in Winthrop. The coalition began when a few parents at the high school became concerned about the use of alcohol and drugs among the students.  Through the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) the coalition has been tracking the use of alcohol and marijuana in all public middle and high school students since 2002.

 CASA received a Drug Free Communities Support Grant in October, 2006 of $500,000 over a five year period to address alcohol and marijuana use among youth in our community.  Also the coalition received a Determination of Need allocation of $500,000 over seven years from the Massachusetts General Hospital starting in July, 2007 for early intervention and substance abuse prevention.  CASA continues to participate in the regional Law Enforcement and Prevention Partner collaboration with eight other communities, the Metro Mayors Safety Initiative, funded through the Shannon Grant for youth violence prevention and has received funding from the Executive Office of Public Safety through the Byrne Grant and the MA Department of Public Health for Town Hall Meetings in 2006 and 2008.

Board of Directors and Officers

• Nancy Williams, President
• MaryAnn Lounsbury, Vice President
• Mary Lou Osborne, Secretary
• Brenda Curry, Treasurer. 
  
• Linda Calla, Board Member
  
• Barbara Bishop, Board Member

Staff

• Patricia Milano, Program Director and Coalition Coordinator
• LeighAnn Eruzione, Youth Counsel Advisor
• Susan Martucci, Community Event Planner
• Joan Inacio, Media Specialist
• Shari Sprong, Regional Center for Healthy Communities Consultant
  

  Our Goals

  Our goals were established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).  They are as follows:

  Goal 1:  Establish and strengthen collaboration among community sectors, private nonprofit agencies, and Federal, State, and Local governments to support the efforts of the community coalition to prevent and reduce substance abuse among youth

  
  Goal 2:  Decrease substance abuse among youth and, over time, among adults by addressing the factors in a community that increase the risk of substance abuse and promoting factors that minimize the risk of substance abuse

  Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF)
  CASA uses the Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF) to address substance abuse issues in Winthrop.  The SPF uses multiple factors to identify needs in each particular community.  These factors are assessment, capacity building, planning, implementation, and evaluation that lead to cultural competence and sustainability of the coalition and its efforts. 
  Assessment
  CASA has conducted multiple surveys of youth in Winthrop through the use of the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  The last YRBS survey was conducted in January 2007 and the next will be done in January 2009.  The information that CASA obtains from these assessments helps us to identify substance abuse issues that are a concern for the young people in our community.  By far, the most frequently abused substance is alcohol.  Data trends show that over a period of years, youth in Winthrop now take their first drink at earlier age than in years past.  The percentage of young people who had a drink in the last 30 days (64%) or who “binge drink” (5 or more drinks on one occasion) in the last 30 days is 49%.   This is higher than the state and national averages for these 2 behaviors.  Use of marijuana is also the most frequently reported drug among Winthrop’s youth.  By grade 12, fifty-two percent of students report having smoked marijuana in their lifetime and twenty-nine percent report use in the last 30 days.
  Capacity Building
  CASA has built capacity in a number of ways.  We have increased our volunteer membership as residents from across our town have joined the coalition in its efforts to reduce substance abuse among youth.  Members attend meetings and events and/or act as mentors for other youth.  CASA has paid staff in a number of key positions to ensure that there is follow-through on local initiatives.  Youth groups at the middle and high schools participated in events and programs with CASA members.  Collaborations between town government, the public schools, afterschool organizations, community institutions, civic organizations, faith-based groups, senior citizens, and the business community have benefitted and strengthened our coalition with their energy, ideas, and resources.
  Planning
  Using information that CASA obtained through assessments and community meetings we have planned a number of programs throughout Winthrop.  Prevention curriculum is being more widely used in the Winthrop Public Schools.  Drug Forums have been held in Winthrop High School, the Senior Center, and cablecast on WCAT.  Literature has been distributed to all our public schools, the Police and Fire Departments, and is available in the CASA office at Town Hall. 
  Implementation
  Many activities and programs have been implemented to provide young people with safe alternatives to risk taking behavior.  There are groups at the middle and high schools, like the EB Newton afterschool program, SADD at Winthrop High School, the Second Step Violence Prevention curriculum in our elementary and middle schools, the Certified Nursing Assistant training program at WHS, adult/youth mentoring at local Winthrop businesses, Project SNAP-a photography project through CASASTART, poster contests, the Elks Drug Trailer, and more.  All of CASA’s activities are aimed at raising awareness of substance abuse issues, creating alternative activities for youth, and examining policies concerning underage drinking and substance use.
  Evaluation
  Evaluation is an ongoing process to determine whether or not the programs and services that are available in Winthrop are meeting the needs of youth and whether they are having a positive impact on our children.  Regular data collection and surveys of youth, parents/guardians, and community members help us to make decisions on where our resources would be best used.

  
  Youth Risk Behavior Survey, January, 2007, Grade 12 statistics.