Help GASP Help Our Kids

Calling all Groton adults!

While waiting out this heat inside an air conditioned space is a perfect time to take this important Groton Adolescent Substance Abuse Prevention (GASP) Coalition survey. 

Why ?

It’s pretty simple. GASP “wants to understand the role adults play in the use of alcohol and other substances among adolescents, to guide development of prevention programs.”

The survey seeks to “measure adult’s attitudes, opinions and beliefs,” as they continue their efforts to help educate the community and decrease substance use by our kids. 

From GASP: “We use the analyzed data to develop and improve prevention programs, media campaigns, promote policy change and implement environmental strategies to reduce access and increase perception of harm of alcohol, tobacco, marijuana and Rx drugs.”

“Data drives everything that we do. We use it to measure our progress and illuminate areas for improvement in our work to prevent and reduce adolescent substance abuse,” a statement from GASP reads.

You can help them! Click here to take the survey.

For more than a decade, the Groton Adolescent Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition has partnered with local businesses, parents, teens, schools, police, and youth and health/social service agencies to advance its mission to build a healthy, safe and drug free community by advocating for programs, policy changes, and practices that increase protective factors and decrease risk factors.

The Groton Adolescent Substance Abuse Prevention (GASP) Coalition was formed in July of 1999 to address substance abuse in our community. Currently, GASP receives funding from the Department of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the CT Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS).

Its goals: 

• Help strengthen drug-related policies and laws

• Increase awareness of drug-use dangers

• Decrease access to tobacco, alcohol and other drugs

• Increase awareness of alcohol-related laws among parents

• Improve connections to community, school, friend

• Improve self-esteem and build positive communication skills

The Coalition is coordinated by Michelle Hamilton, BS, CPP,  from Ledge Light Health District and can be reached at 860-448-4882 x305 or at mhamilton@llhd.org

Check out their Facebook page!