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| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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June 26, 2008
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New El Dorado County Program Promotes “Safe Choices”
Program Primarily Aims to Reach Latino Teens Who Have Experimented with Alcohol
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The El Dorado County Public Health Department, Alcohol and Drug Programs Division has recently launched a new pilot program in South Lake Tahoe called “Safe Choices.” The purpose of the program is to prevent underage and binge drinking of alcohol, particularly among Latino youth. The program is funded through a five-year grant from the California Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs.
The Safe Choices program consists of four components: 1) A planning group to help design recruitment and referral strategies for youth participants and their parents; 2) A local media campaign aimed at countering pro-alcohol advertising in the community; 3) Classes for teens and their parents to address alcohol use, binge drinking and family communication, and; 4) Evaluation of the program.
Safe Choices will serve youth living in South Lake Tahoe who are aged 12 through 18. While Latino youth will be actively recruited to the program, youth from other ethnic groups may also participate.
According to Safe Choices program coordinator, Hector Reyes, Latino youth are a primary focus of this new program because studies indicate that Latino teens report higher rates of binge drinking than their peers in other ethnic groups. Studies also show that alcohol marketing within the Latino community may be even more aggressive than within the general community.
“We want to counter these influences, and support these young people in making healthy choices, safe choices for themselves,” said Reyes. “We also want to work with parents of young people so that they have the information and skills to support their children in being alcohol and drug-free.”
Safe Choices is one of many youth-focused alcohol and drug prevention programs coordinated through the El Dorado County Alcohol and Drug Programs Division (ADPD). ADPD staff support Friday Night Live and Club Live programs at local schools, and partner with many youth-serving agencies throughout the county to increase community awareness, reduce youth access to alcohol, stop teen binge drinking, and create opportunities to promote positive youth development.
For more information about the Safe Choices program, or other programs of the ADPD, please contact Reyes at (530) 573-3385. |
