Substance Abuse Prevention and Control

Prevention Monthly Briefing

February 2021 | Issue #1
Prevention Monthly Briefing
Team/Person of the Month!
  • The Wall/Las Memorias- Best LGBT Non-Profit Nominated by LA Readers Choice Awards
    A SAPC-funded Prevention organization, the Wall Las Memorias, is a community health and wellness organization dedicated to serving Latino, LGBTQ and other underserved populations through advocacy, education and building the next generation of leadership.
  • Congrats to CYE staff Rangell Oruga and Tim Young for their work in the Meth Media campaign, which received two videos awards! They, along with vendor Fraser, were honored at the 1st Annual Healthcare Digital Marketing (HDM) Awards with a Silver Award for The Struggle is Real Here and Merit award for Come Back From Meth in the digital video category.
The HDM Awards recognizes the best healthcare websites, digital content, electronic communications, mobile media and social media. Nearly 300 entries were received from healthcare institutions across the country.
SAPC Issues/Actions
  • General DPH COVID-19 vaccine website: click here
  • Vaccine distribution and prioritization info: click here
    • Green circles show groups that have been, or are being, offered vaccine
    • Red squares show groups that are waiting to be offered vaccine
    • Phase 1B, 1C and Phase 2 content updated to align with the State recommendations
    • Estimated timeline for each phase and are subject to change
Re-solicitation Update: The first phase of the SAPC Prevention Re-solicitation process, list of Master Agreement, has been approved by the County Board of Supervisors. The next phase will consist of the release of Work Solicitation Orders projected to be released in the spring.

NEW Publications:

  • The CDC 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans is now available. Consistent with 2015–2020, the latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans on alcohol consumption indicates that “adults of legal drinking age can choose not to drink, or to drink in moderation by limiting intake to 2 drinks or less in a day for men or 1 drink or less in a day for women, on days when alcohol is consumed.”
  • SAMHSA publishes guidelines with a toolkit to strengthen crisis care. To download a copy, click here:
  • SAMHSA Releases Preliminary DAWN review data: The proportion of emergency department visits attributable to substance use, illicit or otherwise, was 4.6% during the period April 1, 2019 to October 15, 2020. This proportion was somewhat higher, at 5.3%, in the DAWN hospitals in urban areas. These preliminary results may have implications for health service delivery costs. For data click here.
  • RAND Study: Alcohol Consumption Rises Sharply During Pandemic Shutdown; Heavy Drinking by Women Rises 41% - Link here
NIDA releases 'Monitoring the Future' results of teen substance use patterns: Surge of teen vaping levels off, but remains high as of early 2020. For other highlights, see here

Training Resources

CARS and DHCS offer Prevention Competencies Training. A new professional initiative is being offered with foundational training modules, such as assessment, capacity building, planning, implementation, evaluation and ethics.
Please go here
Non-SPA Coalition News:
LA DAPA/RAM/RAD

Last month, the RAM (Rethinking Access to Marijuana) Coalition held a virtual open house to invite community members to learn more about RAM's efforts in LA County communities and the exciting work of each RAM committee. RAM also celebrated its website's one-year anniversary!
  • LA DAPA: On January 12, LA DAPA met to review the LA City's proposed Restaurant Beverage Program (RBP) amendment recommendations which seek to simplify the Conditional Use Permit process for over- the-counter on-site alcohol sales under the Comprehensive Job Creation Plan. Prevention providers' concerns include the potential of this shorten CUP process to bypass community input and minimize safety and health impacts brought by this new RBP amendment.
    (Updates on AOD policy direction and SPA-wide efforts)
Agency News (CPS, APS)
  1. FREE Naloxone Trainings- On-demand Naloxone Training for FREE! It's almost effortless to participate in this training -- no sign up needed. Watch a short training video, answer some questions, and you'll receive a free box of Narcan, which carries two doses. Funding for this training is from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health Substance Abuse Prevention and Control division.
    The Naloxone is provided by the California Department of Health Care Services and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. National overdose rates have worsened during the pandemic. The Westside Impact Project would like to extend this training to anyone and everyone who has 10 minutes and wants to expand their first-aid skills.
    Naloxone has the ability to safely and effectively reverse a potentially fatal opioid overdose. Save a life and train today! Open Link: https://bit.ly/NarcanByMail
  2. On October 22, 202 the Westside Impact Project, CLARE|MATRIX, Didi Hirsch, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health Substance Abuse Prevention and Control division (SAPC) hosted 'What's in Your Medicine Cabinet?' a virtual forum on safe disposal and storage of prescription drugs for the westside community. Panelists at 'What's in Your Medicine Cabinet' provided information on the history of takeback days, tools for parents to use at home, and safe storage and disposal techniques. Video Link: https://bit.ly/Rx_Vid_Oct2020
    Forum Presentation Slides: https://bit.ly/WIYC_Press
  3. WOW Night Launched! Great news! WIP kicked-off its first virtual "Wellness Our Way Night (WOW Night),"featuring the UCLA Shenanigans comic group and Comedy Central comedian Irene Tu. The WOW campaign is co-sponsored by the UCLA Student Wellness Commission and aims to reduce student stress, address feelings of isolation, and prevent substance use-related harms among the UCLA student body. Look for more WOW Nights going into 2021.
Upcoming Events and Deadlines:
February is Heart Health Month: Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States. Every year, 1 in 4 deaths are caused by heart disease.

Link here

CNN Link Here

Feb. 5th, the first Friday of February has been designated as National Wear Red Day® in the United States. On this day, men and women are encouraged to wear red as a symbol of their support of women's heart health.

On January 26th, during the Board of Supervisors' weekly public hearing, Supervisor Holly Mitchell presented the motion proclaiming African American History Month in LA County. For more information click here.
 
Public Health has made reasonable efforts to provide accurate translation. However, no computerized translation is perfect and is not intended to replace traditional translation methods. If questions arise concerning the accuracy of the information, please refer to the English edition of the website, which is the official version.
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