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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 3.2 Donation Altamont Cruisersti ~ ~r J'~` ~ `V ' ~~ ,~ ~\~ V CITY CLERK File # ^ l^Q O^-'7^ p^ AGENDA STATEMENT CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: February 3, 2009 SUBJECT: ATTACHMENTS: Acceptance of donation from the Altamont Crui rs Car Club Report Prepared by Glenn Moon, Lieutenant~~~~'~Q 1. Budget Adjustment 2. Parent Handbook RECOMMENDATION: 1. Accept the donation from the Altamont Cruisers in the amount of $2,000.00 2. Approve Budget Change 3. Direct staff to prepare formal acknowledgement to donor FINANCIAL STATEMENT: Acceptance of this donation in the amount of $2,000.00 will assist Dublin Police Services in the updating of its "Parent Handbook." DESCRIPTION: Dublin Police Services, in 2002 created a "Parent Handbook" to educate the parents and youths of our community, by providing a guide to resources available to them in the immediate area. It is the intent of Dublin Police Services to update the "Parent Handbook" to include chapters dedicated to the abuse of over-the-counter and prescription medications by teenagers. These chapters will contain illustrations and information on frequently abused medications. The chapters will also include the signs and symptoms of abuse and some preventative measures, as well as resource contact information. It is Dublin Police Services' intent to help inform and educate the parents and teenagers of the Dublin community regarding this ever increasing problem. The handbooks will be distributed, by the Crime Prevention Staff, during forums, meetings and community outreach events. The focus audience will be the citizens of Dublin, with an emphasis on parents of teenage children. Dublin Police Services has also hosted a recent educational forum on this very subject with the assistance of the Palo Alto Medical Foundation. Staff believes that this has allowed us to position our agency and the City of Dublin at the forefront of this problem. Future forums would be funded and made possible with the acceptance of this grant. The Altamont Cruisers Car Club has as a matter of tradition, been an integral partner with Dublin Police Services in our efforts to educate the youth of our community about the dangers of alcohol and drugs. The Altamont Cruisers Car Club has generously donated $2,000 to Dublin Police Services to assist in updating the "Parent's Handbook." As a result of their generous contribution to Dublin Police Services, there will be an opportunity to deliver an important and potentially life-saving message, to the teenagers and parents of the Dublin Community. The "Parent Handbook" will be a valuable source of information and advice, COPY TO: Page 1 of 2 3 Z_ ITEM NO. ' C:\Documents and Settings\emc4913\I,ocal Settings\Temporary Internet File~OLK43\Altamont Cruisers 09 ParentHandbook Agenda final.doc to further build positive relationships between the citizens of the City of Dublin and Dublin Police Services. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the City Council accept the $2,000.00 donation, approve the Budget Change, and direct staff to formally acknowledge the donor, and use the funds toward the updating of the "Parent Handbook." Page 2 of 2 CITY OF DUBLIN BUDGET CHANGE FORM New Appropriations (City Council Approval Required): From Unappropriated Reserves X _ New Revenues - T)Ff RFACF R1Tll(:F.T AC'C'CIiiNT AMnTTNT Budget Transfers: CHANGE FORM # ~'~~ From Budgeted Contingent Reserve (1080-799.000) Within Same Department Activity Between Departments (City Council Approval Required) Other TNCRF,ASF RIl>nC;F,T AC'CnUNT AMOiJNT Name: GENERAL FUND -REVENUE CONTRIBUTIONS/DONATIONS : $ 2,000 Account #: 001-570-002 Name: GENERAL FUND -EXPENSE POLICE SERVICES - PRINTING & $ 2,000 BINDING Account#:001-20100-716-000 REASON FOR BUDGET CHANGE ENTRY: The Altamont Cruisers Car Club has donated $2,000 to Dublin Police Services to support the City's alcohol and drug awareness program. The donation will provide funds to update the "Parent Handbook" to include chapters dedicated to the abuse of over the counter and prescription medication by teenagers. The handbooks will be distributed by the Crime Prevention staff during forums, meetings, and community outreach events. The revenue was not included in the adopted budget. The budget change accounts for the revenue as well as the additional expenditures for the program as described in the Staff Report on February 3, 2009. Fin Mgr/ASD: Date ~ ~ O Signature City Signature Approved at the City Council Meeting on: Mayor: Signature Posted By: Signature Date: /~~ p / ~ Date: 02/03/2009 Date: Date: ATTACHMENT # 1 a ~~` G r~~ J ~# I ATTACHMENT 2 3 ~ ~a~ .Dublin Police Services MISSION STATEMENT WE ARE A COMMUNITY FOR DRUG-FREE YOUTH WE ENCOURAGE CHANGE THROUGH EDUCATION AND ALTERNATIVE ACTIVITIES Dublin Civic Center 100 Civic Plaza, Dublin, CA 94568 Phone: (925) 833-6670 Revised 2007 The information contained.in this Parent Handbook may be reproduced for personal or educational use without written permission, but cannot be included in material presented for sale or profit. 2 ~~~~~ INTRODUCTION The City of Dublin believes that our youth are our future. With that in mind, we have developed this Parent Handbook as a resource guide. We have tried to provide a summary of the services offered by each organization cited as a starting point. You can determine for yourself which organizations might serve your needs. Dublin Police Services neither recommends nor endorses the service providers. A phone number is supplied for each service cited in this book and we recommend you call for updated information. Information such as hours, addresses and services are subject to change. Dublin Police Services believes that our strongest weapon in guiding our youth into a safe and healthy adulthood is education -community education, parent education and youth education. We see this book as a tool to implement parent education. Parents must use this education as they deem most appropriate. None of the information contained in this book is meant to be offensive or inflammatory, but some parts contain graphic language. The information contained in this book does not reflect opinions of Dublin Police Services but is a compilation of information from many sources. 3 S~ I fl~ Table of Contents 1. Health Parenti 6 • Communicatin With Your Teen 7 • Peer Pressure 9 • Influence of the Media 10 • 40 Develo mental Assets 13 2. Teen An er 15 3. De ression 16 4. Suicide 18 5. Grief and Loss 21 6. Handlin Stress 23 7. Eatin Disorders 26 8. Teen Sexuali 28 • Ga ,Lesbian, Bisexual 30 9. STI's Sexuall Transmitted Infections 32 10. HN /AIDS 34 11. Substance Use 37 • Gatewa Dru s 38 • Tobacco 38 • Club Dru s 42 • Other Dru s 42 • 10 Actions Parents Can Take 50 • Addiction/Alcoholism 52 • Famil Substance Abuse A reement 57 12 Raves 58 13. Violence 60 14 Abuse 64 15. Child Abduction 68 16. Teen Datin Violence 70 17. Parties, Proms and Police Polic 72 n ~~~C' Table of Contents (continued) 18. The Law and Your Teena er 76 19. Gan Awareness 79 20 Gettin Involved in Your Communi 82 21. Nei hborhood Watch Pro ram 83 22. Mentorin 85 Resources gg • Health Parentin gg • Teen An er 86 • De ression 87 • Suicide 87 • Grief & Loss- gg • Handlin Stress gg • Eatin Disorders gg • Teen Sexuali gg • STI's 90 • HIV /AIDS 90 • Substance Abuse -Alcohol & Other Dru s 91 • Violence, Abuse, Child Abduction & Teen Datin Violence 92 Websources 93 Fundin For This Handbook 95 Contributors/Resources 95 ~~~~g PROGRAMS In addition to the traditional police services, the following programs are offered by Dublin Police Services. • Neighborhood Watch • Merchant's Alert • Bicycle Safety Rodeos • Citizen's Police Academy • Youth Police Academy • National Night Out • Red Ribbon Week For questions or information on these programs, contact the Dublin Police Services Crime Prevention Unit at 925-833-6686. The following agencies provide positive approaches to community involvement. Please contact them for further information: Parks and Community Services Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) Leo's Girl Scouts Boy Scouts 4H Youth Program Tri Valley YMCA Law Enforcement Explorers Chamber of Commerce Lion's Club Child Care Links Tim Sbranti 925-833-6645 925-556-4500 925-833-3300 800-447-4475 800-231-7963 925-462-4518 925-475-6100 925- 925-828-6200 925-858-5303 925-417-8733 6 ~~ I' Ul HEALTHY PARENTING Chapter 1 Parenting can be the most rewarding work of adult life. It can also be the most stressful. It is a job that takes considerable patience and understanding, but offers tremendous rewards for ourselves, our children and our communities. Adolescents need to learn many skills and try out new ideas, thoughts and behaviors in order to successfully achieve their goal of independence. It is a teenager's job to separate from parents and it is a parent's job to allow that separation. This passage can be a rough transition causing stress and grief for parents. "Because l said so, "and "Because 1 am your father (mother)," are never good enough reasons for what we ask our children to do. They deserve a simple, straightforward and logical reason for any request or order we give. Healthy parenting requires a plan of action that promotes the growth and development of children into adults of sound body, mind, and spirit. The following are some ways parents can prepare themselves and their teen for a smoother transition and greater success in achieving the goal of adulthood: • First and foremost, treat children with respect. Create an atmosphere of honesty and mutual trust. If that trust is broken, they must be held accountable and must earn back that trust. • Set limits and stick to them. Teach the importance of accepting limits. Teenagers are forever proclaiming their need for and right to independence, but under that bravado is a person who still needs and longs for guidance, limits and loving discipline. A teenager who feels control over parents is a teenager who is anxious, afraid and resentful of the lack of loving guidance and constraints. Pointing out unacceptable behavior with love, care and gentleness, allows for growth. If parents ignore inappropriate behavior, it creates confusion and is a disservice to their child. • Allow age appropriate independence and assertiveness. ?~ .~, • Set good examples by showing how our lives are enriched by our values. • Offer a clearly defined system of choices and consequences, enabling teens to learn they alone are responsible for the outcome of their actions. • Be available for your teen to discuss things, to answer questions and just to chat. Share your thoughts and feelings. Develop a relationship by doing things together. All too soon, teens may resist participating in family affairs. As this normal behavior takes place, be reassured that they are just trying to figure out their place in this world and trying to be their own person. • Provide a safe and loving home environment. Build self esteem by giving credit for talents, achievements and personality traits. 7 ~ 108 Strive to go beyond merely hearing their words. Really listen to them. Allow body language and tone of voice to support what you say. Keep in mind that your teenager is in transition toward adult independence. As your son or daughter is preparing to leave you, he/she is testing his/her ideas, ideals, beliefs and values. And though it may seem unkind to you, recognize that you, as his/her parent, are the safest testing ground for him/her. You represent unconditional love. You will be there no matter what. Recognize this as a time when you are most needed, not a time when you are least needed. Occasionally step back to see the big picture. Most importantly, maintain your sense of humor and admire your teenager's developing strengths and struggles. Always remember you are your child's parent, not his best friend. Conflict is not necessarily bad. Teens will test their parent and it is most important that the parent not adopt the attitude of "peace at any price." Out of conflict there is potential for tremendous growth for your teenager. Teens will tumble, fall and fail, and a parent's job -with love, understanding and acceptance - is to allow them to seek their own solution, not to fix it for them. Parents can offer suggestions, but parents must allow teens to make wise decisions or learn from their mistakes. A teen's success or failure is not a measurement of a parent's self-worth. Neither should a parent's love be dependent on their teen's accomplishment or failure. A child needs to know he is loved unconditionally. The word "good" or "bad" should never be used to describe a child....only the child's actions are good or bad. Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, "What you do speaks so loudly that 1 cannot hear what you say." What are our actions saying to our children? We, as parents, must be held accountable for our behavior, just as we expect our children to be accountable for their behavior. COMMUNICATING WITH YOUR TEEN ~ ~ ` All behaviors are learned and the first place for learning is the home. Model the values and behaviors you want your teen to learn. `-~' The foundation of any healthy relationship is effective communication. Good communication requires two important parts: (1) open, honest expression of ideas and feelings; and (2) attentive listening. Parents need to create an environment where the teen knows that, "It is safe to express his or her ideas and opinions." Parents and teens may not agree, but they need to respect each other's right to think as they do. 1~~/02 Most family conflicts can be solved with good, open, honest, empathetic, courteous communication. COMMUNICATION TIPS Effective communication between parents and children is not always easy to achieve. Teenagers and adults have different communication styles and different ways of responding in a conversation. Additionally, timing and atmosphere may determine how successful communication will be. Parents should make time to talk with their teenagers in a calm and unhurried manner. The following tips are designed to make communication more successful: ,. Listening ~t t • Pay attention. Turn off the television. • .Don't interrupt with your thoughts, but do acknowledge what your teen is saying. • Don't prepare what you will say while your teen is speaking. • Reserve judgment until your teen has finished and has asked you for a response. • Respect your teen's point of view, even if it differs from yours. Looking ~'~~~- • Pay attention to your teen's body language. • Be aware of your teen's facial expression and body language. Is your teen nervous or uncomfortable --frowning, drumming fingers, tapping a foot, looking at a clock? • Be aware of what your body language and facial expressions are saying. • During the conversation, acknowledge what your teen is saying. Responding • "I am very concerned abouf..." or "l understand that it is sometimes difficult..." are better ways to respond to your teenager than beginning sentences with "You should....," or "/f /were you....," or "When I was your age we didn't...." • Avoid lectures; instead, describe the problem, give information, offer choices, or talk about your own feelings and needs. (Try to remember a time when you were at the other end of an unsolicited lecture and recall your response.) • If your teen tells you something you don't want to hear, don't ignore the statement. • Don't offer advice in response to every statement your teen makes. It is better to listen carefully to what is being said and try to understand the real feelings behind the words. • Make sure you understand what your teen means -- clarify the message, use active listening: "What / am hearing you say is ....., is that right" 9 i~ ~ ~~~ PROBLEM SOLVING When usual venues of communication don't seem to work and a problem still exists, (around setting limits, for example) then the problem may be more complex and may need a more complex skill. The following problem solving techniques may help: 1. Allow your teenager to talk about his/her feelings or concerns. (This is not a time for you to speak, but a time to listen.) Restrain your comments for an appropriate time. Respect your teen's point of view, even if it differs from yours. 2. Talk about your own feelings and needs. Tell your teen simply and honestly what you are feeling. (This is a good time to use "I" messages: I feel worried and concerned when your curfew has passed and you are not home.) 3. Invite your teenager to brainstorm. Write down all pros and cons without evaluating. Your job is to record the ideas without labeling them. 4. Respect your teenager's ideas. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each idea. 5. Decide which ideas you plan to follow through on. Agree on a plan, shake hands and agree to discuss the matter in one week if changes need to be made. Suggested Reading Living with Teens, and Enjoying Them Too! By Blossom M. Turk, Ed.D. This is a well- written book with specific and practical suggestions for coping with parent-teen issues. (Available through Planned Parenthood) I'm On Your Side ... Resolving Conflict with your Teenage Son or Daughter, by Jane Nelsen and Lynn Lott. This is a great book dealing with teenage issues. Changing Bodies, Changing Lives, by Ruth Bell PEER PRESSURE Peer pressure is allowing others to influence your thoughts and actions. Peer pressure can be positive or negative. It sometimes encourages a teenager to study for a test, to participate in athletics, to accept a role in a school play or to be home by curfew. Peer pressure can also cause a teen to ignore schoolwork, drop out of sports, turn their back on the arts or break curfew. The teenager who feels good about himself/herself in most areas of his or her life is not as likely to be negatively affected by peer pressure as the teenager who is insecure and unsure of himself or herself. Peer groups offer independence from parents by providing an intimate personal life outside the family. They offer acceptance and approval from people in the outside world and help young people to feel confident and worthy. Peer groups offer social rules for interacting with others, and can provide confused young people with a sense of security. 10 la ~ jv~ A peer group's expectation that its members think and behave in appropriate ways brings relief to adolescents with little solid sense of who they are or what they are worth. Young people do not have to decide how to think or act when they allow the group to influence their behavior. Talking to Your Teen About Peer Pressure• Encourage your teenager to consider the following questions when making a decision in a peer-pressure situation, whether that situation is about sex, drugs, alcohol or tobacco: • Could you do what you are being pressured to do and still feel good about yourself? • Would your decision add to or take away from your positive feelings about yourself? • Would your decision help you or hurt you? Would it help or hurt those you love? • Would you want the person you respect and admire most in the world to know what you are doing? INFLUENCE OF THE MEDIA The media has significant influence on both youth and adults. The effect advertising has on the choices we make is well-documented. Whatever the advertisement, the message is designed to influence our decisions. Certain music and video themes influence youth to talk, think and act in ways that might be considered unhealthy or inconsiderate. The media sensationalizes violence through music, videos, movies and television. Television and other rrledia can be a powerful influence in developing value systems and shaping behavior. Media violence may cause children and teenagers to: • become "immune" to the horror of violence; • become more aggressive; • gradually accept violence as a way to solve problems; • imitate the violence they observe on television; • develop negative racial and sexual stereotyping; • identify with certain characters as victims and/or victimizers. Sports figures and entertainers are the most influential role models for young people, other than parents. A few helpful suggestions for parents are: 1. Talk to your teen about the messages that are being conveyed (i.e., are they selling clothing or sex?) 2. Help your teen become aware of media treatment of family values, women and and violence. 3. Be aware of what your teenager is watching. 4. Use media opportunities to offer your comments, values and ideas. ~ ~~ _::~~s-_ If you have serious difficulties setting limits or deep concerns about how your children react to television or other media, you may consider contacting a mental health professional for help defining the problem. 11 ~3 ~P rog -i THE INTERNET "Mean Kids" Online Cyberbullying Young people are sending nasty messages, posting cruel material, impersonating others, and engaging in other online and ell phone aggression. Cyberbullying can range from mino incidents to devastating harm. Cyberbullying may be more harmful than in-person bullying because it can happen 24/7, can be very public, and bullies can be anonymous. It may cause significant emotional distress, school failure and avoidance, violence, and suicide. Targets Prevention • Ensure your child does not post information that could be misused by others and communicates respectfully. • Pay attention to the quality of your child's real world and online communities and friends. • Work with your school to stop any school bullying. • Bullies tend to target young people whom they perceive to lack power and connections. Help your child gain power through self-confidence and supportive friends. Signs of Concern • Emotional distress during or after being online. • Disrupted friendships. • School avoidance. Ways to Respond • Never Retaliate! Save the harmful material. • Your child's responses to minor incidents: Calmly tell the cyberbully to stop. Ignore or block the cyberbully. file a complaint with the web site or service. • Responses that will likely require your help: Send the online material to the bully's parent that it stop. Ask for assistance from school. Contact an attorney or the police. Bullies • Deter your child from engaging in Cyberbullying by emphasizing the importance of treating others kindly online and through effective monitoring. • If your child is being bullied by others,'make sure your child knows not to retaliate online. He or she could be considered the source of the problem. Insist the school stop any bullying. • If your child has been unkind online, take proactive steps to esure this does not continue. You can be held legally liable for harm caused by your child. Peer Leaders Encourage your child to: • Promote respectful communications. • Provide support for someone who is being cyberbullied. • Tell the bully to stop, if it is safe to do so. • Tell a trusted adult. Don't Hook-up With Online Losers Sexual Predators and Online "Hook-Ups" predators target teens who are emotionally vulnerable, publicly exploring sexual questions including sexual orientation, posting sexually provocative images, using sexually inviting usernames, and engaging in discussions with strangers about sex. 12 l~fm~ lath Predators could be online strangers. But young people are more often sexually victimized by people from their own family or community. These real world predators are using the Internet and cell phones to groom and maintain control. Teens may also be at risk from predatory teens who are seeking sexual "hook-ups." Predators could also create and disseminate child pornography using their victims. Protection • Remain positively involved with your child over issues of emerging sexuality. • Pay attention to material your child is posting to~make sure none of it indicates emotional vulnerability or sexual interest. • Review the sites your child visits trough the history file to see if they are sexual in nature. Recognize that your child is emerging sexually and may be seeking information about this. Teens who are questioning their sexual orientation need love and support. • Regularly review your child's social networking and IM friends. Ask how they know each person. Ask further questions about anyone who appears to be unknown in the real world, especially someone older. • Your child must know to watch out for the online "Unsafe person Red Flags" and respond appropriately. • If your child does tell you about an inappropriate contact, do not overreact. Acknowledge and applaud your child's attention to potential concern. You want your child to feel very safe reporting such contacts to you. If warranted, contact the police. They can take over your child's communications and set up a "sting." Intervention If you suspect that your child is communicating with a predator, contact the police. Do not inform your child that you are dong so. Your child could warn or run off with the predator. Do not let anyone other than law enforcement investigate your computer. Seek professional help to create a safety plan for your child. Avoid the Porn Accidental Access of Pornography Children or teens may accidentally access online pornography. Exposure can be limited through effective computer security, safe surfing, and effective response. Prevention Make sure you have implemented effective computer security, including filtered search returns. Do not allow peer-to-peer networking software. Teach your child safe surfing strategies: • Don't click on a link, if you do not know what you will access. • Don't type a URL. Type the name of the site in a search engine. • Don't open suspicious email messages or click on links in email unless you are sure they are legitimate. Appropriate Response Teach your child that if pornographic material appears: • Turn off the monitor, force-quit the browser, or turn off the computer. • Tell you what happened, so you know it was a mistake and can check the security. 13 15~p jog After any incident: • Evaluate your computer security. • Review what happened to prevent future incidents. • Use the "teachable moment' to discuss values around sexual material. • Never punish your child. Intentional Access Preventing intentional access requires a focus on values and effective supervision. Searching For A Place to Belong Unsafe Online Communities Teens who are looking for friends online may end up finding the wrong kinds of friends. There are online "communities" and web sites that promote-hate, support unsafe activities, or encourage illegal activities. Kinds of unsafe communities to watch out for: • Communities that support unsafe behaviors and risky activities, like self-cutting, anorexia, drug use, and suicide. • Hate groups. • Gangs. • Hacker groups. a~,.~t~ • Pornography groups. Spiral of Concern Teens who become involved in these unsafe online communities generally start out not feeling very happy about their life. These groups can provide acceptance and friendship. But this acceptance and friendship comes at a price -support for involvement in unsafe, dangerous, or illegal activities. Recognizing the Risks If your child is looking for friends online, recognize that he or she could become attracted to the wrong kinds of friends and involved in the wrong kinds of activities. • Pay very close attention to the kinds of people your child is interacting with online. • Find a safe youth group in your community where your child can fit in. • If it appears your child has become involved in an unsafe online community, seek professional assistance to create a safety plan to leave this community. Do not think you can effectively handle this situation by simply cutting off access. Too Good to Be True Online Scams Online scammers try to get your child's personal contact or financial information or entice them to participate in risky, possibly illegal, activities. They could also encourage your child to provide your financial information. Protect Your Child As your child grows, he or she must learn when and how it is safe to provide personal contact and financial information and engage in electronic commerce. This includes being able to recognize scams. Teach your child to watch for a web site or message that says: "Free goodies!" "You have won!" "Your account will be terminated if you don't...!" Scams will pass through your email inbox on a frequent basis. From time to time show these to your child and discuss the indicators. Internet section source: Center for Safe ~ 4 and Responsible Intemet Use I~o~ ~o Top 10 Common Sense Internet Tips for Parents: 1. Teach Internet safety basics. • Don't share personal information like name, school, age, or address ~ ~ ~` • Never send pictures to strangers • Keep passwords private (except for parents) ~~ • Don't open any mail or content from strangers C(~, 1=~1~ • If something mean or creepy happens, get agrown-up immediately 2. Have some rules. Tell kids ahead of time where they can and can't go and what they can and can't do online. Establish time limits, and keep the computer in a central place so you can monitor activity. 3. Visit age-appropriate sites. Find sites that promote learning and creativity and that deepen your kids' interests. Check out Web sites before your kids visit them. Know what features exist -chat functions, game play, virtual worlds. For young kids, use safe search settings or filtering software to limit inappropriate exposure. 4. Talk about privacy. make sure kids know that anything posted online can be seen by or forwarded to anyone. Show kids where privacy settings are, and make sure they use them. 5. If they wouldn't do it in real life, they shouldn't do it online. Don't say mean things or post embarrassing photos or videos of other people. No cheating in games or at school. 6. Agree on downloads. What music is okay? Which video sites? Don't give your kids your credit card information. If they need to buy something, you should be involved. 7. Review the basics of smart search. Help your kids develop critical thinking -not everything they see on the Internet is true. Always verify facts and check multiple sources. 8. Talk about peer pressure. Tell kids that just because their friends are doing something, they don't have to do it if it makes them uncomfortable. 9. Keep channels of communication open. Make sure kids know to tell an adult - it doesn't have to be you - if anything suspicious, cruel, or scary happens. They need to know that their safety comes first and that they won't get in trouble. 10. Embrace their world good stuff together! When you know where your kids are going online, you an enjoy the Intemet section source: Center for Safe and Responsible Intemet Use ~, ~,,,~ 15 `7 ~ lob 40 DEVELOPMENTAL ASSETS Since 1989, Search Institute has conducted numerous studies of 6th through 12th grade students in public and private schools across the United States. The resulting 40 Developmental Assets Framework was based on an analysis of aggregated data on 254,000 students. Researchers have identified protective assets essential to raising a healthy, responsible child. These 40 factors range from family support and clear parental standards to extra-curricular involvement and strong values and self-esteem. Their impact is nothing short of remarkable. Study after study demonstrates that the more children are exposed to these assets, the more able they are to make positive life decisions....the greater their resistance to substance abuse, depression and suicide, teen pregnancy and.school failure...the better prepared they are to lead healthy, stable, productive lives. External Assets: Support 1. Family support. Family life provides high levels of love and support. 2. Positive family communication. Young person and his/her parent(s) communicate positively, and young person is willing to seek parent(s) advice and counsel. 3. Other adult relationships. Young person receives support from three or more non-parent adults. 4. Caring neighborhood. Young person experiences caring neighbors. 5. Caring school climate. School provides a caring, encouraging environment. 6. Parent involvement in schooling. Parent(s) are actively involved in helping young person succeed in school. Empowerment 7. Community values youth. Young person perceives that adults in the community value youth. 8. Youth as resources. Young people are given useful roles in the community.. 9. Community Service. Young person serves in the community one hour or more per week. 10. Safety. Young person feels safe at home, school, and in the neighborhood. Boundaries & Expectations 11. Family boundaries. Family has clear rules and consequences; and monitors the young person's whereabouts. 12. School boundaries. School provides clear rules and consequences. 13. Neighborhood boundaries. Neighbors take responsibility for monitoring young people's behavior. 16 ~~. ~o 14. Adult role model. Parent(s) and other adults model positive, responsible behavior. 15. Positive peer influence. Young person's best friends model responsible behavior. 16. High expectations. Both parent(s) and teachers encourage the young person to do well. Time Use 17. Creative activities. Young person spends three or more hours per week in lessons or practice in music, theater, or other arts. 18. Youth programs. Young person spends three or more hours per week in sports, clubs, or organizations at school and/or in community organizations. 19. Religious community. Young person spends one or more hours per week in activities in a religious institution. 20. Time at home. Young person is out with friends "with nothing special to do," two or fewer nights per week. Internal Assets: Educational Commitment 21. Achievement motivation. Young person is motivated to do well in school. 22. School performance. Young person has a B average or better. 23. Homework. Young person reports doing at least one hour of homework every school day. 24. Bonding to school. Young person cares about his/her school. 25. Reading for pleasure. Young person reads for pleasure three or more hours per week. Positive Values 26. Caring. Young person places high value on helping other people. 27. Equality and social justice. Young person places high value on promoting equality and reducing hunger and poverty. 28. Integrity. Young person acts on convictions and stands up for her or his beliefs. 29. Honesty. Young person tells the truth even when it is not easy. 30. Responsibility. Young person accepts and takes personal responsibility. 31. Restraint. Young person believes it is important not to be sexually active or use alcohol or other drugs. Social Competencies 32. Planning and decision-making. Young person knows how to plan ahead and make choices. 33. Interpersonal competence. Young person has empathy, sensitivity, and friendship skills. 34. Cultural competence. Young person has knowledge of and comfort with people of different cultural /racial /ethnic backgrounds. 35. Resistance skills. Young person can resist negative peer pressure and dangerous situations. 36. Peaceful conflict resolution. Young person seeks to resolve conflict non-violently. 17 l9 ~ l 08 Positive Identity 37. Personal power. Young person feels he/she has control over "things that happen to me." 38. Self-esteem. Young person reports having high self-esteem. 39. Sense of purpose. Young person reports that "my life has a purpose." 40. Positive view of personal future. Young person is optimistic about his/her personal future. On one level, the 40 Developmental Assets represent everyday wisdom about positive experiences and characteristics for young people. In addition, Search Institute research has found that these assets are powerful influences on adolescent behavior -both protecting young people from many different-problem behaviors and promoting positive attitudes and behaviors. This power is evident across all cultural and socioeconomic groups of youth. There is also evidence from other research that these assets have the same kind of power for younger children. The foregoing 40 Developmental Assets is reprinted with permission from Search Institute, 700 S. Third Street, Suite 210, Minneapolis, MN 55415. Please visit their website for further information and details: www.search-institute.org 18 ~'~ ~ I TEEN ANGER Chapter 2 Anger is a powerful but perfectly normal emotion. Knowing how to recognize and express anger appropriately can help us solve problems or handle emergencies. However, failure to recognize and understand our anger may lead to health problems: high blood pressure, heart problems, headaches, stomach problems, skin disorders, constipation, diarrhea, obesity, tension, anxiety, accidents, violence, interpersonal problems and disrupted relationships. Response to anger can be positive or negative. Often anger is a way to: • express frustration or disappointment; • get attention; • manipulate others; ~.'_;. ~ • place blame on someone else to avoid responsibility; • feel powerful; ..~r • encourage change. Anger is a destructive emotion that hurts others or ourselves when it is ignored or expressed inappropriately. The energy contained in anger can be constructive when it is a catalyst to bring about change, overcome obstacles and achieve goals; however, it must be used cautiously, honestly and openly. Anger is the most poorly handled emotion in our society today....but it doesn't have to be. Adolescence is that time when teens move toward independence and requires "letting go" on both sides. When a parent is overly critical or controlling, it sends a message that the teen is incompetent and unable to make good decisions independently. This leads to feelings of inadequacy and powerlessness, allowing anger to become a habit. Managing Teenage Anger • Listen to your teen. Recognize and acknowledge the anger. • Help your teen identify the cause, understand the motives and look for misdirected anger. • Help your teen decide what to do. Ask your teen what he wants to change, what he wants you to do, and how he can let go of the anger. • Help your teen communicate the anger: calm down, understand the motives, be assertive, seek help, don't get personal, don't avoid the issue, don't make accusations, don't sulk. • Some teens may find it helpful to wait 24 hours before talking about the problem. • Discussing the problem may be relief enough. • Help your teen to be assertive without being destructive. • Applaud your teen's effort by encouraging him in negotiating changes. • Use humor, physical activity and the passage of time to help control anger. • Pay attention to the signs of hidden anger- tense muscles, accident-proneness, feelings of frustration or disappointment and a tendency to use sarcasm. 19 a~~,na DEPRESSION Chapter 3 Depression is considered the major psychiatric disease of the 20~' century, affecting approximately eight million people in North America. Adults with psychiatric illness are 20 times more likely to die from accidents or suicide than adults without a psychiatric disorder. Major depression, including manic depression, often appears for the first time during the teenage years, and early recognition of this condition will have profound effects on later illness and mortality. Recent studies have shown that more than 20% of adolescents in the gerieral population have emotional problems. Diagnosis of depression in adolescents aged 15 to 19 is often missed because adolescence is a time of emotional turmoil, moodiness, gloomy introspection and melodrama - a time of rebellion and behavioral experimentation. Depression may lead to serious difficulties in school, work and personal adjustments, which often continue into adulthood. Adolescent suicide is now responsible for more deaths than cardiovascular disease or cancer in this same age category. EDUCATE YOURSELF ON DEPRESSION Depression usually is triggered by a complex combination of genetic, psychological and environmental factors. Whatever the root cause, depression affects thinking. A depressed person may not be able to think rationally or clearly and may believe that he/she cannot be helped. Like diabetes or cancer, depression is an illness which affects people of all ages, races and economic groups. The brain -like the heart or kidney - is an organ of the body. If chemicals of the brain which regulate how a person feels or thinks get out of balance, the person can suffer depression. Unlike the short-term blues, depression lasts longer than a couple of weeks. The person suffering from depression is usually not aware that he or she is ~c depressed. ~° Warnina Sians of Depression ~ . -~~ //~ Behavioral Changes • Neglecting appearance • Neglecting responsibilities (i.e., neglect of schoolwork, drop in grades) • Changes in eating and sleeping habits (eating too much, weight gain, loss of appetite and eating too little, weight loss, sleep disorders or change in sleep patterns) • Becoming disruptive, assaultive, hostile, irritable or withdrawn • Exhibiting self-destructive behavior (self-cutting), drug and alcohol use, promiscuity 20 ~~~ ~ e~ 3 Physical Changes • Aches and pains with no physical cause • Weight loss or gain • Lack of energy Emotional Changes • Emotional flatness, sadness -can't laugh, cry find pleasure in anything • Hopelessness -can't stop pain, can't see any way out • Exaggerated self-blame, guilt • Isolation -can't get anyone's attention, "! feel cut off' • Self-hatred, worthlessness - "l can't stand myself' - "I dons matte" • Confusion -can't think clearly, can't make decisions, can't get control • Helplessness • No interest in pleasurable activities, hobbies, work, socia- activities There is a link between depression and suicide. It is important to stress that what might seem insignificant to adults may be very significant to teenagers. The loss of a boyfriend or a girlfriend or other significant friend, a drop in school grades, poor body image and serious eating disorders can be a crisis for a teen. Other significant factors that can cause depression include divorce, parental or family discord, physical or sexual abuse and alcohol or substance use. 21 a3~io~ SUICIDE Chapter 4 If someone you know is threatening suicide, take immediate action. Get this person to the nearest hospital that deals with suicide. (See page 87 for specific phone numbers.) "Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem." Many normal teenagers sometimes have fleeting thoughts of hurting themselves, feelings of depression, and behavioral problems. But when there are threats of suicide or a preoccupation with suicidal thoughts, professional help is needed. There is no foolproof way to predict and assess adolescent suicidal behavior. Most people who think about suicide are ambivalent. They really do not want to die, they just want the emotional pain to end. They are crying out for help. Teenagers experience strong feelings of confusion, self-doubt, pressure to succeed, financial uncertainty and other fears while growing up. A parent's divorce, the formation of a new family with step-parents and step-siblings, moving to a new community or the breakup of a relationship can be very unsettling and can intensify self-doubts and feelings of depression. In some cases, suicide appears to be a "solution." There is help for someone who is suicidal. It is important that the disorder is recognized and diagnosed, so that appropriate treatment plans can be developed. When parents are uncertain whether their child has a serious problem, counseling and/or a psychiatric examination can be very helpful. SUICIDE FACTS • Every 16.9 minutes another American commits suicide. • The suicide rate for adolescents has increased more than 200% over the last decade. Teen suicide rate has more than tripled in the past 20 years. • Suicide is the third leading cause of death for 15 to 24 year olds, and the sixth leading cause of death for 5 to 14 year olds. • Gay and lesbian teens are at high risk for suicidal behavior. • Males complete suicide 4 times more often than females, but females attempt suicide 3 times more often than males. • Grief substantially heightens suicide risk. In the first year after the death of a spouse, the risk of suicide is 2.5 times greater than that of the general population. • Drug and alcohol abusers are 6 times more likely to attempt suicide. • Each year in the U.S., thousands of teenagers commit suicide. ~~~ '%%" Warning Signs of Suicide y /~ • Depression -there is a link between depression and suicide. `~ • Feelings of hopelessness and guilt. • Pervasive sadness, anxiety, restlessness, fatigue, loss of interest in activities, changes in eating and sleeping habits. 22 ~~-~ ~©~ • Depression -there is a link between depression and suicide. • Feelings of hopelessness and guilt. , • Pervasive sadness, anxiety, restlessness, fatigue, loss of interest in activities, changes in eating and sleeping habits. • Verbal threats or talk about committing suicide. "/ wish I were dead." "/ donY want to. be here anymore." "I'm a loser." "All of my problems will end soon." • A previous suicide attempt (and/or a suicide attempt or death by a loved one). • Changes in behavior -isolation, risk-taking behaviors. • Loss of interest in personal appearance. • Withdrawal from previously enjoyed activities, social activities, hobbies, friends. • Problems at school; change in school performance, falling asleep in class, emotional outbursts. • Trouble eating or sleeping. • High risk sexual behavior. • Crying spells. • Sexual identity crisis. • Frequent accidents or reckless behavior. • Sudden, unexpected happiness after prolonged depression. • Giving away prized possessions. • Increased use of alcohol or other drugs. • Preoccupation with death or dying. • Talking about death, obsession with music or art that features death or suicidal themes. • Verbal threats or cues such as, "Nothing matters anymore" ... "Things would be better if I weren't around" ... "I just can't take it anymore." • Recent major loss or crisis (death, divorce, break-up). It is important to recognize that the crisis may be insignificant to other people, but very significant to the teenager. Ways To Be Helpful To Someone Who Is Threatening Suicide 1. Be aware. Learn the warning signs. 2. Get involved. Become available. Show interest and support. Let the person know you care. 3. Ask if he or she is thinking about suicide. Be direct. 4. Ask questions about suicide -does the person have a specific plan? Has he/she taken steps to carry out the plan? 23 25~yo8 5. Be willing to listen. Allow expressions of feelings. Accept the feelings. 6. Be non judgmental. Don't debate whether suicide is right or wrong, or feelings are good or bad. Don't lecture on the value of life. 7. Don't dare him or her to do it. 8. Don't leave a suicidal person alone. 9. Don't give advice by making decisions for someone else to tell him or her to behave differently. 10. Don't ask "why." This encourages defensiveness.. 11. Offer empathy, not sympathy. 12. Don't act shocked. This will put distance between you. 13. Don't be sworn to secrecy. Seek support. 14. Offer hope that alternatives are available but do not offer glib assurance. It only proves you don't understand. 15. Take action. Remove means. Get help from persons or agencies specializing in crisis intervention and suicide prevention. Be Aware of Resources If you experience these feelings, get help! If someone you know exhibits these symptoms, offer help! For assistance, contact: • A community mental health agency; • A private therapist or counselor; • A school counselor or psychologist; • A family physician; (This information was collected by the American Association of Suicidology (AAS). 24 GRIEF ~ LOSS Chapter 5 The subject of grief and loss can be frightening for young people struggling with their own identities and philosophies. It's not easy for any of us to accept that all living things, including ourselves and those we love, will die. It's difficult for us to think about this, let alone talk about it with our children. Loss is affected by the accumulation of loss-related experiences we have had in our lifetime. Some of these may have involved death itself. Others, while seemingly minor, nonetheless resulted in real grieving -- the loss of a relationship, a separation or divorce in the family, loss of a favorite object, leaving an old home for a new one or the death of a beloved pet. These situations are frequently referred to as mini-deaths, and are definitely cause for grief. The symptoms of grief can be prolonged and complicated, but are part of the normal recovery process, not a sign of weakness or mental illness. The more central the loss or the person was in the life of the bereaved, the more intensely the sense of loss will be experienced. • The first reactions are often shock, numbness, bewilderment, disbelief and possibly denial for a time, even when the loss or death was anticipated. • After a few days, numbness turns to intense suffering. Grieving persons feel empty. They often dream or have hallucinations in which the deceased is still alive. • Physical symptoms of grieving are common and can include sleep disturbances, loss of appetite or increased appetite, headaches, shortness of breath, heart palpitations and occasionally dizziness and nausea. • Young people may alienate others by becoming irritable, argumentative, withdrawn, or isolated; or by exhibiting a decline in their schoolwork and other activities. Most painful are feelings of guilt or remorse for having treated the deceased badly or having had angry thoughts about the deceased, or even `wished" the person dead. Parents, wanting to protect their children, may try to avoid talking about the subject with them about it. How teenagers work through their grief depends largely on how family members and friends reach out to them. The more teens are encouraged to share their feelings, the more they will be able to cope with their loss. Acknowledging loss together, as a family, can give comfort and support even in the midst of pain and sorrow. In his book, "Talking About Death, A Dialog Between Parent and Child," Earl A. Grollman (Beacon Press, 1990), suggests the following guidelines for helping young people who have experienced death of a loved one: 1. Take the word "death" off the taboo list. Allow it to become a concept that can be discussed openly. 2. Understand that mourning and sadness are appropriate for people of all ages. 25 a`~~ I o~ 3. Allow teens to release their emotions.. Let them call their feelings by the rightful names, i.e., hurt, anger, sadness. 4. Contact the school and inform them of the loss in the family; otherwise teachers may not understand any change in your teen's grades. 5. Seek help if you feel unable to deal with your teen during this crisis. There are times when even the best informed and well-intentioned adult is simply inadequate. 6. Don't tell the teenager that he or she is now the man or woman of the house, or a replacement for the deceased. 7. Don't use stories or fairy tales as an explanation for the mystery of death. 8. Don't let your child believe that you have all the final answers, leave room for their doubts and differences of opinion. 9. Don't be afraid to express your own emotions of grief. Children need to receive permission to mourn for adults.- 10. Don't forget to continue to give assurance of love and support. Memorial services, funerals and burial services are important rituals where the bereaved receive comfort and support from friends and community. Attending these services can help the bereaved accept the reality of death and express sorrow. Opinions vary on the age at which children should attend funerals; some say 3, others 5, and still others 7. Teenagers should be encouraged to attend. All agree that the choice should be the child's. When should you seek professional counseling? Grieving persons, including children and adolescents usually return to near normal activity within a few months. The distinction between normal and abnormal mourning is determined by the intensity and the duration of the symptoms. The following signals may indicate that further advice or guidance should be sought: If, after a few months, your teen: • Appears sad or depressed most of the time; i ':.' • Exhibits prolonged irritability and moodiness; • Uses drugs or alcohol; • Experiences significant feelings of low self-esteem; ~ `' • Frequently loses interest in formerly pleasurable activities; ~' ~x:' !®' • Has a marked decline in grades or quality of schoolwork; • Continuously sleeps too much or too little or has frequent nightmares; • Persistently withdraws or becomes socially isolated. If you think there is cause for concern, contact a family counselor, child psychologist or bereavement support group. Remember, avoiding or denying feelings does not make them go away. Young people who can grieve with their families are better able to recover from the painful effects of their loss. 26 HANDLING STRESS Chapter 6 "It's a natural response to the pressures of life. Stress prepares the body to react to challenge. " What is stress? Stress is an automatic physical reaction to a danger or demand. A stress response can occur with positive or negative situations and can vary in intensity. Some sources of stress include: divorce, marriage, a new sibling, moving, death of a loved one, loss of a friend, taking a final exam, winning the lottery, having an argument, illness, money problems. How do you know if you are stressed? Muscles tighten, blood pressure rises, the heart speeds up, extra adrenaline rushes through your system when your body reacts to stress. Stress has also been called burn out. You know you are stressed when life seems like acheck-off list rather than a joy. Physical Signs: Headaches, stomach aches, tight neck muscles, trembling, nervous tics, teeth grinding (or complaints of sore jaw), rise in accident-proneness, frequent urination, bed wetting Behavioral Signs: Crankiness, laziness, irritability, anxiety, nervousness, loss of energy, poor eating habits, excessive N watching, sleep problems, nightmares, indulgence in drugs and other unhealthy stimuli How do we allow ourselves to be stressed? Everyone feels the effects of stress. Some stress can be good for you, because it inspires you to better meet life's challenges. It's the "fuel" that powers you over life's obstacles...from job interviews to personal tragedy. But too much stress can harm your physical and mental well-being. You need to be able to control stress...so that it doesn't control you! What are some of the signs of stress? All people show some signs of stress from time to time. Sometimes the cause is beyond our control. You are more susceptible to the common cold and are at greater risk of developing heart disease, ulcers and some cancers. Often a cold is your first signal you are in a state of stress. sT~~ss How can we stop the cycle of stress? .~ No matter what method you select to help you reduce stress, be sure to keep in mind these general rules: do something you enjoy, set aside time for yourself, and do it with commitment. A stress management program can increase your physical and emotional well-being. 27 a9 ~1~g Listen. Start listening to the signals your body and mind are sending, (i.e., feelings of always being tired and thinking that your life is not fulfilling.) The best way to listen is to take time each day to sit quietly and just allow your thoughts to flow. You may even ask yourself questions like, "How am I going to make my life happier or more satisfying?" The answer may come immediately or in the shower, or when you wake the next day. Taking the time to listen takes practice. Relax. Deep breathing is one of the most effective techniques for reducing stress. The way we breathe affects the tension in our muscles and influences our thoughts and feelings. Awareness Breathing: • Breathe correctly and relax • Take a deep breath in through your nose • Hold this breath for a count of two (feel it flowing through your body) • Then breathe out slowly through your mouth • As you breath in, say "I am" • As you breath out, say "relaxed" • Take three deep breaths at least three times a day. • Feel how nice it is to let go of the tightness, tension and negative thoughts in your life. Exercise. Exercise is a great way to relieve physical and mental tension. Studies show that during exercise, tranquilizing chemicals (called "endorphins") are released in the brain. Exercise brings pleasurable relaxation. Choose any activity that appeals to you. Most physicians recommend at least 20 minutes of vigorous exercise 3 or more times a week. Hobbies. Do something you really enjoy, and do it regularly, at least a half hour each day. Certain activities provide a creative outlet, lessen fatigue and refresh your mind, body and spirit. Other Suggestions: Eat properly, get enough sleep, manage your time wisely, work out anger, talk out worries, take a break. Attitude. Change your attitudes and perceptions regarding your stressors. • Take responsibility for your stress; • If you can't change a situation, allow yourself to change the way you look at the situation. • Keep a diary of those things that stress you or the time of day you feel stress; Sometimes just rearranging your schedule will eliminate stress; • Have a proper balance in your life of work, school, play and rest; • Learn not to wear other people's anger. Often times people only feel good about themselves when they are able to make others feel bad. Don't give someone this type of power over you; • Don't be afraid to seek help in areas in which you are struggling; • Look for the humor in stressful situations. Ask yourself how important is this really going to be tomorrow. Don't sweat the small stuff, and it's mostly all small stuff. 28 ~~ ~o Remember: Dons fight, DonY flee, Just flow. • Communicate your feelings to others and make sure they understand you correctly. • Be sure to eat properly and get sufficient rest. • If you have trouble sleeping, try the Awareness Breathing technique with this exercise in imagery: Close your eyes and imagine you have a blackboard with all the day's work written on it. Now imagine you have an eraser and you are erasing everything from the blackboard, just for tonight. Now imagine there are very positive, relaxing words being written on the board and as you read them, you begin to relax. You take a nice deep breath in, being aware of any areas that feel tight and tense and as you blow out, imagine you are blowing out the tightness or tension. Start at the top of your head and continue breathing in and out, working your way down your body, releasing and relaxing. (It also helps to have relaxing music.) Before you know it, you will be drifting off to a very peaceful and relaxing night's sleep. Suggested Reading for Adults• • Minding the Body, Mending the Mind, by Joan Borysenko • What You Feel, You Can Heal, by John Gray • The Artist's Way, by Julia Cameron • Meditations For Women Who Do too Much, by Ann Wilson Schaef • Your Fondest Dream, by Jim Leonard • Enough Is Enough; Exploring the Myth of Having It All, by Carol Orsborn Suggested Readina for Teens• • Fighting Invisible Tigers: A Stress Management Guide for Teens, by Earl Hipp • Making the Most of Today: Daily Readings for Young People on Self-Awareness, Creativity, and Self-Esteem, by Pamela Espeland and Rosemary Wallner • Please Listen to Me! Your Guide to Understanding Teenagers and Suicide, by Marion Crook 29 ~31 ~ X08 i EATING DISORDERS Chapter 7 Eating disorders are very common among high school students. Young women are particularly at risk for developing eating disorders -- 90-95% of those affected are female. Our society is overly concerned with thinness, making it difficult for a young woman to be comfortable with her body. Overeating related to tension, poor nutritional habits and food fads are relatively common eating problems for adolescents. In addition, two psychiatric eating disorders -- anorexia nervosa and bulimia -- are increasing among teenage girls and young women. These two disorders also occur in boys, but much less frequently. Teenagers with either of these disorders are overly concerned with weight, food and body image. Parents frequently ask how to identify symptoms of anorexia nervosa and bulimia. The fact is that many teenagers. are able to hide these serious and sometimes fatal disorders for many months or even years. Anorexia Nervosa: Young women with anorexia become extremely thin, even though they still think they are fat. Refusal or inability to maintain body weight, fear of gaining weight and disturbance of body image are part of the definition of anorexia. A teenager with anorexia nervosa is typically a perfectionist and a high achiever in school. At the same time, she suffers from low self-esteem. She believes she is fat regardless of how thin she becomes. Desperately needing a feeling of mastery over her life, the teenager with anorexia nervosa experiences a sense of control only when she says "no" to the normal food demands of her body. In a relentless pursuit to be thin, the girl starves herself. This often reaches the point of serious damage to the body, and in a small number of cases may lead to death if not diagnosed early. Bulimia: Teenagers with bulimia may be normal weight or even over-weight, so they are not noticed. Bulimia is characterized by recurrent episodes of binge eating, a feeling of lack of control over eating during binges, and use of vomiting, laxatives, diuretics or vigorous exercise in order to prevent weight gain. The person with bulimia binges on huge quantities of high-caloric food and then purges her body of dreaded calories by self-induced vomiting and use of laxatives. These binges may alternate with severe diets, resulting in dramatic weight fluctuations. Teenagers may try to hide the signs of throwing up by running water while spending long periods of time in the bathroom. The purging of bulimia presents a serious threat to the teenager's physical health, resulting from dehydration, hormonal imbalance, depletion of important minerals, and damage to vital organs. 30 ,~,:~ Medical problems are common among teenagers with eating disorders. Anorexics can have electrolyte imbalances and heart, menstrual and gastrointestinal problems. Bulimics can have the. same medical problems as anorexics. In addition, they can have problems associated with the hinging and purging such as dental problems, swelling of the glands in the cheeks, throat problems and damage to the esophagus. Activities which should lead to a suspicion of an eating disorder include: • Excessive concern with body image and weight; • A need to go into the bathroom after eating; • Dramatic loss of weight, or; • Obsessive need to exercise. If there is suspicion of an eating disorder, family and friends would be wise to have the person evaluated by a medical doctor and a psychologist familiar with eating disorders. Often a nutritionist will be consulted. Medications and psychotherapy are often the treatment. Many young adults will recover with appropriate treatment. ., ~ ~~ ' t '~ ~ ,A {w ~a '+~ ,5.w~ b .. ,~~. w 4 ,~~ . § ~~ `. f 1~ t r s" t ~~ Anvt~xi~ `°'~ ~ Y~ ` }; ~~~~ < i ~ .,~ ~ ~~ r- i:. ~ ^~ .D i ~' / .~~~ gt1~EErif~ ,t w '~~ .r 31 ~~ ~~s TEEN SEXUALITY Chapter 8 Adolescence is a time of testing boundaries, experimenting and moving toward independence. Achieving a fulfilling and loving relationship, delaying sexual intimacy, or accepting the responsibilities that come with sex can be difficult for adults and doubly hard for adolescents. Sex can be part of a loving relationship and may bring a couple closer together. However, sex can also bring up many new feelings, questions and concerns for a couple. How to prevent pregnancy and infections becomes an immediate concern, but is often difficult to discuss, especially.with parents... As parents, we worry about the situations facing our children. We want them to have positive experiences. We want them to be safe. We want them to uphold the values they've been taught. This doesn't end when our children face decisions about sex. We must constantly reinforce our values through our words and actions. With so many depictions of sex on television, in the movies and in the media, we must provide positive role models for sexual responsibility and contraceptive use., We need to give our children the information they need to make good decisions. If our teens make decisions of which we don't approve, we can still help by listening and by providing facts and guidance. Use those mistakes to provide opportunities for learning. Statistics: • Most very young teens have not had sexual intercourse: but by age 17, 52% of females and 59% of males have had intercourse. • The likelihood of teenagers having sexual intercourse increases steadily with age, only 1 in 5 young people do not have sexual intercourse while teenagers. • California is among the states with the highest pregnancy and birth rates. Among 15-19 year olds, the annual incidence of pregnancy is 125 per 1000, vs. the national average of 97 per 1000. • Those pregnancies result in about 70,000 births to California women ages 13-19, and two-thirds of those babies are fathered by men 20 years old or older. (California State Senate Office of Research) • One in four California teenage mothers will have a second child within 2 years of the first. • Asexually active teenager who does-not use contraceptives has a 90% chance of becoming pregnant within one year. • In a single act of unprotected sex with an infected partner, a teenage woman has a 1 risk of acquiring HIV, a 30% risk of getting genital herpes and a 50% chance of contracting gonorrhea. (The above statistics are from the Alan Guttmacher Inst., 1999) • It takes more than one year after becoming sexually active for 60% Y' of teenage women to seek medical contraceptive services. 50% of all ~ ~ first pregnancies occur within 6 months of first intercourse. 20% occur in the first month. (Family Planning Perspectives) 32 ~~~;~ ~~ Although teen pregnancy rates have steadily declined and teen sexual intercourse rates have leveled off, there are increasing anecdotal reports stating that middle school aged students (aged 12-14) appear to be experimenting with a wider range of behaviors, especially oral sex. WHY??? Just a few reasons why teenage pregnancy occurs so frequently. • Guilt doesn't always work. As noted by the Institute of Medicine: "Holding negative emotions about non-marital sex, such as fear or guilt, may sometimes inhibit sexual intercourse. When these emotions are not strong enough to deter intercourse, there is strong evidence that this feeling may actually reduce the individual's ability to use contraception." • Drinking -- 85% of girls surveyed cited drinking as a major factor leading to sex. (Mark Clements Research Survey, 3/96) Actually, "risk taking" which includes using alcohol and tobacco, is a reliable indicator of those who are more likely to have had intercourse at an early age. (1990 Youth Risk Behavior Survey) • Peer Pressure -- 86% of boys felt pressured by other boys to become sexually active, and 70% of girls felt pressured by other girls. Additionally, 83% of girls felt pressured by their boyfriends to have sex. (Mark Clements Research Survey, 3/96) Peer pressure sometimes makes abstinence a difficult choice. • Media -- Sex is everywhere -- on the radio, on television, in music, and on the big screen. Currently there is an average of three sexual acts per hour on television. • Emotional factors -- 97% of girls 12-19 surveyed by Mark Clements Research 3/96, said "having parents they could talk to" could help prevent pregnancy among unmarried teens, and 93% said "having loving parents" reduces the risk. • Physical factors -- As a rule, girls are maturing at an earlier age and marrying at a later age. Typically, women begin having intercourse 7 years before marriage; men 10 years. (Forest & Silverman, 1989) • Lack of information; lack of planning -- Teens need more information. They need to be educated on the topics of abstinence, birth control, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and AIDS. All prescription methods of birth control require planning. This includes making and keeping an appointment with a doctor or clinic and finding a safe place to store contraceptives. Some methods must be used for various periods of time before they are effective. Planning also removes the romantic notion of being "swept away." • Embarrassment -- Teens are frequently too embarrassed to admit to or to choose abstinence, too embarrassed to talk to parents, too embarrassed to be examined, too embarrassed to buy over-the-counter methods of birth control, too embarrassed to tell partners to use condoms. Parents too are frequently embarrassed to talk to teens about sex. 33 ~~ l08 What can parents do? Talk with your child....often....and listen. Give them correct information to make responsible decisions, then try to respect those decisions. Give opportunities for the development of a moral and ethical basis from which your teenager can make sound life decisions. Be involved in their lives through leisure time activities, volunteering together, religious activities, school and friends. Support your child in planning for his or her future. Be aware that negative communication can hurt. In a study of adolescent boys and their families, parental hostility blocked family problem-solving and negatively affected parent-child relationships. (Journal of Adolescent Research, 1994) Feeling ignored or misunderstood can lead to risk-taking behavior such as alcohol use which is clearly associated with early sexual activity. (Youth Society, 1992) Educate your kids. Supplement the education provided at school. Add your feelings and values. Discuss abstinence, birth control, STIs, AIDS. These are tough subjects, but your children need to know how you feel, through your words and actions. Listen to your kids! Seek outside help when the need arises. Schools, religious organizations, clinics, health departments, counseling services and doctors may provide information, care or referrals as needed. The Internet, libraries, friends and family can also be helpful. Videos and Books Talking About Sex A Guide for Families. -- A video kit designed to help kids and Parents get through puberty. Includes video, parent's guide and children's activity Workbook. Available from Planned Parenthood, 925-838-2108. How to Help Your Teenager Postpone Sexual Involvement by Marion Howard Raising a Child Conservatively in a Sexually Permissive World by Sol Gordon, Ph.D. and Judith Gordon, M.S.W. GAY, LESBIAN, BISEXUAL Finding out that your child is gay or lesbian changes your life forever -- both as a parent and as a person. A child's coming out can often result in a period of difficult adjustment for a family. However, this period can result in an opportunity to grow with your child and become much closer. The first and often most challenging step we must take is to accept our child's sexual orientation. Homosexuals and bisexuals are no more able to alter their sexual orientation than their heterosexual counterparts. One in four families has a gay member. Keep in mind that your child has trusted you with one of his or her deepest secrets and is the same child that he or she was the moment before he or she shared his/her homosexuality. Being homosexual or bisexual is not achoice --like being right handed or left-handed, or being blue-eyed or brown-eyed is not a choice. Even though you, as a parent, experience your own suffering, think about what your child has suffered and that your son or daughter has had enough confidence in your love and support to share this with you. 34 (~ C Hepatitis B A virus that can cause permanent liver damage. Yellowing of the skin or eyes is a symptom of Hepatitis B. Some people recover completely; some cannot be cured. Her es Avery contagious virus that causes painful blisters. • This infection cannot be cured but medication can hasten the healing process, lessen the discomfort and decrease the frequency of outbreaks. HIV Human Immunodeficiency Virus -- causes a breakdown of the body's defense system. Read more in the next section. • This infection cannot be cured. 37 ~~~~ HIV/AIDS Chapter 10 What is HIV/AIDS? AIDS, which stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome = Received from someone else = The system in your body that fights illness = The immune system is not functioning properly = A group of signs or symptoms is caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). AIDS occurs after HIV has destroyed the body's immune system. If your body's immune system is no longer functioning, opportunistic diseases attack your body, which is unable to fight them off. On average, once in the body, HIV takes 10 years to make a person ill. How is HIV spread? For most people, there are two common ways of becoming infected: • Through sex with someone who has HIV/AIDS • Sharing needles with someone who has HIV/AIDS One can also become infected: During pregnancy or birth from a mother infected with HIV/AIDS Through breast-feeding Can You "Catch" HIV? No. Unlike other viruses, HIV is not spread through the air, water, or casual contact. You can't get HIV from toilet seats, clothing, handshakes, hugs, coughs, sneezes, sweat, or tears. You won't get HIV from a mosquito bite, donating blood, sharing food or living with someone who has the disease. It is extremely unlikely to get HIV from a blood transfusion. Since 1985, all donated blood and plasma is tested for antibodies to HIV. However, once exposed to HIV, it may take up to 6 months for the antibodies to develop in the body. Since the test is screening for HIV antibodies, not HIV virus, it is possible that some contaminated blood may be donated. Is There A Vaccine for HIV? Can AIDS Be Cured? No. Medicine can treat the symptoms of HIV infection and AIDS, but there is no vaccine available to prevent the disease. There are drugs that can slow the attack and reduce the amount of virus in the blood, but it is too soon to tell what the future of these drug therapies hold. Knowledge and responsible behavior are the best ways to lower the risk of infection. HIV does not discriminate. 38 ::~~~~ ~~ How Can the Risk of Infection Be Reduced? Do not have sex! Abstinence is a good method to protect yourself from HIV, other STIs and pregnancy. You can get infected from even one sexual experience. Another way to reduce your risk is to have a lifetime, monogamous relationship with an uninfected person. If that is not possible, limit your number of sex partners and know his or her past. 2. If you are sexually active, always use a new latex condom with each act of sex. Put the condom on before ANY contact. For oral sex on a woman, use a dental dam, non- lubricated condom cut up the side and unrolled, or regular saran wrap. (Sounds funny, but it works!). For oral sex on a man, always use condoms -- that way both partners are protected. Water based lubricant (not petroleum jelly or baby oil) may be used to increase safety. 3. Never share any kind of needle or syringe. ANY object that breaks the skin should not be shared. If that is not possible, learn to clean your works at least 3 times with bleach and rinse with water before and after each use. 4. Don't use alcohol or other drugs. It's difficult to practice safe sex when you're high. 5. Educate yourself about HIV/AIDS. 6. Have yourself and your partner tested for HIV 7. Whether you have sex and whether you use condoms are decisions you can make over and over again. You can choose not to have sex, even if you have had sex in the past. You can choose to use condoms even if you haven't used condoms before. Use what you have learned about sex to make decisions that are good for you and for your partner. (From HIV and AIDS by the American Red Cross). The HIV Test It is a specific blood test that tells if a person has been infected with HIV six months prior to the test date. The body develops antibodies as an immune response to fight off the virus, but it may take up to six months after infection to have enough antibodies to be detected by the blood test. To take an HIV test, call the health department or AIDS organization for local clinics that offer free or low-cost, anonymous testing and counseling. HIV/AIDS Now Currently one million Americans have HIV (Center for Disease Control). Since reporting of HIV positive status is not required, this is only an estimate. It is also estimated that 40,000 to 80,000 Americans become infected every year. That means approximately 1 in 250 Americans is infected with the virus. Per NIH (National Institute of Health), 50% of new HIV infections are occurring in people under age 25. 39 ~~. ~ As of June 1996, over 1/2 million Americans have been diagnosed with AIDS -- the syndrome caused by HIV. Of those diagnosed, more than 60% have died from it. According to the NIH (February 1997) AIDS is the leading cause of death in Americans between the ages of 25 and 44. EDUCATION IS IMPORTANT LEARN HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF For Parents as Educators Throughout your child's life you've been teaching your values by how you act and what you say. The teenage years are a period of testing -- testing limits, testing values, and testing your patience! Since a majority of teens have had intercourse by-age 18, parents must talk about sex, STIs, birth control methods, and AIDS -- even though they may prefer that their children delay sexual activity. In their discussion, parents may want to include behaviors that are considered "safer sex" in that they don't usually transmit HIV, STIs, or cause pregnancy -- this means kissing, caressing, snuggling, hugging and touching in a loving way. • Turn off the television. • Talk to your kids, and listen too. • It's never too early to answer their questions, but it can be too late. Use age appropriate terms. • Use those teachable moments -- a newspaper article, amovie, asong -- as opportunities for dialog. • Educate yourself so you can educate your teenagers. Use the library or the Internet. • Get over your embarrassment. Your teenager's health is at stake. If you can't get over the embarrassment, find someone who can! Remember that peer pressure is intense for teens and the lure of belonging may be so strong that teens may not be able to resist. 40 4~ ~ /~) SUBSTANCE USE Chapter 11 Why do teenagers use drugs/alcohol/tobacco? Some use because their friends do and they want to fit in. Some start using drugs/alcohol because they are curious. Some want to forget their problems. Some use to relax. Some use drugs/alcohol for stimulation. Some use simply to get high. An Overview of Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Druas l~~li Young people use alcohol, tobacco and/or drugs for many reasons that have to do with how they feel about themselves, how they get along with others, and how they live. No one factor determines who will use drugs or alcohol and who will not, but a few predictors to consider are: • low grades or poor school performance; • aggressive, rebellious behavior; • lack of parental support and guidance; and • behavior problems at an early age. Being alert to possible drug use can be challenging. It is sometimes difficult to discern the difference between normal teenage behavior and behavior caused by drugs. Changes in character that are extreme or that last for more than a few days may signal alcohol and/or drug use. Consider the following questions: • Does your teenager seem withdrawn, depressed or tired? • Is your teen careless about personal grooming? • Has your teen become hostile and uncooperative? • Has your teen's relationship with other family members deteriorated? • Has your teen dropped old friends? • Is your teen no longer doing well in school? (i.e., grades slipping, attendance irregular) • Has your teen lost interest in hobbies, sports, and other favorite activities? • Has your teen's eating or sleeping patterns changed? Most teenagers will have some experience with alcohol and other drugs. Some will experiment and stop. Some will use regularly, with varying degrees of physical, emotional and social problems. Others will develop a dependency that can be destructive to themselves and others. Some will die, and some will cause others to die. Some teens are able to experiment with drugs without developing dependency. But since there is no certain way to predict which teenagers will develop serious problems and addictions, all use should be considered dangerous. Saying "no" is often part of the solution, but 'just saying no" is seldom enough. 41 ~/~/og Gateway Drugs Gateway drugs are the drugs that people are first exposed to and experiment with before moving on to more addicting drugs. The significance of gateway drugs is that most people with a drug dependency began their cycle of addiction by experimenting with a gateway drug. Because of massive marketing and easy availability, tobacco and alcohol are the first drugs of choice for teenagers -- stepping stones into other experimentation. For years tobacco has been touted as the gateway drug that would lead adolescents into the world of illicit drug experimentation and use. Today gateway drugs have expanded to include alcohol and marijuana as well as tobacco. h~'~ ~/J Tobacco ~~~~ Facts About Tobacco, Smoking and Teens: • More than 3,000 teenagers become smokers each day. Over 1/3 will eventually die from smoking. • Tobacco use causes over 419,000 deaths each year. This is greater than those who die from AIDS, homicide, suicide, and fires combined. • More teenagers smoke now than at any time since the 1970's (35% of students in grades 9-12 smoke, a greater percentage than the 25% of all adults who smoke). • Cigarette smoke contains 4,000 chemicals, several of which are known carcinogens. • The tobacco industry spends more than $6.3 billion per year on advertising and promotions -- that's $600,000 per hour. • Although youth and the tobacco industry claim that it is "peer pressure" that causes them to use tobacco, advertising creates peer pressure by dictating cultural norms. In essence, peer pressure is created and paid for by the tobacco industry. • Young people perceive smokeless tobacco and cigars as "safe" alternatives to cigarettes. However, they are just as addictive and just as deadly. • Cigars are becoming a booming industry. More and more young people are starting to smoke cigars. • Over the course of a lifetime, the average smoker will spend over $50,000 on tobacco. • Some parents make little effort to get their kids off cigarettes, adding to the perception that tobacco is "no big deal" Nicotine Nicotine is a highly addictive drug, even more dangerous because it is legal and communities tend to minimize its dangers. Cigarette smoke contains 4,000 chemicals, several of which are known carcinogens. Perhaps the most dangerous substance in tobacco smoke is nicotine. Nicotine is the substance that reinforces and strengthens the desire to smoke. Because nicotine is highly addictive, addicts find it very difficult to stop smoking. Some of the known poisons and deadly substances in cigarettes are: nicotine; arsenic, cyanide, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde The addictive properties of nicotine are comparable to heroin. 42 ~~~~~n Nicotine is a stimulant that affects the central nervous system. It can be inhaled through the mouth (cigarette/cigar/pipe smoke), sniffed (dried snuff), chewed (chewing tobacco) or held between lips or between cheek and gums (wet snuff). Immediate Effects: Relaxed or excited, energetic, dizzy, nauseated, tense, CNS stimulant. Long Term Effects: Heart disease, emphysema, cancers of the lung, mouth, throat, esophageal, bladder and larynx, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, physical and psychological addiction, stomach ulcers, high blood pressure, impaired sense of taste and smell, chronic bronchitis, and gum disease. Smokeless Tobacco We are starting to see a surge in the use of smokeless tobacco and cigars. Adults and young people perceive these as being "safe" alternatives to cigarettes. The truth is, they are just as deadly and just as addictive. Tobacco users in the U.S. are turning over a new leaf. Annual cigarette consumption dropped from nearly 650 billion cigarettes in 1982 to about 500 billion in 1992 according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. But during the same period, consumption of moist snuff - the most dangerous form of smokeless tobacco -increased from around 33 million pounds to about 47 million pounds. As a result, the nation may face an epidemic of oral cancer, warns former Surgeon General Novello. She reports that in 1991 about 20% of high school males had used either chewing tobacco or snuff during the previous 30 days. A study cited in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found that among baseball players, 72% of moist snuff users had oral lesions that could lead to cancer. Parents As Role Models Children who smoke often have parents who smoke. Children who smoke are 50% more likely than those who don't to have a least one smoker in their families. Having a mother who smokes seems to play a particularly strong role in making smoking acceptable. Children of smoking parents are hospitalized for bronchitis and pneumonia at twice the rate of children whose parents don't smoke. They also suffer higher rates of ear infections. In addition, studies have shown these children to have significantly smaller overall lung capacity and diminished lung function. "Children have never been very good at listening to their elders, but they have never failed to imitate them" ...James Baldwin Children worry a lot about parents who smoke. Among children with parents who smoke, 86% fear their mothers or fathers may get sick and die from smoking; 74% worry that their parents' smoking is harming others in the family, including themselves; 48% worry about a possible fire caused by their parents' smoking; and 48% object to the odor of cigarette smoke in the house and on their clothes and hair. For your kid's sake and your own; consider quitting. 43 y.~ ~ i~g Smokers Start Early • 90% of people who smoke start before the age of 19. 60% of these start before the age of 14. The majority of them (56%) say they tried their first cigarette before age 12. • For smokeless tobacco, the age of initiation is around 9 years of age. Most children who smoke (60%) report that their parents know about it, but only 13% say their parents have urged them to quit; 70% say they smoke at home. With the age of initiation at 12, it's never too early to start prevention. It's Time to Act Communities need to mirror the behaviors and values we want young people to emulate. If we want our youth to be tobacco free, our community environment must reflect this. That means public buildings, schools, homes, businesses, and people should all put forth the same message -- that smoking is not acceptable. If parents use tobacco, they should restrict exposure of their young people to tobacco. Teens say that it is peer pressure that makes them use tobacco. But, ask them, and yourself, where does peer pressure come from? Can it be bought? There is clearly a link between advertising and how people behave. Despite the fact that the tobacco industry is pouring money into the recruitment of new smokers, communities can fight back. Why does the tobacco industry spend $6.3 billion on advertising? Communities can take back their neighborhoods from the tobacco industry. There are many people interested in promoting tobacco free youth as a priority. Acting in concert, adults and youth together, gives a strong message to businesses (and the tobacco industry) to stay away from our neighborhoods and to conduct business in an ethical and legal manner. Set standards for your household. Will you have atobacco-free home? Talk about the danger of all tobacco use. It is illegal for anyone under the age of 18 to possess, use or buy tobacco. Anyone in violation . may be cited into diversion and fines may be imposed for subsequent offenses. Suggestions on Stopping: Quitting tobacco is just the beginning. Permanently stopping is the real challenge. Teenagers can follow these tips to stay stopped: 1. Think of yourself as an ex-tobacco user. Consider how much better you look, feel, smell and how your sense of taste is returning. 44 44~ lob 2. Give yourself rewards. Decide on at least one pleasure you'll experience regularly to replace the pleasure you derived from smoking. How about a weekly "pleasure purchase" with the money you save by not buying tobacco (new clothing, a movie, a new book or CD)? 3. Begin a regular fitness program. Walking, swimming, bicycling or running will counter the urge to eat and the extra calories you could gain after you've stopped. 4. Pick something else to handle. Use a coin, pen or pencil, "worry beads;" try doodling or chew on paper straws or minted toothpicks. 5. Prove to yourself tobacco doesn't solve problems. Reduce tension other ways -take deep breaths, call a friend, talk over feelings. Work on keeping your "cool." 6. Make it difficult to start again. Don't just throw away your cigarettes, cigar, and pipe. Pitch your matches, lighter and ashtrays into the trash. 7. Drink plenty of fresh vegetable juices and eat lots of fresh fruit and salads. These foods will help flush the nicotine from your system very rapidly, probably in a week or less. 8. Satisfy your oral cravings, keep sugarless gum at home, at work and in the car. Keep a bowl of fresh raw carrots, cauliflower, radishes and celery in the refrigerator to satisfy your desire to snack without putting on pounds. 9. Speak up when other peoples' smoke bothers you. Ask to be seated away from smokers. A "Thank You For Not Smoking" sign displayed conspicuously in your home saves you the trouble of asking your guests not to smoke. You will be surprised at how people respect you for expressing your wishes courteously but firmly. 10. Recognize that you have an opportunity to develop new, healthier, more enjoyable ways to cope. Don't sit at the table after meals if that's when you crave tobacco the most. Go for a walk or move to another room. 11. Above all, don't worry. Have confidence in your ability to quit. Your coughing will decrease, your sense of taste and smell will sharpen, your sleep will improve and your energy will increase. Soon you will find smoking distasteful; you may even find the odor of smoke unpleasant. By breaking your addiction, you will enjoy a significant boost in your sense of autonomy. 12. Don't believe you can have just one. Sometimes people fool themselves into believing they could smoke just once in a while. Smoking is extremely addictive. 13. If a friend offers tobacco to you, refuse. Explain that you have quit and that you are happy. about it. Help them understand you are quitting for yourself, not your friends. Postscript: If quitting didn't stick this time, ask yourself what factor(s) caused you to break down your resolve. Don't be harsh on yourself. Learn from the experience and say, I'll be successful next time. Suggested Reading_ • The No Nag, Guilt-Free Way to Quit Smoking 45 ~~~-~ i n~ CLUB DRUGS In recent years several drugs have emerged and become popular among teens and young adults at dance clubs and "raves." These drugs, collectively termed "club drugs," include MDMA/Ecstasy (methylenedioxymethamphetamine), Rohypnol (flunitrazepam), GHB (gamma-hydroxybutyrate), and Ketamine (ketamine hydrochloride). OTHER DRUGS -LISTED ALPHABETICALLY COCAINE Cocaine is a drug extracted from the leaves of the tropical Erythroxylon coca plant. Chemically, it's adouble-acting drug -- a stimulant that lights up the central nervous system like ashort-circuiting pinball machine, and an anesthetic that numbs whatever tissue it touches. Cocaine is highly addictive and is one of the most frequently mentioned substances in drug-related deaths in Alameda County. Description: Powder -White crystalline powder that is inhaled or "snorted," from spoons or straws; can be injected producing an intense, fast-acting stimulation that peaks in minutes and disappears in about half an hour. It is also "laced" in marijuana joints creating "coca-puffs." Freebase -Purified form made by applying solvents to ordinary cocaine. Effects are intense and brief: a 3-5 minute euphoria quickly fades into a restless desire for more freebase. "Crack" -- rock-like chunks of processed cocaine which is 95% pure. These rocks reach the brain withih 8 seconds of being smoked and produces a 3-5 minute rush of stimulation. The low-cost of a single dose, ease of manufacture and rapid onset of effects all contribute to its widespread use. Coca-Paste-- a crude coca preparation, usually smoked on tobacco cigarettes. How It Is Used: Snorted, injected or smoked; can also be put on marijuana joints or in cigarettes. Paraphernalia: Straws or anything shaped like a hollow tube for snorting, mirrors, razor blades, small vials or baggies, glass pipes. Immediate Effects: Increased heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature and metabolism, dilated pupils, increase in energy and self-confidence, reduced need for sleep, reduced appetite, restlessness, irritability, anxiety, depression, and impulsive violence can occur shortly following cocaine use. Permanent heart damage or sudden death can occur after using even a small dose only one time. 46 ~~ ,, ~ ~g Long Term Effects: Paranoia, severe depression and/or suicidal tendencies, drastic mood swings, panic attacks, an inability to experience pleasure due to changes in brain chemicals, weight loss, disruption in sleep patterns, sexual dysfunction, irregular heartbeat, seizures, chest pains, cardiac arrest, strokes, nasal damage, suppressed immune system. Social consequences such as career and financial disasters, family/relationship problems, and legal problems. ECSTASY/MDMA Common Street Names: Rave, XTC, X, Adam, Eve, Go, Cristal, Hug Drug, Disco Biscuit Description: Producing both stimulant and psychedelic effects, MDMA/Ecstasy enables party-goers to dance and remain active for longer periods of time. Usually sold in capsule or tablet form. How It Is Used: ,Can be swallowed or injected. Immediate Effects: Effects can vary with individual! Increased heart rate, faster respiration, excess energy, perception distortion. Some users experience enhanced sensory perceptions in a pleasurable way. Using MDMA/Ecstasy can cause psychological effects that include confusion, depression, anxiety and paranoia and may last weeks after ingestion. Physically a user may experience nausea, faintness, and significant increases in heart rate and blood pressure. It can also cause muscle breakdown and kidney and cardiovascular system failure. Following an ecstasy experience, users have been known to become extremely depressed and suicidal. GHB (GAMMA-HYDROXYBUTYRATE) Common Street Names: GHB, Liquid Ecstasy, Gibb, Soap, Scoop, Max, Goop Description: A liquid, synthetic drug usually produced with commonly available chemicals, GHB, tasteless and odorless liquid or white powder is a depressant that can create a peaceful euphoria. How Is It Used: Very popular at raves, GHB, which is legally available as a prescription drug in Europe, can create a "peaceful euphoria," but in higher doses can cause coma or death. GHB, frequently combined with alcohol, can be used in the commission of sexual assaults due to its ability to sedate and intoxicate unsuspecting victims. It is illegal to sell in California, but is being passed around in clubs where people have no idea of the consequences. GHB, produced in small amounts by the body naturally, is a powerful and quick acting central nervous system depressant, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Short-Term Effects:Dizziness, feeling a buzz. Long-Term Effects: Loss of consciousness; in larger doses can slow the heart and cause vomiting, seizures, and even coma. 47 yry ~~ IDS HEROIN Heroin is a drug often thought of as belonging in the big cities, or... "The drug used by the street people....the real druggies,...the hard core users." When we think of heroin today we no longer need to think of needles and shooting up or slamming. Heroin is being snorted and smoked, like cocaine and methamphetamines. The barrier of the needle has been eliminated and thus heroin has become part of our suburban, adolescent environment. Heroin is in our schools, it is in our communities and it's being used by our adolescents. Common Street Names: Big H, Dope, Smack, Horse, Downtown, Schoolboy Description: White, yellowish or brown powder. Odorless and bitter tasting. How It is Used: Snorted, smoked, or injected into the bloodstream. It can be mixed with other drugs such as: marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamines, LSD, etc. Immediate Effects: Suppresses the central nervous system. Pupils constrict, reduces normal thirst and hunger, pulsating euphoria, drowsiness and relaxation. There is danger of infection from dirty needles including HIV/AIDS and hepatitis. Reactions from impure heroin and death from overdoses are common. Heroin becomes both psychologically and physically addicting very quickly. Lonq Term Effects: Extremely painful withdrawal, constipation, dulled sexual desire, dry skin problems and itching, overdose, hallucinations. INHALANTS Inhalants are a chemically diverse group of substances commonly found in adhesives, lighter fluids, cleaning fluids, paint, paint thinner, correction fluid, turpentine, and other household and paint products. Inhalants may be sniffed directly from an open container or "huffed' from a rag soaked in the substance and held to the face. Deeply inhaling the vapors or using large amounts over a short time may result in disorientation, violent behavior, unconsciousness or death. Small amounts can be instantly fatal. Once inhaled, the surFace of the lungs allows rapid absorption of the substance and blood levels peak rapidly. Entry into the brain is so fast that the effects of inhalation can resemble the intensity of other psychoactive drugs. Short Term Effects: Nausea, nosebleeds, altered breathing, increased heart rate, uncontrollable bowel movements and urination, unconsciousness, death. Lonq-Term Effects: Seizures, blue skin color, glaucoma, sleep disorders, loss of appetite, nerve damage, severe depression, accumulation of body lead levels, lung damage, kidney and liver damage, brain damage, fatigue, coma, throat and nasal damage. 48 ~~ -~~ r KETAMINE Ketamine, a tranquilizer most often used on animals, produces hallucinatory effects similar to those of PCP and LSD. Ketamine, which has gained popularity over the last 5 to 10 years, can be produced as a liquid or a powder. The liquid form can be injected, mixed into drinks, or added to smokable materials. The powder form can also be mixed into drinks as well as snorted or smoked. Common Street Names: K, Special K, Jet, Super Acid, Super C, Green, Honey Oil LSD Common Street Names: Acid, Sunshine, Window Pane, Fry, Sugar Cube, Blotter, Illusion. Description: Tablets and capsules of various sizes and colors, clear liquid, sugar cubes, dots or symbols on paper, ("Blotter," "stamps"). How It Is Used: It can be absorbed through the skin and mucous membranes taken orally, or can be dropped in the eye. Immediate Effects: Increased heart rate and blood pressure, pupil dilation, blushed appearance, decreased appetite, time and visual distortions and paranoia. People may become extremely emotional and dazed in appearance. Lonq-Term Effects: Possible flashbacks, trails, loss of memory, chromosomal damage, depression, self-inflicted wounds, panic and psychosis. MARIJUANA Marijuana is the second most popular drug with youth today. Marijuana comes from a hemp plant called cannabis. The flowers, leaves and stems of the plant can be smoked in cigarettes (called joints), pipes and bongs. It can also be eaten. Because marijuana is illegal, no one can be sure what is really in it. People who sell marijuana sometimes add ordinary leaves like parsley and oregano. Sellers sometimes spray ordinary leaves with rat poison, oven cleaner, weed killer, or other drugs and sell it as marijuana. Sellers frequently lace marijuana with cocaine, methamphetamines, PCP, heroin or LSD. There is no easy way to tell if marijuana contains any of these additives. Common Street Names: Grass, Pot, Weed, Acapulco Gold, Ganja, Smoke, Chronic, and Dirt. Paraphernalia: Pipes, bongs (water pipes), rolling papers, plastic bags, roach clips, and "stash boxes." Eye drops and breath fresheners are frequently used to cover up the signs of use of this drug. Immediate Effects: Relaxed inhibitions, disorientation, blood shot eyes, excessive laughter, increased appetite and increased sleepiness. Lonq-Term Effects: Marijuana can be both physically and psychologically addictive. Symptoms of long-time use include short-term memory loss, loss of motivation, impaired judgment, shifting sensory images, rapidly fluctuating emotions, hallucinations or image distortions, risk of cancer. 49 ~t ~ ~ I o~ According to the Drug, Alcohol and Tobacco Department, one joint is equivalent to the lung damage caused by 16-20 cigarettes, and is four times more likely to cause cancer than smoking cigarettes. MDMA/ECSTASY (See Ecstasy) METHAMPHETAMINE/AMPHETAMINES Methamphetamines/Amphetamines belong to the classification of drugs called stimulants. Amphetamines are prescription drugs known as Benzedrine, Dexedrine, Ritalin, etc. These are drugs that alter the mind of the user and excite the central nervous system. Although there are legitimate uses for this class of drug, they have become increasingly popular among athletes, high school and college students, truck drivers, housewives and soldiers, because of their properties to decrease fatigue and appetite while increasing alertness and elevating mood. Methamphetamines are synthetic amphetamines also known as "bathtub drugs" because they are usually manufactured right in the community in a neighborhood house. Common Street Names: Speed, Crosstops, Meth, Crystal, Crank, and Ice. Description: Pills, capsules and powders of various shapes and colors. (ICE) Colorless pellets resembling rock salt. How It Is Used: Taken orally (pills), snorted, injected, smoked. It can also be put in marijuana joints or on cigarettes. Paraphernalia: Straws or (anything shaped like a hollow tube for snorting), mirrors, razor blades, small vials or baggies, glass pipes. Because Meth can be inexpensively made and distributed, it has become extremely popular with our high school students. Adolescents, as well as adults, with eating disorders are also prime candidates for getting involved with amphetamines/ methamphetamines because of the drug's ability to increase energy while taking away the user's appetite. Of significant importance is the alluring affect amphetamines/methamphetamines have on the user in the beginning. An example: An adolescent will experience a new high after using these drugs which enables him/her to exercise, complete homework, complete his .chores at home and still have energy left over, excel in activities, etc. These seemingly positive behaviors mask the fact that this adolescent is using a very dangerous drug. Although they appear positive, these behaviors are short lived and a rapid slide downward occurs (see the effects listed below). Immediate Effects: Euphoria, dilated pupils, blurred vision, increased heart rate, irregular heartbeat, chest pain, increased chances of stroke, or heart attack, increased respiration, nervousness, talkative, loss of appetite, sweating, sleeplessness followed by long periods of sleep, and irritability. 50 ~ ar l ~2 Other Effects: Physical and psychological addiction, paranoia, rapid mood swings, assaultive behavior, panic, prolonged depression and prolonged hallucinations. It was once thought that the above symptoms developed after long-term use only, but researchers now find that such problems can be induced by one large dose of the drugs or a number of moderate doses, depending on the individual's metabolism and sensitivity. Long-Term Effects: Weight loss, skin eruptions (called speed bumps), repeated itching and digging at skin until sores appear (in response to a feeling of bugs crawling under the skin), holes in septum of nose (from snorting drugs), liver and kidney disease. Overdose: Rapid/irregular heartbeat, chest pain, rapid respiration, heart attack, death. PCP Common Street Names: Angel Dust, Super Cools, Monkey Dust, Elephant Tranquilizer or Animal Trank, Ozone, Sherms Description: Clear liquid with a chemical odor, capsules, tablets, or crystalline form. How It Is Used: Smoked, snorted, swallowed or injected. May be absorbed through the skin. Avery popular way to use PCP in the Bay Area is to lace it with marijuana and smoke it. Immediate Effects: Loss of muscle coordination, jerky eye movements, paranoia, bizarre (possibly violent) behavior, hallucinations, distorted body image. Effects can last 1 to 48 hours, depending on the dose. Long-Term Effects: Flashbacks, permanent brain damage, psychological and emotional addiction, fetal addiction, amnesia and psychosis. PEYOTEJCACTUS Common Street Names: Mesc, Peyote, Buttons Description: Peyote cactus can be eaten fresh or dried into peyote or mescal buttons. How It Is Used: Eaten or boiled and drunk as a tea. Can be ground up and eaten in powder form. Immediate Effects: Effects last up to 12 hours. Effects are similar to those caused by LSD. Each use of peyote is usually accompanied by a severe episode of nausea and vomiting. PSILOCYBIN/MUSHROOMS Common Street Names: Magic Mushrooms, Shrooms Description: Round button type mushroom. Dried pieces of mushrooms. How It is Used: Usually eaten, can be made into a tea or put on foods such as pizza. Effects are similar to those caused by LSD. 51 5la('1o8 -r PSYCHEDELICS Psychedelics (hallucinogens) are popular again, at least in the high schools in the Bay Area. Although not a drug that is typically used on a daily basis, they are widely used among our adolescents. ROHYPNOL Rohypnol is a brand name for flunitrazepam (a benzodiazepinc), avery potent tranquilizer similar in nature to valium (diazepam), but 10 times stronger, becoming the "date rape drug of choice." Common Street Name: Roofies, Rophies, Ruflies, Roche, R-2, Rib, Rope, Roaches, Circles, Forget Me Drug, Mexican Valium Description: Odorless and tasteless, Rohypnol is usually found in pill form and often distributed on the street in its original "bubble packaging" which makes it appear legal. How It Is Used: Rohypnol is often combined with alcohol, marijuana, or cocaine to produce a rapid and very dramatic "high." It is also often unknowingly slipped into soda or other beverage. Rohypnol is often used in the commission of sexual assaults due to its ability to sedate and intoxicate unsuspecting victims. It is a central nervous system (CNS) depressant. Short-Term Effects: Even when used by itself, users can appear extremely intoxicated, with slurred speech, no coordination and blood-shot eyes...with no odor of alcohol. Rohypnol produces a sedative effect, amnesia, muscle relaxation and a slowing of psychomotor responses. Sedation occurs 20-30 minutes after administration and lasts for up to 8 hours. It can produce general sedative and hypnotic effects. In large doses it can cause loss of muscle control, loss of consciousness and partial amnesia. It is often added to punch or other drinks, and when combined with alcohol, Rohypnol can be deadly. STEROIDS (ANABOLIC-ANDRONGENIC) Steroids are a group of powerful compounds closely related to the male sex hormone testosterone. In combination with a program of muscle-building exercise and diet, steroids may contribute to increases in body weight and muscular strength. Users subject themselves to more than 70 side effects ranging in severity from acne to cancer, as well as other psychological and physical reactions. The liver, cardiovascular and reproductive systems are most seriously affected by steroid use. Most illicit anabolic steroids are sold at gyms, weight-lifting competitions and through mail order operations. There are also bogus or counterfeit products sold as anabolic steroids. Short-Term Effects: Rapid muscle development, water retention, insomnia, increased sex drive, severe acne, kidney infection, increased blood pressure. 52. 5a ~.~ rog Long-Term Effects: High cholesterol, kidney damage, impotence, heart attack, disruption of menses and ovulation, impaired liver function, intestinal bleeding, steroid-induced cancers, masculinization in women, stroke, hardening of arteries, shrinkage of testicles, sterility, stunted growth, immune system failure, extreme depression. How to Help -- Role Modeling Children learn about the use of drugs from depictions in advertising, television, movies, music and even from parents themselves. According to research from the University of Washington in Seattle, parent modeling of use, such as when parents involve their children in drug use (i.e., asking your son to get you a beer from the refrigerator, allowing your daughter to light your cigarette), increases the likelihood that children will see themselves as future users of alcohol, tobacco and marijuana. Parents who involve their children in their own use of drugs in this manner are setting an example that says, "It's okay to smoke or drink because I do it." It is important that parents not underestimate the impact their modeling has on their children. Helping Your Teen Stay Healthy • Talk with your teen about alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. You can help change ideas your teen may have that everybody drinks, smokes or uses other drugs. Statistics show that the majority of young people do not use. However, youth tend to generalize the experiences of a few to a universe of "everyone." • Learn to really listen to your teen. Your teen is more likely to talk with you when you give verbal and nonverbal cues that show you're listening. • Help your teenager feel good about himself or herself. Praise efforts as well as accomplishments. ("You must feel very proud of your great effort...") Criticize the ` action rather than the person. • Help your teenager develop strong values. A strong sense of values can help a teenager say "no" rather than listen to friends. • Be a good role model or example. What you do makes a stronger impact than what you say. Your habits and attitudes may strongly influence your teen's ideas about alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. • Help your teen deal with peers. A teenager who has been taught to be gentle and loving may need your "permission" to say "no" to negative peer pressure. • Make family rules. Make specific family rules about your teen not using alcohol or other drugs or smoking cigarettes or cigars. Be clear about the consequences for failure to adhere to the rules. • Team up with other parents. Give yourself permission to talk to parents of your teen's friends -- they may be anxious to get to know and feel comfortable with you. You can also join parents in support groups that reinforce the guidance you provide at home. • Know what to do if you suspect a problem. Try to stay ahead of the game. You can learn to recognize the telltale signs of alcohol, tobacco and other drug use and get help. 53 53 X 108 PRESCRIPTION AND OVER-THE-COUNTER DRUG ABUSE Prescription drugs, a category of psychotherapeutics that comprises prescription-type pain relievers, tranquilizers, stimulants, and sedatives, are among the substances most commonly abused by young people in the United states. Prescription drugs are readily available and can easily be obtained by teenagers who abuse these drugs to experience a variety of desired effects. Often these young people are unaware of the serious health risks involved in abusing prescription drugs. Increasingly younger adolescents obtain prescription drugs from classmates, friends, and family members, or they steal the drugs from school medicine dispensaries and from people for whom the drug had been legitimately prescribed. Prescription Drug Abuse Among Young People In the United States, young people frequentlyabuse prescription drugs; the only illicit drug that is abused more frequently is marijuana. According to the 2000 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA), 10.9 percent of 12- to 17-year-olds reported nonmedical use of any psychotheraputic at least once during their lifetime compared with 18.3 percent who reported having abused marijuana. Prescription drugs, which are widely available and easy to obtain, provide young people with an easily accessible, inexpensive means of altering their mental and physical state. Abusers may experience a heightened sense of pleasure, euphoria, drowsiness, increased energy, or various other effects depending upon the drugs they abuse. Young people who abuse prescription drugs put themselves at risk of experiencing dangerous side effects. Prescription drugs -when taken as prescribed by a physician -successfully treat a variety of mental or physical conditions. However, when abused, these drugs can alter the brain's activity and lead to debilitating orlife-threatening health problems and result in physical or psychological dependence. '~~~~ ~r What Prescription Drugs Are Commonly Abused? '` Photo NDIC and ®StockbyteTM The prescription drugs that are commonly abused in the United States fall into several broad categories: opioids /narcotics /pain relievers, depressants, and stimulants. Individuals abuse these drugs because they are an easily accessible and inexpensive means of altering a user's mental and physical state; the effects vary depending upon the drugs they abuse. Drug Type Common Brand Prescribed Physiological Adverse Effects Names For Effects Opioids/narcotics/ Dilaudid, Lorcet, Pain, Cough, Affects brain region Life-threatening pain relievers Lortab, OxyContin, Diarrhea that mediates respiratory Percocet, Percodan, pleasure resulting depression Tylox, Vicodin in euphoria Depressants Librium, Valium, Anxiety, Sleep Slows down brain Seizures, respiratory (benzodiazepines, Xanax Disorders activity resulting in depression, tranquilizers, a drowsy or decreased heart rate barbiturates, calming effect sedatives) Stimulants Adderall, Concerts, Narcolepsy, Enhances brain High body Ritalin Attention activity resulting in temperature, Deficit/ an increase in irregular hear rate, Hyperactivity alertness, cardiovascular Disorder, attention, and system failure, fatal Obesity energy seizures, hostility or feelings of paranoia 54 s4~~o~ How Are Prescription Drugs Abused? Prescription drugs are abused in a variety of ways. Many of the prescription drugs that are commonly abused are available as tablets. Typically abusers either consume the tablets orally or crush them into a powder, which they then snort. In some instances, abusers dissolve crushed tablets in water and then inject the solution. What Are The Risks? The risks associated with prescription drug abuse vary depending upon the drugs that are abused. Opioids are often prescribed to treat pain. CNS Depressants are used to treat anxiety and sleep disorders. Stimulants are prescribed to treat narcolepsy and attention deficit/hyperactivitydlsorder. Abuse of opioids /narcotics /pain relievers can result in life- threatening respiratory depression (reduced breathing). Individuals who abuse depressants, including benzodiazepines, tranquilizers, barbiurates, and sedatives, place themselves at risk of seizures, respiratory depression, and decreased heart rate. Stimulant abuse can cause high body temperature, irregular hear rate, cardiovascular system failure, and fatal seizures. It can also result in hostility or feelings of paranoia. Individuals who abuse prescription drugs by injecting them expose themselves to additional risks, including contracting HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), hepatitis B and C, and other blood-borne viruses. How Are They Obtained? Prescription drugs are obtained in various ways. In some cases, unscrupulous pharmacists or other medical professionals either steal the drugs or sell fraudulent prescriptions. In a process known as doctor shopping, abusers visit several doctors to obtain multiple prescriptions: Individuals also call pharmacies with fraudulent prescription refills, or they alter prescriptions. Prescription drugs occasionally are stolen from pharmacies. Opioids/Pain Relievers The abuse of opioids/pain relievers by young people is a particular concern. According to the 2000 NHSDA, 8.4 percent of 12- to 17-year-olds reported having abused pain relievers at least once in their lifetime. NHSDA data also indicate that 12- to 17-year-olds represented approximately one-half of the 1.4 million individuals who abused opioids/pain relievers for the first time in 1999. the number of new abusers aged 12 to 17 who reported nonmedical use of opioids/pain relievers increased nearly tenfold, from 78,000 in 1985 to 722,000 in 1999. Opioids are commonly prescribed because of their effective analgesic or pain relieving, properties. Studies have shown that properly managed medical use of opioid analgesic compounds is safe and rarely causes addiction. Taken exactly as prescribed, opioids can be used to manage pain effectively. Among the compounds that fall within this class -sometimes referred to as narcotics -are morphine, codeine, and related medications. Morphine is often used before or after surgery to alleviate severe pain. Codeine is used for milder pain. Other examples of opioids that can be prescribed to alleviate pain include oxycodone (OxyContin-an oral, controlled release form of the drug); propoxyphene (Darvon); hydrocodone (Vicodin); hydromorphone (Dilaudid); and meperidine (Demerol), which is used less often because of side effects. In addition to their effective pain relieving properties, some of these medications can be used to relieve severe diarrhea (Lomotil, for example, which is diphenoxylate) or severe coughs (codeine). 55 ~~~mg. In addition, opioid mediciations can affect regions of the brain that mediate what we perceive as pleasure, resulting in the initial euphoria that many opioids produce. They can also produce drowsiness, cause constipation, and depending upon the amount taken, depress breathing. Taking a large single dose could cause severe respiratory depression or death. Opioids may interact with other medications and are only safe to use with other medications under a physician's supervision. Ty;ically, they should not be used with substances such as alcohol, antihistamines, barbiturates, or benzodiazepines. Since these substances slow breathing, their combined effects could lead to life-threatening respiratory depression. Long-term use also can lead to physical dependence -the body adapts to the presence of the sustance and withdrawal symptoms occur if use is reduced abruptly. This can also include tolerance, which means that higher doses of a medication must be taken to obtain the same initial effects. Note that physical dependence is not the same as addiction -physical dependence can occur even with appropriate long-term use of opioid and other medications. Addiction, as noted earlier, is defined as compulsive, often uncontrollable drug use in spite of negative consequences. Individuals taking prescribed opioid medications should not only be given these medications under appropriate medical supervision, but also should be medically supervised when stopping use in order to reduce or avoid withdrawal symptoms. Symptoms of withdrawal can include restlessness, muscle and bone pain, insomnia, diarrhea, vomiting, cold flashes with goose bumps ("cold turkey'), and involuntary leg movements. What is OxyContin? OxyContin is a brand name for oxycodone, a Schedule II drug. Oxycodone also is sold under the trade names Percocet, percodan, and Tylox. It is an opium-based pain reliever that is prescribed for relief of moderate to severe pain resulting from injuries, bursitis, neuralgia, arthritis, and cancer. Law enforcement reporting indicates that OxyContin, which has heroin- like effects that last up to 12 hours, is the fastest growing threat among oxycodone products. What does OxyContin look like? OxyContin is available as a 10 milligram (mg), 20 mg, 40 mg, or 80 mg tablet. The tablets vary in color and size according to dosage. The tablets are imprinted with the letters OC on one side and the number of milligrams on the opposite side. How is OxyContin abused? OxyContin tablets have acontrolled-release feature and are designed to be swallowed whole. In order to bypass the controlled-release feature, abusers either chew or crush the tablets. Crushed tablets can be snorted or dissolved in water and injected. Who abuses OxyContin? Individuals of all ages abuse OxyContin-data reported in the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse indicate that nearly 1 million U.S. residents aged 12 and older used OxyContin nonmedically at least once in their lifetime. OxyContin abuse among high school students is a particular problem. Four percent of high school seniors in the United States abused the drug at least once in the past year, according to the University of Michigan's Monitoring the Future Survey. 56 ~~ 1 r~~ What are the risks? Individuals who abuse OxyContin risk developing tolerance for the drug, meaning they must take increasingly higher doses to achieve the same effects. Long-term abuse of the drug can lead to physical dependence and addiction. Individuals who become dependent upon or addicted to the drug may experience withdrawal symptoms if they cease using the drug. Withdrawal symptoms associated with OxyContin dependency or addiction include restlessness, muscle and bone pain, insomnia, diarrhea, vomiting, cold flashes, and involuntary leg movements. Individuals who take a large dose of OxyContin are at risk of severe respiratory depression that can lead to death. Inexperienced and new users are at particular risk, because they may be unaware of what constiutes a large dose and have not- developed a tolerance for the drug. In addition, OxyContin abusers who inject the drug expose themselves to additional risks, including contracting HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), hepatitis B and C, and other blood-borne viruses. e What is OxyContin called? ~ The most common names for OxyContin are OCs, ox, and oxy ` Street Terms for OxyContin 40 (a 40-milligram tablet) Hillbilly heroin 80 (an 80-milligram tablet) Kicker Blue Oxycotton Is it illegal to abuse OxyContin? Yes, abusing OxyContin is illegal. OxyContin is a Schedule II substance under the Controlled Substances Act. Schedule II drugs, which include cocaine and methamphetamine, have a high potential for abuse. Abuse of these drugs may lead to severe psychological or physical dependence. . Central Nervous System (CNS) Depressants CNS depressants slow normal brain function. In higher doses, some CNS depressants can become general anesthetics. Tranquilizers and sedatives are examples of CNS depressants. CNS depressants can be divided into two groups, based on heir chemistry and pharmacology: • Barbiturates, such as mephobarbital (Mebaral) and pentobabitalsodium (Nembutal), which are used to treat anxiety, tension, and sleep disorders. • Benzodiazepines, such as diazepam (Valium), chlordiazepoxide HCI (Librium), and alprazolam (Xanax), which can be prescribed to treat anxiety, acute stress reactions, and panic attacks. Benzodiazepines that have a more sedating effect, such as estazolam (ProSom), can be prescribed for short-term treatment of sleep disorders. 57 S~ ~~og Barbiturates and benzodiazepines can be addictive and should be used only as prescribed. CNS depressants should not be combined with any medication or substance that causes sleepiness, including prescription pain medicines, certain over-the-counter cold and allergy medications, or alcohol. If combined, they can slow breathing, or slow both the heart and respiration, which can be fatal. Discontinuing prolonged use of high doses of CNS depressants can lead to withdrawal., Because they work by slowing the brain's activity, a potential consequence of abuse is that when one stops taking a CNS depressant, the brain's activity can rebound to the point that seizures can occur. Someone thinking about ending their use of a CNS Depressant should speak with a physician and seek medical treatment. In addition to medical supervision, counseling in an in-patient orout-patient setting can help people who are overcoming addiction to CNS depressants. Often the abuse of CNS depressants occurs in conjunction with the abuse of another substance or drug, such as alcohol or cocaine. In these cases of polydrug abuse, the treatment approach should address the multiple addictions. Stimulants Stimulants increase alertness, attention, and energy, which are accompanied by increases in blood pressure, heart rate, and respiration. Historically, stimulants were used to treat asthma and other respiratory problems, obesity, neurological disorders, and a variety of other ailments. As their potential for abuse and addiction became apparent, the use of stimulants began to wane. Now, stimulants are prescribed for treating only a few health conditions, including narcolepsy, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and depression that has not responded to other treatments. Stimulants may also be used for short-term treatment of obesity and for patients with asthma. Stimulants such as dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine) and methylphenidate (Ritalin) have chemical structures that are similar to key brain neurotransmitters called monoamines. Stimulants increase the levels of these chemicals in the brain and body. This, in turn, increases blood pressure and heart rate, constricts blood vessels, increases blood glucose, and opens up the pathways of the respiratory system. In addition, the increase in dopamine is associated with a sense of euphoria that can accompany the use of stimulants. Research indicates that people with ADHD do not become addicted to stimulant medications, such as Ritalin, when taken in the form and dosage prescribed. However, when misused, stimulants can be addictive. Ritalin (methylphenidate) is one of the stimulants most commonly abused by young people. It is an amphetamine-like central nervous system stimulant with properties that are similar to cocaine. Individuals abuse Ritalin to increase alertness, lose weight, and experience the euphoric effects resulting from high doses. Under the Controlled Substances Act, Ritali is a Schedule II drug. it is produced commercially in 5-, 10-, and 20-milligram tablets. The drug usually is ingested orally; however, when used nonmedically, it can be ground into a powder and snorted like cocaine or dissolved in water and injected like heroin. 58 -o~ The potential for diversion of the drug is high because two to four million children and one million adults nationwide are prescribed Ritalin legally. Ritalin is a stimulant and typically is prescribed for children diagnosed with attention deficit/hyperactivitydlsorder. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), illicit prices fora 20-milligram tablet can range from $2 to $20 depending upon location. The consequences of stimulant abuse can be extremely dangerous. Taking high doses of a stimulant can result in an irregular heartbeat, dangerously high body temperatures, and/or the potential for cardiovascular failure or seizures. Taking high doses of some stimulants repeatedly over a short period of time can lead to hostility or feelings of paranoia in some individuals. Stimulants should not be mixed with anti-depressants or over-the-counter cold medicines containing decongestants. Anti-depressants may enhance the effects of a stimulant, and stimulants in combination with decongestants may cause blood pressure to become dangerously high or lead to irregular heart rhythms. Treatment of addiction to prescription stimulants, such as methylphenidate and amphetamines, is based on behavioral therapies proven effective for treating cocaine or methamphetamine addiction. At this time, there are no proven medications for the treatment of stimulant addiction. Antidepressants, however, may be used to manage the symptoms of depression that can accompany early abstinence from stimulants. Depending on the patient's situation, the first step in treating prescription stimulant addiction may be to slowly decrease the drug's dose and. attempt to treat withdrawal symptoms. This process of detoxification could then be followed with one of many behavioral therapies. Streef Terms for Commonly Abused Prescription Drugs Opioids/Narcotics/Pain Relievers Barbiturates OxyContin Barbs Hillbilly heroin Blue birds Oxycet Phennies Oxycotton Reds Tootles Percocet Yellows Peres Yellow Jackets Vicodin Stimulants Happy pills Ritalin Vikes Kiddy cocaine Vitamin R Depressants West Coast Xanax Totem poles Amphetamines Bennies Benzodiazepines Black Beauties Candy Crosses Downers Hearts Sleeping Pills LA turnaround Tranks Speed Truck drivers Uppers 59 ~~ ~i~a Diversion Young people rarely obtain prescription drugs using methods commonly associated ith pharmaceutical diversion such as pharmacy theft, prescription fraud, or doctor shopping - visiting numerous doctors to obtain multiple prescriptions. Instead, adolescents typically obtain prescription drugs from peers, friends, or family members. Law enforcement officers report that in some cases, particularly with regard to the stimulant Ritalin, teenagers who have legitimate prescriptions sell or give away the drug. Young people also acquire prescription drugs by stealing them from relatives and other individuals with legitimate prescriptions or from school medicine dispensaries. Illinois Students Distributing Prescription Drugs In May 2002authorities at a high school in Mahomet, Illinois, discovered that 16 students were distributing Ritalin, OxyContin, and hydrocodone to other students. The school principal was alerted to the student's activities after he received a phone call from a parent who believed his son may have taken OxyContin from the parent's medicine cabinet to sell at school. According to the school superintendent, the students were selling their own medication or medication belonging to their parents or siblings. Illinois school authorities plan to implement new programs to combat future prescription drug abuse by students, including education programs for students and parents. One proposed program would ensure that drug counselors are easily accessible so that students may discuss problems they or their friends are having. Authorities also plan to include the topic of drugs as a regular agenda item of school safety committees in order to discuss issues that emerge within the school and in surrounding school districts. Source: Associated Press, 24 May 2002. Outlook Young people will continue to abuse prescription drugs, the age at which they begin to abuse these drugs will continue to decrease, and rates of abuse will likely increase. Data provided by NHSDA and MTF indicate that the percentage of adolescents who abuse certain prescription drugs is high and increasing. the number of treatment admissions, although relatively stable at low levels, also is likely to increase as more youth experiment with and become addicted to prescription drugs. Law enforcement agencies, healthcare providers, school officials, social workers, and parents will continually be challenged to develop innovative approaches to address this problem. Such approaches may include informing young people of the risks associated with prescription drug abuse via antidrug messages and educational programs. 60 ~ia ~ /~~r "It's Just Cough Medicine" -Think Again! There is an emerging trend happening in homes across the United States. Recently, there have been news reports of overdoses and theft of this drug nationwide. What is it? What is this drug? It is the abuse of over-the-counter cough suppressants. Dextromethorphan or DXM is a semisynthetic narcotic related to opium and found in many over-the-counter cough suppressants in the United States and most countries. DXM is contained in any drug whose name includes "DM" or "Tuss." The drug comes in various forms. Most common are cough suppressants in caplet or liquid form, including Corcidin, Robitussin, Vicks Formula 44, Drixoral, and several generic brands. (A caution: Not all medicines under these brands contain the drug since most brands put out several formulations. Look on the label or "DM," "Tuss," or "Maximum Strength.") Less publicized and more easily obtained than the more well-known club-drug ecstasy, DXM's legal status and familiarity may lure some kids into taking it, despite the dangers it poses of addiction, injury, and death. Anyone, including minors, can buy these medicines at a local convenience mart or drugstore. And since the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves DXM for sale in over-the- countermedicines, those seeking a high, and especially teens, may assume it's "safe." DXM is related to opiates in its make-up, and it produces mid-altering highs. Misuse of the drug creates both depressant and mild hallucinogenic effects. It also acts as a dissociative anesthetic, similar to PCP and ketamine. Sought-after effects include: hallucinations, heightened perceptual awareness, lethargy, perceptual distortion, dissociation, euphoria, mania-like symptoms such as thoughts racing Adverse effects are many: Confusion, impaired judgment and mental performance, blurred vision, slurred speech, loss of coordination, rigid motor tone and involuntary muscle movement, tremor, dizziness, ,° i ~ ~1 °.R Nausea, abdominal pain, vomiting, vomiting of blood, Dysphoria `°~~ (sadness), paranoia, headache, decreased ability to regulate '~ body temperature, excessive sweating, reduced sweating and ~~': Q; ~j ~ increased body temperatures, or hot flashes, irregular %y ". ' ` heartbeat, high blood pressure, numbness of fingers or toes, redness of face, loss of consciousness, dry mouth and loss of body fluid, dry itchy skin and occasional patches of flaky skin Emergency rooms increasingly report DXM overdoses and DXM-related crises. In spite of these serious potential adverse effects of DXM, the dangerous behavior it induces, and the ingredients ingested along with DXM-containing cough medicines, abusers keep returning because of the drug's legal status and easy access. Its use is becoming more prevalent in dance clubs and at dance events called "raves," where it is sometimes used as an alternative for the more well-known drug ecstasy. Adolescent youth easily can obtain the drug because stores sell it over the counter, with no prescription required. Its street names include: DXM, robo, skittles, Vitamin D, dex and tussin. 61 ~~~ ~~ What Can We Do? the most important thing for everyone is simply to be aware that the problem exists. Parents should look for signs of abuse such as a child bringing home his or her own box, or an unexplained dwindling of the family's stock. Doctors can look for signs of abuse and send patients to treatment providers. Treatment providers need to be aware of the special considerations associated with the drug's availability. And abusers should know that the drug is dangerous and has addictive properties. 62 r~),~, 10 ACTIONS FAMILIES CAN TAKE TO RAISE DRUG-FREE KIDS Start: It is never to early to prevent your children from trying drugs. Building protective factors, such as letting your child know you care, with even the youngest children, plays an important role in protecting them from drugs. Show your children how important they and their family are. 2. Connect: When families come together during special events or holidays, take the opportunity to build lines of communication and do things as a family. Spend time together -eat dinner, go to the park, read together,- play a game, attend faith services. Show that fun doesn't require drugs. 3. Listen: Throughout the year, take a more active interest in what is going on in your child's life. Listen to their cares and concerns. Know what they are up to -what parties are they going to, with whom, what will be served/available. 4. Educate: As your child's first teacher, spend at least 30 minutes explaining in simple facts to your kids how drugs can hurt them and destroy their dreams. FACT: WHAT PARENTS TEACH HAS AN IMPACT ON CHILDREN 45% of young people who smoked marijuana in the past year say they learned nothing about the risks of marijuana use from their parents. Only 27% of young people who smoked marijuana in the last year say they learned a lot about the risks from their parents 5. Care: Throughout the year spend a few minutes each day telling and showing your children that you care. Make sure they know you care that they are drug-free. Explain to your child that you are always there for them - no matter what happens. Make sure they know to come to you first for help or information. The extended family plays a major role in influencing a child's life. FACT: PARENTS MAKE A DIFFERENCE 65% of children ages 13 to 17 say that a great risk of marijuana use is that it would upset their parents. 80% of children ages 13 to 17 say that an important reason for not smoking marijuana is that their parents would lose respect for them and pride in their actions. A 1993 Newsweek survey of youth ages 11 to 17 found that parents (86%), grandparents (56%) have the greatest influence on young people -more than, for example, television, movies and music (22%). 63 ~3 ~ lab 6. Be Aware: Look for the warning signs that your child may be developing a substance abuse problem and get help before the problem occurs. Your pediatrician can help. Read the sections in this book that describe warning signs. Stay informed; educate yourself. 7. Learn: Children today are sophisticated. In order to educate your child about the danger of drugs, you need to educate yourself first. In many cases, you and your child can learn side-by-side about the risks drugs pose. 8. Set Limits: By setting limits on what is acceptable behavior you show your children you care and help guide them to a safer, drug-free future. Declare .limits -this family doesn't do drugs. Enforce these limits - if you say no drinking and driving, it applies to parents too. Be consistent. 9. Get Involved: Effective prevention extends beyond the home into the community. Get involved in your community. Ensure that your community's streets, playgrounds and schools are safe and drug-free. Start or join a community watch group or community anti-drug coalition. Become active in the PTA. Get involved in your church, synagogue, or faith. 10. Lead: Young people are as aware of what you do, as much as what you say. Don't just say the right things, do the right things. Don't drive drugged or drunk, don't let your friends drive impaired - set a good example. If you, yourself, have a substance abuse .problem, use the support of your loved ones to get help. Sources for this information include: Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA); National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA); Alcohol, Drug Abuse & Mental Health Association; Partnership for aDrug-Free America. HELP IS AVAILABLE ON THE NET One of the most informative and current sites is: drugfreeamerica.org Other sites to "surf' for information on the web: whitehousedrugpolicy.gov health.org nida.nih.gov samhsa.gov Call Drug Policy Information Clearinghouse for information: 1-800-666-3332 Ask for the new Growing Up Drug Free Parents Guide. Call the hotlines for help: 1-800-662-HELP or 1-800-821-HELP 64 64 oP ~ oS ADDICTION -ALCOHOLISM Addiction is defined as continued use despite adverse consequences. This means if problems occur as a result of a person's substance use, and he continues to use that substance anyway, he has an addiction. The most common model for how addiction happens is: (1) experimentation; (2) tolerance builds, more regular use; (3) daily preoccupation; and (4) dependency/addiction. Keep in mind that it's not just how an individual drinks/uses, or even why they drink/use, but who is doing the drinking/using that helps determine if this person is becoming addicted. Research has shown validity to the theory that alcohol addiction is a disease that's passed down through the genes. Whether it's genetics or environment, statistics have shown that children of alcoholics have a 50% higher chance of becoming addicted than those children who do not have addiction within the family system. Caution: If there is alcoholism or other drug use present in your family, chances are high that you will become addicted too. The probability of this happening increases if the use of "gateway' drugs has been used at an early age. Can anyone become addicted? Yes! The length of time needed to develop addiction may vary. Because of the complicated way that the brain and its chemicals work together, addiction can occur with continued, regular use of mind/mood altering chemicals. There are other contributing factors that help define addiction such as: social, economic, emotional and cultural influences. Additionally, the mere act of drinking becomes a habit. If an alcoholic is to have any chance at continuous sobriety, the process of recovery needs to address the physical, mental and emotional aspects of the individual's life. So, what does it really mean to be an alcoholic/addict? Who is affected? It's been said that the alcoholic's behavior affects a minimum of 12 people in a very significant, destructive way. Alcoholism is not just a disease that affects livers, it's a disease that affects families. • In 90% of all child abuse cases, alcohol is a significant problem. • Children of alcoholics are frequently victims of child abuse, incest, neglect and violence. • Children of alcoholics are prone to experience a range of psychological difficulties, including: learning disabilities, low self-esteem, anxiety and fear, eating disorders, depression, attempted and completed suicides, and other compulsive, obsessive behavior. 65 ~.~ ~~Jn~ ALCOHOL Why do some people drink socially, and others become alcoholics? Can anyone become an alcoholic? What is addiction anyway? How does a person know that he or she has crossed the line from use to abuse? If you have alcohol or drug addiction in your family, who is affected, and in what way? Alcohol use is common in our society and widely accepted in our culture. What is not commonly known or accepted is that alcohol is a drug. In fact, there are 15 million Americans addicted to alcohol. It is the most commonly used and abused drug in America. It is the drug of choice for most people, especially teenagers. The effects of this chemical depend a lot on the drinker. Some teenagers are more at risk than others to develop alcohol and other drug-related problems. Highest on the list are those teenagers with a family history of substance abuse problems. Alcohol is classified as a depressant -- in the same drug class as a barbiturate or tranquilizer -- as it puts the brain to sleep. Immediate Effects of Alcohol Use: Euphoria, mild relaxed feeling, loss of inhibitions, impaired judgment, altered perception, and depression of the central nervous system (CNS) which causes slurred speech, blurry or double vision and loss of coordination. Long Term Effects of Alcohol Use: Heart disease, high blood pressure, liver /brain /kidney / and stomach damage, circulatory problems, seizures and more. Effect of Alcohol Overdose: Unconsciousness, respiratory failure and death. Alcohol is the most popular drug -among youth and adults in our country. Alcohol is also one of the most deadly drugs available to our youth today. The leading cause of death for teens in this country is alcohol related traffic accidents. It's a fallacy for parents to believe it's okay to let teens drink as long as they do it responsibly and don't drive. Alcohol may permanently stop the development of the hypothalamus -- part of the brain -- in growing adolescents. Addiction often occurs more quickly in bodies that are still growing. It can happen in months! Facts for Families: • Alcohol is a drug. • Beer, wine and liquor all contain alcohol. • Alcohol is a "downer," like sleeping pills. • Alcohol causes changes in a person's body and mind. • People can become addicted to alcohol. • Alcoholism is a disease. • Alcoholism runs in families. 66 ~~ ~,~ Realities of Alcohol Use/Abuse: • Every 23 minutes a child between the ages of 15 and 19 will die as a direct result of alcohol. • 20 million Americans suffer from alcoholism or alcohol related problems. • Alcohol is the direct or indirect cause of over 95,000 deaths each year. • 3 million teenagers show signs of problem drinking. • Children of alcoholic parents are 50% more likely to become addicts than others. • Only about 5% of all alcoholics end up on the streets. Most alcoholics have families, jobs, a home, a car...they often appear to have no problems at all; but 1 in 4 families are affected by alcoholism. • Alcoholics hurt their families, friends, co-workers and strangers on the road. Alcoholism is very prevalent: • One out of 4 school age children comes from an alcoholic home. • An estimated 28 million Americans have at least one alcoholic parent. • More than 30% of all children of alcoholics grow up and marry alcoholics. Alcoholism Affects Everyone In The Family • The alcoholic doesn't want to hurt anyone. But loved ones -- husbands, wives and the kids --all feel the effect of the disease. • In families with alcoholism, there are often fights, problems with money and lots of stress. Many times there's also violence. • It may be hard to admit that someone you love has a problem with alcohol. But remember that the alcoholic is sick. • Alcoholism is a treatable disease. Alcoholics get better when they stop drinking. Often, for children of alcoholics, alcohol and drugs look like a way to forget, to find some relief. Unfortunately, too many look for an "instant fix" with no lasting benefits. Often, they will continue the patterns of abuse that will inevitably lead to their own problems with addiction. Thus, the cycle continues. In an alcoholic home, members of the family will adopt ways of behaving that help them to cope with the unpredictable, and sometimes chaotic activity that takes place. These coping skills, such as making excuses for the alcoholic, cover up deeper problems. The problems remain invisible due to coping behavior that becomes socially acceptable. Help is needed for both the alcoholic and all members present in the home. These are not simple problems to fix, but millions of alcoholics and those affected by the alcoholics, are offered a wide range of services. Many books have been written on the . subject of addiction and recovery. There are support groups such as Alanon (for teens), ACA (Adult Children of Alcoholics) as well as private therapists who specialize in helping the alcoholic and his or her family. 67 ~~ ~,o~ Warninq Signs of Alcohol Problems: • Using alcohol to deal with problems. • Having to drink more and more to get the same high. • Hiding how much you drink. - • Forgetting things when you drink. • Getting angry when someone complains about your drinking. • Having trouble stopping after the first drink. • Using alcohol to control the highs and lows of other drugs. Warninq Siqns of Possible Chemical Dependency Possible warning signs of adolescent chemical dependency usually appear in clusters, and include: • Withdrawal from usual friends or family • Drop in grades, or other problems at school • Questionable new friends • Money or other items missing from home • Dramatic emotional highs and lows, or frequent bad temper • Sudden changes in appearance, weight or hygiene • Secretive, lying or manipulative behavior • Obvious intoxication or drug high: giddiness, dilated or contracted pupils, slurred speech, coordination problems • Presence of paraphernalia: Cigarette papers, mirrors and razor blades, pipes, non-prescription pills, alcohol flasks • Rebellion against authority or brushes with the law Suggested Reading: • Under the Influence, J. Milan • !t Will Never Happen To Me, by Claudia Black • Adult Children of Alcoholics, by Janet Geringer Waititz • Co-Dependent No More, by Melody Beattie 68 ~~ ~~ Don't Drink and Drive! Please Don't! I went to a party, Mum, I remembered what you said. You told me not to drink, Mum, so I drank coke instead. I really felt proud inside, Mum, the way you said I would. I didn't drink and drive, Mum, even though the others said I should. I know I did the right think, Mum, I know you are always right. Now the party is finally ending, Mum, as everyone is driving out of sight. As I got into my car, Mum, I knew I'd get home in one piece. Because of the way you raised me, so responsible and sweet. I started to drive away, Mum, but as I pulled out into the road, The other car didn't see me, Mum, and hit me like a load. As I lay there on the pavement, Mum, I heard the policeman say, The other guy is drunk, Mum, and now I'm the one who will pay. I'm lying here dying, Mum, I wish you'd get here soon. How could this happen to me, Mum? My life just burst like a balloon. There is blood all around me, Mum, and most of it is mine. I hear the paramedic say, Mum, I'll die in short time. I just wanted to tell you, Mum, I swear I didn't drink. It was the others, Mum, the others didn't think. He was probably at the same party as I. The only difference is, he drank and I will die. Why do people drink, Mum? It can ruin your whole life. I'm feeling sharp pains now. Pains just like a knife. The guy who hit me is walking, Mum, and I don't think it's fair. I'm lying here dying and all he can do is stare. Tell my brother not to cry, Mum. Tell Daddy to be brave. And when I go to heaven, Mum, put "daddy's girl" on my grave. Someone should have told him, Mum, not to drink and drive. If only they had told him, Mum, I would still be alive. My breath is getting shorter, Mum, I'm becoming very scared. Please don't cry forme, Mum, when I needed you, you were always there. I have one last question, Mum, before I say goodbye. I didn't drink and drive, so why am I the one to die? 69 ~~ I~~ -) FAMILY AGREEMENT The following agreement was developed by Partnership for aDrug-Free Contra Costa. Its placement in this Handbook is simply in response to requests from parents for suggestions. It is not a legal, binding document. It is merely a family agreement to support each other around substance use issues. Dublin Police Services recommends that you use this as a guide for discussing substance use in a family meeting. FAMILY SUBSTANCE ABUSE AGREEMENT As a Family: We agree to learn as much as possible about the effects of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs; to discuss these issues openly; and to share our concerns about peer pressure and self-destructive behavior. We commit ourselves to mutual support, love and seeking joy in healthy life practices. We agree to obey the drinking and driving laws: If any of us have consumed more than one drink per hour, we will call a sober driver to get us home safely. As a Parent: agree to discuss and develop a clear position about alcohol, tobacco and other drug use with my children. I will set an example that can be followed by my children and will not confuse them with double standards. will not conduct myself in an illegal manner with regard to the use of alcohol or other drugs. If I am contacted by a member of my family who finds himself or herself in a dangerous or potentially dangerous situation, I will respond in a supportive manner. I am open to being contacted at any time of the day or night. I will then be open to discussing the situation with them at a later time. I will not serve or permit youth under legal drinking age to drink alcohol or use illegal drugs, including tobacco, in my home. I welcome. communication with other parents regarding our son's or daughter's activities. As a Youth: If I ever find myself in a dangerous or potentially dangerous situation, in regard to substance abuse, I will know that you are open to my calling you for guidance or help, at any time of the day or night. commit myself not to endanger my well-being by using alcohol, tobacco or other drugs. 1 agree that I will not accept a ride with anyone who is under the influence of alcohol or other drugs. Parent Youth Date: 70 ~~ ivy .~ RAVES Chapter 12 High energy, all-night dance parties and clubs known as "raves," which feature dance music with a fast, pounding beat arid choreographed laser programs, have become increasingly popular over the last decade, particularly among teenagers and young adults. Rave parties and clubs are now found throughout the United States and in countries around the world. Raves are held either in permanent dance clubs or at temporary venues set up for a single weekend event in abandoned warehouses, open fields, or empty buildings. Attendance can range from 30 "ravers" in a small club to tens of thousands in a sports stadium or open field. Whiel techno music and light shows are essential to raves, drugs such as MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine), ketamine; GHB (gamma- hydroxybutyrate), Rohypnol, and LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide), have become an integral component of the rave culture. Capitalizing on the growing popularity of raves, specialized industries were developed to market clothes, toys, drugs, and music. Private clubs and secret locations were replaced by stadium venues with off-duty police security. Today's raves are characterized by high entrance fees, extensive drug use, exorbitantly priced bottled water, very dark and often dangerously overcrowded dance floors, and "chill rooms," where teenage ravers go to cool down and often engage in open sexual activity. Many club owners and promoters provide bottled water and sports drinks to manage hyperthermia and dehydration; pacifiers to prevent involuntary teeth clenching; and menthol nasal inhalers, chemical lights, and neon glow sticks to enhance the effects of MDMA. Rave Promotion The flyers or Internet advertisements typically provide only the name of the city where the rave will be held and a phone number for additional information. The location of the rave often is given to the caller over the telephone, but many promoters further maintain secrecy by providing only a location, called a "map point," where ravers go the night of the rave. At the map point, ravers are told the actual location of the rave. The map point is usually a record or clothing store within a 20-minute drive of the rave. Rave Clothina and Paraphernalia Many young ravers wear distinctive clothing and carry paraphernalia commonly associated with club drug use and the rave culture. Ravers dress for comfort. They usually wear lightweight, loose-fitting clothes and dress in layers, allowing them to remove clothing as they become overheated from dancing for hours. Many wear loose shorts or very wide-legged or baggy pants. Ravers wear T-shirts, bikini tops, tank tops, tube tops, and open-back halter tops to help keep cool. After hours of dancing and often after using MDMA -which elevates body temperature -many ravers have removed most of their clothing. 71 ~~ ~ ion Some ravers, especially females, wear costumes to rave events, dressing as princesses, cartoon characters, or other fantasy figures that match the theme of the rave (e.g., futuristic, space, mystic). Ravers often wear bright accessories like bracelets, necklaces, and earrings made of either plastic beads or pill-shaped sugar candies. MDMA users sometimes use these accessories to disguise their drugs, stringing MDMA tablets mixed with the candies. Many ravers chew on baby pacifiers or lollipops to offset the effects of involuntary teeth grinding caused by MDMA. Pacifiers are worn around the user's neck, often on plastic beaded necklaces. Many people bring various items to rave events to enhance the effects of MDMA. Ravers use bright chemical lights and flashing lights to heighten the hallucinogenic properties of MDMA and the visual distortions brought on by its use. Chemical glow sticks, bracelets, and necklaces are commonly worn at raves and waved in the eyes of MDMA users for visual stimulus. Ravers often insert flashing red lights in their belly buttons (held in place with a mild adhesive) and pin blinking lights in the shape of hearts, stars, and animals to their clothing to provide additional visual stimulation to MDMA users. Ravers that use MDMA often wear painter's masks with menthol vapor rub applied to the inside of the mask. MDMA users believe that by inhaling the menthol fumes, they are enhancing the effects of the drug. They may be adding to their risk of hyperthermia, however, because the fumes cause eyes and nasal passages to dry out. For further information on Raves you can log on to: NCJRS.gov -type in "raves" in the site search window 72 ~~ VIOLENCE Chapter 13 2 Teens from Neighboring Community Assaulted by 14 Teens Stemming From Dispute Over Girlfriend: 1 Ends Up in Hospital Following a Football Game, An Innocent Teen is Brutally Beaten by 9 Other Teens 7th Grader is Physically Aggressive Towards Mother Because He Can't Go Out 16-Year Old Drug User Repeatedly Punches Holes In Walls and Kicks in Doors; Traumatizes Siblings; Mother Feels Hopeless These actual incidents are examples of what is happening in the Tri Valley -- showing that we are not immune to the national trend of escalating juvenile violence. This trend is often fueled by drug or alcohol use. Studies show there is a direct relationship between substance use and aggression. The ugly face of violence is changing, and it is spreading. What once was considered a problem almost exclusive to under-educated, poor, inner-city youth is spreading to the suburbs and rural communities. This new wave of violence has a different face and a different character. There is a clear link between substance use and violence. Local law enforcement statistics show that most incidents ofjuvenile violence occur immediately following or during the use of alcohol and/or other drugs. Risk Factors Poverty no longer is a crucial denominator. Numerous research studies have concluded that a complex interaction or combination of factors leads to an increased risk of violent behavior in children and adolescents. Certain environments or stressful situations can trigger aggression and violence for those children who are at risk. These risk factors include: Depression; • Lack of positive coping skills; • Lack of positive role modeling; • Changing family structures (marital break-up, lack of extended family support, both parents working outside the home, blended families, single parenting families); • Previous aggressive or violent behavior; • Being a victim of physical abuse and/or sexual abuse; • Exposure to violence in the home and/or community; • Media desensitizing of violence (via TV, movies, video games, Internet, some music); • Substance use (alcohol and/or other drugs); 73 ~~~~og Genetic pre-disposition Financial stressors (severe deprivation, unemployment, money problems, pressures to live beyond your means, etc.); Presence of firearms or other weapons in home. Research studies have shown that much violent behavior can be decreased or even prevented if the above risk factors are significantly reduced or eliminated, particularly by dramatically decreasing the exposure of children and adolescents to violence in the home, community, and through the media. Clearly, violence leads to violence Children as young as preschoolers can show violent behavior. Violent behavior in a child at any age always needs to be taken seriously. It should not be dismissed as "just a phase they're going through!" or something they will outgrow. Addressing problems early in the child's life could give them the help they need to prevent future acts of violence. Early Warning Signs: Recognizing your child is vulnerable is the first step. Recognizing behavior that would be considered an early warning sign is the next step. Exhibiting any of these early warning signs is a cry for help and should not be ignored. • Frequent displays of uncontrolled or inappropriate anger; • Patterns of impulsive and chronic hitting, intimidating, and bullying behaviors; • Frequent fighting with other children in school; • Reaction to disappointments, criticism, or teasing with extreme or intense anger, blame, or revenge; • Serious threats of violence; • Vandalism or intentional destruction of property within the home; • Few friends, and often rejected by other children because of his or her behavior; • Insensitivity to the feelings or rights of others; • Intolerance for differences and prejudicial attitudes; • Excessive feelings of isolation, of being alone or of being picked on or persecuted; • Excessive feelings of rejection; • Consistent refusal to listen to adults; • Friendships with other children known to be unruly or aggressive; • Fascination in violent television shows, movies, video games or music; • Prior victim of violence; • History of discipline problems; • Expression of violence in writings and/or drawings; • Cruel or violent behavior toward pets or other animals; 74 /~ • Fire setting; • Alcohol and/or other drug use; • Interest in gangs or mimicking gang behavior (gang wannabes); • Inappropriate access to, possession of, and use of firearms or other weapons. Imminent Warnina Sians No single warning sign can predict that a dangerous act will occur, but imminent warning signs may indicate that a person is very close to behaving in a way that is potentially dangerous to self and/or to others and require an immediate response. Imminent warning signs usually are presented as a sequence of overt, serious, hostile behaviors or threats directed at others. Imminent warning signs may include: • Severe anger or rage for seemingly minor reasons; • Severe destruction of property within the home; • Serious physical fighting with peers or family members; • Chronic vandalism; • Detailed threats of lethal violence; • Self-injurious behaviors or threats of suicide. • Adamant disregard for authority figures or for the feelings or rights of others; • Reliance on physical violence or threats of violence to solve problems; • Deep seated anger that life has treated him or her unfairly; • Repeated suspension or expulsion from school; school drop-out; • Fascination with firearms and other weapons; • Gang membership or associates with peers involved in fighting, stealing, or destroying property; • Increased use of alcohol and/or other drugs; • Withdrawal from family and social norms and structure. Parents who are concerned about any of these warning signs should discuss their concerns with a mental health professional or appropriate school staff member who will help parents understand their child's behavior and suggest ways to prevent violent behavior.' If appropriate, parents could contact their local police youth services department. Suggestions for Parents You can help create a safe and less violent environment for your children. Teach them to have respect for themselves and for others, and to accept individual differences. Teach your children to problem-solve and develop strategies for conflict resolution. Children should be taught to find ways to deal with anger that don't involve verbally or physically hurting others. Striking out verbally or physically is never the way to handle a problem. Violence leads to violence. 75 ~5~ ~~~ As a parent, you must accept the tough job of consistently dealing with inappropriate behavior every time it occurs. Set limits for your child, no matter what their age. Don't ignore violence -- verbal or physical. Listen to your child and share your thoughts, values, and morals with them. Communicate openly with your child even when it is tough. Listen to your child if he or she shares concerns about friends who may be exhibiting troubling behaviors. Talk with your child about the violence he or she sees or hears on television, in video games, in music, and possibly in your neighborhood. Be involved in your child's life through school, faith, community, sports, friends, community service or volunteerism. Know the parents of your child's friends. Be your child's advocate and role model. Parent means protector -- be that to your child. Remember that parents are role models for their children. Lead the life you want your children to live. Be aware of sending mixed messages. Children tend to do what we do, not what we say. Above all, love and respect your child unconditionally. A concern to many interested in the development and growth of teenagers is a serious deterioration in the messages of some music. The following troublesome themes are prominent: graphic violence; advocating and glamorizing use of alcohol and/or other drugs; pictures and explicit lyrics presenting suicide as an "alternative" or "solution;" preoccupation with the occult; songs about satanism and human sacrifice and apparent enactment of these rituals in concerts; or sex which focuses on controlling, sadism, masochism, incest, devaluing women, and violence toward women. Parents can-help their teenagers by paying attention to their teenager's purchasing, listening and viewing patterns, and by helping them identify music that may be destructive. 76 ABUSE Chapter 14 According to the U.S. Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect, "child abuse and neglect in the United States represents a national emergency." • Over 2.9 million cases of child abuse were reported last year in this country • Approximately 1/3 of sexual abuse cases involve children 6 years of age or younger • More children suffer neglect than any other form of maltreatment • One in every 3 girls and one in every 6 boys will be sexually abused by the age of 18 • 85% to 90% of sexual abuse is perpetuated by a person known to the child • 95% of child abusers were themselves abused as children (Growth) • 80% of substance abusers were abused as children (Daytop) • 80% of runaways cite child abuse as a factor (Denver Police Department) • 78% of our prison population was abused as children (troth) The National Committee for the Prevention of Child Abuse states that, "It is a sad irony that many abusers genuinely love their children, but they find themselves caught in life situations beyond their control and they do not know how to cope...They may not like fhemselves and may not know how to get their emotional needs met. " Abuse commonly produces feelings of sadness, guilt, anger and lowered self-esteem, as well as a sense of violation and loss of control. Children who have been physically, sexually and/or emotionally abused not only suffer a wide range of effects from their victimization, but are of greater risk of being abused again. Additionally, long-term effects of abuse include emotional and behavioral problems, poor performance in school and further abuse in future relationships. Abuse is a consistent and pervasive element in the backgrounds of low achievers, runaways, drug abusers, prostitutes and incarcerated individuals. Behavioral signs of abuse in children may include: • Avoid physical contact with others • Refuse to undress for gym or for required physical exams at school • Are apprehensive when other children cry • Seem frightened by parents • Have difficulty getting along with others • Play aggressively -- often hurting peers, or • Have a history of running away from home 77 ~7 ~ lob Types of Child Abuse Physical Abuse - An abused child is anyone under 18 years of age whose parent or legal guardian inflicts, or allows to be inflicted upon the child, injury by other than accidental means. Physical abuse indicators include injuries, swellings to face and extremities, high incidence of accidents or frequent injuries, burns, unusual bruises, lacerations, bite marks, discoloration of skin. Emotional Abuse -Emotional abuse attacks a child's emotional development and sense of self-worth. Emotional abuse includes excessive, aggressive or unreasonable demands that place expectations on a child beyond his or her capacity. Constant criticizing, belittling, insulting, rejecting and teasing are some forms these verbal attacks can take. Emotional abuse also includes failure to provide the psychological nurturing necessary for a child's psychological growth and development -- providing no love, support or guidance. (National Committee for the Prevention of Child Abuse) Neglect - A neglected child is a child under 18 years of age whose physical, mental or emotional condition has been impaired or is in danger of becoming impaired as a result of the failure of the child's legal guardian to exercise a minimum degree of care in supplying the child with adequate food, clothing, shelter, education or medical care. Neglect also occurs when the legal guardian fails to provide the child with proper supervision or guardianship by allowing the child to be harmed, or to be at risk of harm due to the guardian's misuse of drugs or alcohol. Sexual Abuse -Sexual abuse is any sexual contact with a child or the use of a child for the sexual pleasure of someone else. This may include exposing private parts to the child or asking the child to expose him or herself, fondling of the genitals or requests for the child to do so, oral sex or attempts to enter the vagina or anus with fingers, objects or penis, although actual penetration is rarely achieved with young children. Children are hesitant or afraid to speak of sexual abuse or assault for many reasons, including their relationship to the offender, fear of the consequences, retaliation or uncertainty about whether or not they will be believed. Signs of Sexual Abuse: Psychological/Behavioral Indicators: • Chronic running away • Drug and alcohol abuse • Attention-getting behavior (stealing, etc.) • Seductive behavior (especially with adults) • Suicide attempts • Alienation from siblings • Fears, phobias, nightmares • Difficulty concentrating 78 ~~ ~-~ ~b • Dramatic change in academic performance -- grades way up or way down • Depression, unprovoked crying • Withdrawal, secretiveness • Going to school early and staying late • Truancy • Bullying peers or younger children Physical Indicators Include: • Reddened, painful or itching genitalia • Headaches, nausea, stomach aches • Chronic fatigue • Bruises or cuts • Painful urination • Preoccupation with genitals • Difficulty walking or sitting • Stained or bloody underwear • Sexually transmitted diseases According to the American Medical Society: • More than six out of ten of all rape cases (61 %) occur before victims reach the age of eighteen. • Twenty-nine percent of all forcible rapes occur when the victim is less than 11 years old, while another 32% occur between the ages of 11 and 17. Many of these victims, particularly the young women, will be forced to have sex against their will on a date with a friend or acquaintance. What follows are some suggestions to stay safe and help reduce the risk of becoming a date rape victim. Prevention Strategies For Parents You can increase the likelihood that your teens will avoid sexual assault by: • Providing good information • Setting limits ahead of time • Offering "no-questions-asked bailouts" • Talking about group pressure • Helping teens recognize behaviors which might be clues to mistreatment • Talking to your teen about the increasing use of the date rape drug. (See Substance Use Section) The situations in which teens are victimized often involve being somewhere they're not supposed to be; breaking a rule; going into someone's house when no one else is home; being isolated at a party. It is a good idea for parents to offer a no-questions-asked bailout. For example: "If you are with a guy, at his house, let's say, and he refuses to drive you home until you go to bed with him and you're not supposed to be seeing this guy in 79 ~~ ~ For example: "if you are with a guy, at his house, let's say, and he refuses to drive you home until you go to bed with him and you're not supposed to be seeing this guy in the first place and you know I'm going to hit the roof, try to get to a phone and call me anyway. I will come and get you, no questions asked. I promise not to embarrass you in front of him. If you promise to call, I promise not to say a word for a day, and then we will sit down and talk about it. It is more important that you have a way to protect yourself in those kinds of situations than it is to worry about having broken a rule" Parents sometimes hesitate to talk about family values or set guidelines and limits on sexual behavior, although parents rarely hesitate to talk about and set limits on other behaviors. Teenagers who have talked about sexual limits ahead of time are more able to avoid being exploited and/or pressured into exploiting another. There is much evidence suggesting that both girls and boys have sexual intercourse for reasons other than the desire to do so, such as wanting to fit in with the crowd, to get affectionate touching, or to feel powerful and in control The tolerance and acceptance of giving in to unwanted touching or other acts seems to be learned. These are the attitudes that can lead to victimization. To combat these pressures, parents can talk to their children about sexual limits, family values and guidelines. For instance, a parent's guidelines about acceptable and unacceptable dating behaviors might include a discussion of curfew, unacceptable places to go (such as "lovers" lane), unacceptable behaviors (drinking, drugs, unchaperoned parties), a minimum age for the first date. Talking about limits on sexual behaviors can include minimum age for sexual intercourse; what sexual behaviors are acceptable; and unacceptable reasons for intercourse. Some other ideas to help teens resist pressure: • You don't have to have sex to get or keep a relationship • If he threatens you to try to get sex, he doesn't care very much • Sex should never be a test of love • You don't have to have sex, or even want sex, to be a man • Dares don't have to be taken 80 ~o oPlo 8 CHILD ABDUCTION Chapter 15 Over 2,000 kids are reported missing every day -- one every 40 seconds. In the case of a stranger abduction, the first 3 hours are critical to the child's safe return. Protect vour child: • Don't let your child wear clothing with his/her name on it. A child will pay attention to anyone calling him/her by name. • Videotape, take photos, fingerprint your child; make sure you update photos at least twice a year. Keep a written record of all birthmarks, scars and identifying features, like moles or freckles. Keep a growth chart of your child; know his/her height. • Do not leave a child unattended while shopping, visiting with neighbors or friends or running errands. Under no circumstances should you leave a child alone in a car or truck. • Make sure your child learns his or her address and phone number including area code at an early age. A second phone number of a friend or relative, work phone numbers are also helpful. How to make an emergency call to you or for help from a pay phone. How to make a long distance call (both directly to you using the area code, and by dialing "0" for the operator). How to dial 911. • Make sure your child always checks with you before going anywhere with anyone. • Teach your child how to make a collect phone call, and to begin with, "Operator...l'm in trouble; I need your help." • If your child is a latch-key kid, make sure that he/she knows to keep all doors and windows locked, never let anyone know that he/she is alone, and never let anyone in the house, not even someone claiming to be a police officer or from the fire department. Those kinds of professionals know to forcibly enter in case of an emergency. • Make sure your child knows to scream and run if approached in an alarming way by anyone. Your child should be taught to always tell you immediately if he or she is approached by a stranger who asks for help, offers candy/gifts, or frightens him/her in any way. You child should know to make you aware of anytime he/she feels uncomfortable with anyone. • Teach your child to never give out personal information online including pictures of anyone. Real names, age, race, address, city, telephone number(s), names or location of his/her school, names of friends, passwords, credit card information etc. should never be given out. Your child should never arrange aface-to-face meeting with anyone he/she meets online. • Teach your child to never look for you if he/she becomes separated from you while shopping or in a public place. Instead, go to the nearest checkout counter, security office, or lost and found and tell the person in charge that he/she has lost his/her mom or dad and needs help in finding them. • Walk and play with others and use the buddy system. If your child walks to school, have him/her walk with other children. A child is most vulnerable when alone. • Adults do not usually ask children for directions or help finding a lost pet, etc., but should be asking other adults. If someone in a car should stop to ask directions, they should not go near the car. 81 BI ~ log • If someone is following him/her on foot or in a car, to go to a place where there are other people -- to a neighbor's home or into a store and ask for help. He/she should not go near the car to talk to anyone inside and should not try to hide behind bushes. • Tell you if any adult asks him/her to keep a "secret." • Teach them to run away from people who make them nervous. Select a family code word that is known only to family members. Stress to your child that anyone offering a ride unexpectedly -- even a family friend, will have been given the code word in advance. He/she should never be lured into a car by someone claiming you said to pick him/her up without knowing the code word. • Teach the child that if he/she is forced into someone's car and cannot get out, to try and disable the car by wrecking the ignition switch by pulling off a button and inserting it into the ignition slot where-the key goes as far as possible. Show the child how to -reach up under the dashboard on the driver's side and grab a handful of wires and pull them as hard as he/she can to break them loose. If the vehicle is stopped, teach them to push on the accelerator pedal which would cause the vehicle to rear-end the one in front drawing attention to the abductor's vehicle. • Throw something out of the car; if they are in the trunk, disable the brake/tail lights • When using 911, after saying, "Help, I've been kidnapped," quickly put the phone down - don't hand it up! • When in a public place, find someone who will help you; strangers are now your rescuers. If your child is missing you should: 1. Call 911 and tell them, "I need your help, my child is missing." Tell them that this is a high priority police emergency. Dublin has an emergency phone system that can get the word out quickly throughout the city. 2. As soon as you hang up, call the nearest missing child organization. 3. Call the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. This is a clearing center for missing children and they have the ability to get the word out coast-to-coast. Their phone number is: 1-800-THE LOST or 1-800-843-5678. 4. Contact the F.B.I. Their number in Hayward is 1-510-886-7447. Ask them to get involved. Call all the local media: television, radio and newspapers. They will help and have proven to be invaluable in this type of situation. Always have handy the phone numbers of friends and other places your child might be. 82 ~~ ~`~ i~~ Teen Dating Violence Chapter 16 Violence in teen relationships is almost as prevalent as in adult relationships. The current statistics state that almost 1 out of 3 teen dating relationships includes violence. Violence for this statistic is defined as physical or sexual abuse and extreme controlling. Even though young women say that emotional abuse is the most damaging type of abuse, it is not included in this statistic. The violence that happens in teen relationships is the same as in adult relationships -- it is just as severe. It happens just as often, and it follows the same cycle. Women stay in violent relationships for the same reasons regardless of age, with these few situations specific to teen relationships: • Teens are under peer pressure to be in dating relationships, so there is pressure for women to stay in a relationship. Teens are in the process of becoming independent so they want to make decisions on their own, which makes it difficult to talk to parents about dating violence. • A teen woman may stay in a relationship to please her parents if they like the boyfriend, or to remind the parents of her independence if her parents do not like the boyfriend. • A young woman may be confused about what is normal dating behavior if this is her first dating relationship. Types of Violence: Battered Women's Alternatives describes four types of violence. All of the examples of abuse that happen in adult relationships also happen in teen relationships. The following lists a few examples of incidents specific to teens. Physical Abuse -Physical abuse usually begins with jokingly pinching too hard, play fighting, or smacking a woman accidentally. Physical abuse can be confusing to young people when in the past adults have said that physical punishment is for their own good, and that it hurts the adult more than it hurts you. These messages can create a distorted connection between love and violence which set women up to accept abuse in dating relationships. Young women make the connection that if my parent hits me for my own good, and my boyfriend says that's why he does it too, it must be true. 2. Sexual Abuse -Teens are learning about their sexuality and what is appropriate in sexually active relationships so it may be difficult for them to discern what is abuse and what is normal. Date rape, coercion, sex without protection, "sharing" one's girlfriend with friends, and forcing a woman to get pregnant are examples of sexual abuse in teen relationships. 3. Emotional Abuse -This type of abuse is particularly confusing. Emotional abuse may sound like a backwards compliment, e.g., "I love your hair except when you wear it like that." Controlling may sound like caring, e.g., "your parents sure put you down a lot, let's just be alone together and no one will ever hurt you again." Emotional abuse is insidious. It begins with declarations of love that quickly lead women to question themselves and it isolates them from people who are truly supportive. 83 23a~Jeg 4. Financial Abuse -Examples include forcing her to quit school, cut classes, not study, or taking her books, clothes and favorite possessions and destroying them. It also includes pressure to have children --girls as young as 12 have described this pressure from boyfriends. Teen castaways or throwaways feel trapped to stay with abusive boyfriends who pay the bills. Hope. While the incidents of violence and the severity of violence seem to be increasing, so also is the number of teens who are talking about violence. In order for the violence to stop in dating relationships, it is crucial that teens confront teen men who are abusive, and that they support teen women who are being abused. Remember, the victim is not at fault! Nothing he or she has done causes it and unless help is sought, the abuse won't stop. Effects of Battery Over Time On: Women: Isolation from others, low self-esteem, depression, increased alcohol or drug abuse, emotional problems, illness, pain and injuries, permanent physical damage, death. Children: Emotional problems, illness, increased fears, anger, increased risk of abuse, injuries and death; repetition of abuse behavior. Men: Increased belief that power and control are achieved by violence, increase in violent behavior, increased contact with law enforcement, more emotional problems, lower self- esteem. Society: Increase in crime, increase in legal, police, medical, counseling and prison costs; perpetuation of cycle of violence; perpetuation of myths of inequality of women and men; decreased quality of life. • Battering of women is the most under-reported crime in America • 3 to 4 million American women are battered each year • 95% of all spouse abuse cases are women who are hurt by men • Battering occurs among people of all races • A battering incident is rarely an isolated event • Many batterers learned violent behavior growing up in an abusive family Signs of an Abusive Relationship: An abusive relationship is when aboyfriend /girlfriend / partner -has: • Withheld approval, appreciation or affection as punishment. • Continually criticized a partner, called names, shouted. • Ignored partner's feelings. • Ridiculed or insulted partner's most valued beliefs -religion, race, class or sexual preference. • Been very jealous; harassed about imagined affairs. • Insisted partner dress the way he/she wants. • Humiliated partner in private or public. • Insulted or drove away friends or family; taken car keys or money away. • Locked partner out of the house or car. • Abused pets to hurt partner • Thrown objects at partner; punched, shoved, slapped, bit, kicked, choked or hit partner. • Raped partner. • Threatened to commit suicide if partner leaves. 84 ~> i ~ Parties, Proms & Police Policy Chapter 17 Teenage Parties The best advice for parents of teenagers is: Don't leave home for the weekend without planning supervision for your teen! But, because this is sometimes unavoidable or undesirable, consider any and all possibilities of what could happen while you are away and act accordingly. Pre-Party Preparations: • Know your teenager's party plans in advance. • Find out who is expected to attend. Let your teen know that uninvited guests will not be tolerated. It is very common for uninvited guests to show up. • Phone parents of the teens you don't know well. • Set a starting time and an ending time. Make sure that the party doesn't go too long. • Always consider noise ordinances (each area has these) if you are going to have a party outside. • Be aware that in most cities the nighttime noise ordinances take effect at 10:00 p.m. • Having parties in a public place (skating rink, clubhouse, pool) usually works well for younger teens. Ground Rules -Set ground rules ahead of time • Let neighbors know about the party plans. • No smoking. • No drugs or alcohol. • Only invited guests are allowed. • No leaving the party and coming back. • All guests should know which rooms in the house or areas around the house are off-limits. • Guests must agree to keep all areas reasonably lit. • No loitering outside of the party premises. (This includes the front yard and the streets. ) Parent/Chaperone Responsibilities and Obligations • Adult in charge (hopefully "you") must know the legalities and responsibilities of minors using illegal substances and the ramifications to the adult(s) in charge. A violation of California Penal Code Section 272 makes the adult subject to one year in jail or a $2,500 fine. • Parent/Chaperone should be aware of what's going on at all times. • Be aware of the sobriety of arriving teenagers. (It would not be a first for teens to decide to drink in advance of arrival.) 85 -! • Invite your adult friends or other adult parents to help maintain safety, making it a safe and fun event. • Make an effort to have parents of teenage guests come in to meet you when they drop off their young adults. • Expect "games" to be played. (At least one teenager at the party -- not your own, of course --will try to out-wit the adult supervision.) Parties Outside of Your Home • Make every effort to contact the adults in charge of that party. • Ask what their "Ground Rules" are. • Offer to assist if this fits into your plans. • Be sure you specifically ask about alcohol. Don't assume that all parents will take the same precautions you would take. • Talk to your teenager in advance about your expectations regarding a ride home, curfew, alcohol, drugs. • Be sure you feel comfortable with the location of the party and the people in attendance. • Make every effort to introduce yourself to the adults in charge at the party site. • Make sure a responsible adult is in attendance. PROM TIME Tips for a Safe & Sober Prom • Be aware of the celebration plans for before and after the prom. Sometimes this requires a whole series of questions. Let your teen know that you are excited about the prom too, and that you care enough to want to know all of the plans. • Talk to the parents of your teen's friends. Your teen will be only too happy to tell you that all the other parents think the celebration plans are great! You may be surprised to know that the other parents share the same concerns that you have -remember strength comes in numbers. • Question the time allotted to get to the prom and back. Maybe you were not informed about all the celebration plans. • Celebrations can start during the trip to the prom and continue on the way home. Make sure the bus and limo companies understand that they are transporting minors and that their licensing is in jeopardy if they allow the use of alcohol or drugs. It is important to insist that they have all the backpacks and other baggage stored in the luggage compartment during the trip. If your teen is traveling by van or motor home, find out who the driver is and confirm that they will enforce a "no use" rule, especially if it is an older sibling. • If your teen's plans include a group sleepover following the prom, be sure you know where it is and who is chaperoning. (You may want to volunteer a shift.) In the past, hotel rooms and resort homes have been acquired to continue the celebration and there is usually no chaperone. If your teen feels it is important to attend a sleepover, suggest they use your home and plan to stay up all night to chaperone, be available to address any needs and encourage some sleep time. 86 ' ~ n8' • If your teen is planning apost-celebration event the, next day or returning from an overnight celebration, find out if the driver is going to be well rested and alert. You may want to suggest renting a bus or setting up parent car pools to drive back and forth. • Some schools require a signed parent/student prom contract before tickets can be purchased. Find out about your school's policy. • Junior or Senior "Cut Day" is not an approved school event. Classes will be conducted as usual. The Prom is scheduled on Saturdays to allow for preparation and recovery time! If a student is not in class, the school does not receive state funds for missed class time. • If you hear about any potential problems or have any concerns, please call your school principal. These numbers can be found in your local phone directory. POLICE POLICY AND PROTOCOL AROUND PARTIES AND PROMS • The legal age for drinking is 21 years old. • The legal age for smoking is 18 years old. • All other substances are probably illegal. • Each town in the valley has ordinances allowing searches of private property when there is suspicion that alcohol or drugs are present. Arrests can be made or citations issued. Initial fines may reach $1,000 -- check with your local police department for specifics. • Police will be called if the party or event is too loud or if participants spill out into the front yard or street. • Serving alcohol to teenagers on your own property is illegal. Adults can be prosecuted for contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Adults may be found guilty of a misdemeanor, and subject to a fine orjail or both. • People who serve alcohol to minors or allow minors to consume it in their homes may be subject to civil lawsuits if the minor's activities after that drinking result in damage or injury to another person. • Additionally, adults "in-charge" can be financially responsible for all costs incurred by the police department in dealing with the incident or party. • It is against the law for minors to possess or to purchase alcohol, be drunk in a public place, or carry alcoholic beverages in a vehicle. • The legal consequences for an older teenager (18 and over) will usually differ from the way that matters are handled for a younger teenager by the Juvenile Justice System. Discuss this with your older teenager and allow them to do some research on their own (through proper sources). • Hotels in the area are aware of their liability for allowing under-aged drinkers on their premises. • Likewise, limousine and bus companies are aware that they could have their licenses suspended for allowing consumption of alcoholic beverages by teenagers in their vehicles. • More than half of all fatal injuries to 16-19 year old drivers and passengers occur at nighttime as a result of drinking and driving, according to the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety. 87 ~~ ~~o~ Communicating With Your Teenager • The most important link between you and your teenager is open communication. Talk to your teenager about how to handle uncomfortable situations. • Frequently the lines of communication will be open at their fullest when the teenager returns home from aparty -- no matter how late. Be awake to talk to your teen when they arrive home. • Allow your teenager to use you as an excuse -- to refuse an invitation or to get out of an uncomfortable situation. • Always let your teenager know that if they find themselves in an uncomfortable situation, that you or a designated adult friend will be there to pick them up at any time without question. The bottom line is that you do not want your child to ride in a vehicle with anyone who is under the influence, nor do you want your child to drive while under the influence. You can reach your Police Department at the following numbers: Dublin Police Services Dublin Police Dispatch Alameda County Sheriff s Dept. 925-833-6670 925-462-1212 925-272-6878 Administrative Office 88 ~~' ~~~~ / ru~,~ The Law ~ Your Teenager Chapter 18 In America, drunk driving kills a teenager between the ages of 15 and 19 years old every 23 minutes!! It is a problem serious enough to warrant much attention. Alcohol is still America's drug of choice and kills more kids than cocaine, marijuana (pot), heroin, LSD or other illegal drugs combined. There are stiff penalties that one must pay if he or she is caught driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol and/or other drugs. On July 1, 1990, California became the 28th state to adopt an administrative license suspension program. This program, commonly called "Admin Per Se" was enacted by the Legislature and made into a law by the governor as a stronger deterrent to drunk driving. The new law requires the DMV to suspend the driving privilege of persons under the age of 21 who are driving with a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) of .01 or more or who refuses or fails to complete the test. The suspension is independent of anyjail, fine or other criminal penalty imposed in court for the offense. Who is Affected? Any driver under age 21 arrested for driving under the influence who: Refuses to take or fails to complete the preliminary alcohol screening test. Takes ablood /alcohol test which shows a BAC of .01 or more What Happens To Your Teen's Drivers License? • If your teen is arrested for drunk driving, the officer will complete a driver's license suspension order, take the license and give your teen a temporary driver's license. • The suspension becomes effective 30 days from the arrest date. • The officer will mail your teen's license to DMV. He or she will receive the following two documents which may be carried in his or her possession to have a valid temporary license and legally drive: Order of Suspension and the officer's citation showing the arrest for Section 23140, 23152 or 23153, or release from custody. What Does DMV Do? The law enforcement officer sends documents to DMV within five business days following the arrest. If your teen took a blood and/or urine test, the officer will forward the results of the BAC test to the department within 20 calendar days. If the results of your teen's test show that the BAC is less than .01, the suspension will be set aside and your teen's driver's license returned. • The Department of Motor Vehicles conducts an administrative review which includes an examination of the officer's report, the Order of Suspension, and BAC test results. What Can Your Teen Do About the Suspension? • Your teen may request a hearing within 10 days of receipt of the suspension order. • If a hearing is held, a decision will be made by the department within 45 days of the date of the arrest. 89 29 ~ /off • After the hearing, your teen may request a departmental review within 15 days, or a court review within 30 days. • A $100 re-issue fee is required to reinstate the driving privilege after a suspension and before any license restrictions may be issued. How Long Will Your Teen's License Be Suspended? • If your teen did not take a chemical test: 1. First DUI: 1 year 2. Second DUI in 7 years: 2 years 3. Three or more DUI's in 7 years: 3 years • If your teen took a chemical test or a breath test and the test showed .01 BAC or more: 1. First DUI: 4 months 2. One or more prior DUI's in 7 years: 1 year It is unlawful for any person under the age of 18 to have a BAC in excess of .04 while operating a motor vehicle. Violation of this statute may result in the suspension of your teen's driving privilege for 1 year or until age 21 whether or not they are licensed and is considered to be a misdemeanor. If an officer believes the driver is impaired, he or she can be sent to jail with a BAC less than .04. A person under the age of 21 with a BAC of .01 or more can also lose his or her driver's license, but it is considered to be an infraction. It is unlawful for any person (driver or passengers) to be drinking white in a motor vehicle (Vehicle Codes 23221 and 23220). It is unlawful to have an open alcoholic beverage while in a motor vehicle, whether it is being driven or not (Vehicle Code 23223). Thus, persons drinking in a parked car may be cited or arrested for possession of an open alcoholic beverage. Additionally, the driver of the parked vehicle may be given a "field" sobriety test to determine if that driver has been drinking; and, if so, that driver may also be cited or arrested for being in violation of Vehicle Code 23152: DWI, driving while intoxicated. For each conviction of someone 13-21 years old in possession of alcohol, his or her license privilege will be suspended for one year. Possession of marijuana in a vehicle is a violation of Vehicle Code 23222. If a person shows no alcohol in their system, yet they still show signs of being "high" or intoxicated, the police officer will do a further test to determine if they are under the influence of other drugs in accordance with Section 11550 of the Health and Safety Code. There must be an adult over 21 in the vehicle while transporting liquor if the driver is a minor. A minor found in violation of Vehicle Code 23224 will have his or her license suspended for one year and the vehicle involved may be impounded for up to 30 days. It is important to remember that the driver has a responsibility to make sure that his or her passengers obey the law. The excuse of "It wasn~ mine," is not sufficient to avoid arrest or citation. If your teen, is convicted of a DUI and your teen has a driver's license, that license can be suspended for one year for each conviction. Thus, if your 17 year old has 2 convictions, that license can be suspended for two years. If your teen does not have a driver's license, he or she will not be able to apply for a license for the duration of that penalty. 90 ~ The average cost for a first DUI offense can be anywhere from $2,500 to $3,600! Insurance goes up 80% ... DUI classes cost $300+ ....Fine = $1,200 to $1,500 ... Lawyer fees = $1,00+. Additionally, the County may charge you for police and ambulance, as well as any property damage that may have occurred. ~ A second DUI offense may put your teen in a year-long alcohol program that could cost thousands of dollars. Your teen could be sentenced to up to 120 days in jail -- the fine goes up to $2,500+ --don't forget lawyer fees; and your teen's insurance will probably be cancelled! It's a high price to pay to drive drunk! Driver's License Information The following restrictions apply to minors when issued a provisional driver license during the first year. You must be accompanied and supervised by a licensed parent, guardian or other licensed driver 25 years of age or older or a licensed or certified driving instructor when you: -Transport passengers under 20 years of age at any time, for the first 6 months. -Drive between midnight and 5 am for the first 12 months. Persons under 18 may not be employed to drive a motor vehicle. When you become 18, the provisional part of your license ends. You may continue to drive as an adult using your photo license, which will expire on your 5th birthday after fhe date you applied. 91 °// o~ fo8 Gang Awareness Chapter 19 Denial is the first and largest obstacle to overcome in dealing with the emergence of gang- related activities in a community. Once a community becomes aware of gangs and their characteristics, it can look at the members' needs for rehabilitation, education, or documentation by law enforcement for use in the judicial system. What is a Gang? A gang is a formal or informal, on-going organization, association or group of three or more persons who: (a) have a common name or common identifying signs, colors or symbols; and (b) have members or associates who individually or collectively engage in or have engaged in a pattern of criminal activity. A member of a gang is a person who engages in a pattern of criminal street gang activity. Gana Structure: Leadership roles are gained by dominance of one person over other members. Gangs are usually comprised of males ranging in age from 13 to 28 years; however, there are also female gang members. Gana Membership: Membership crosses all boundaries of sex, age, race, academic achievement and economic status. There are many reasons for youth to join gangs, including: • the excitement of gang activity and affiliation • peer pressure • economic rewards • attention • low self-esteem • lack of identity • a feeling of acceptance • attention • security or protection • companionship • lack of alternatives • neglect • lack of appropriate parental involvement • lack of meaningful adult guidance • lack of neighborhood involvement • friendship or brotherhood • protection from rival gangs • a feeling of belonging or purpose 92 ;~~ ~ , Gana Identification: Gang members are proud to identify themselves and will usually admit their membership, openly display tattoos, dress in a style identifying their gang or sets, "throw signs" (gestures with their hands and fingers which identify their gang or set) and often adopt nicknames that become their street identity or moniker. During the past few years some of these identifications have become more subtle. Warning Sians of Gang Involvement: - Chanaina Friends. Does not bring friends home or does not introduce friends to parents; is vague or refuses to tell you where he/she is going and with whom. - Lack of Interest in Family. No longer interested in family activities, becomes rebellious and disregards household rules and curfews, becomes withdrawn from the rest of the family. - Decline in School. Interest in school and school-related activities declines, school work and homework quality declines and grades fall; eventually may contemplate dropping out of school. - Chances in Appearance. Adds or deletes a primary color (such as red, blue or black) in wardrobe; particular brand of sportswear, hats, shoes, shoelaces, bandannas, jewelry, haircuts, etc. - Graffiti (taaQina). Begins to practice different signs and symbols on school or personal papers; draws or paints graffiti on his/her walls or doors; has letters from foreign alphabets and symbols incorporated in those drawings; has paperwork or gang bibles in his/her room. - Newly Unexplained Wealth. - Gana Graffiti. Graffiti is one of the most visible signs of gang activity. It is used to mark territories or boundaries, to claim responsibility for violent acts, to show association and allegiance, to issue challenges, to recruit or to "DIS" (show disrespect) rival gangs or sets. - Use of a Nickname or Street Slana. Uncommon terms, words, names or phrases. - Dress. Sagging has been the fad (pants below buttocks with underwear showing), but this is ever-changing. - Tattoos. Names, black monikers or symbols. Parent Awareness As a parent, it is your responsibility to help your children understand the dangers of gang involvement which can lead to a criminal record or to death which frequently results from gang violence. Encourage your children to report others who pressure them to use ordeal drugs or to participate in gang activity. Intimidation and fear can pre-occupy and destroy a child's ability to concentrate at school and can prevent him from gaining the tools necessary for a meaningful life. Be aware of signs of possible gang association. • Don't say "It can't happen in my family." • Talk with children early and regularly about gangs, alcohol/drugs/tobacco, violence and other at-risk behavior. Set rules for those behaviors that are non-negotiable. • Demand accountability for friends. 93 ~ ~ ~ n g • Establish clear guidelines and non-negotiable limits for your children's behavior and activities. • Be aware of and do not permit gang identifiers. • Eliminate youth access to weapons. • Do not permit your child to sponsor or attend unsupervised parties. Don't let your children dupe you into believing that "everyone else does it." • Demand accountability for time spent away from home. • Meet regularly with school counselors and teachers. • Demand accountability for money and clothes. • Ask frequent questions whenever you're suspicious. • Meet and greet your children's friends: • Communicate with the parents of your children's friends. • Communicate with your children. Gangs attempt to instill fear in your community. Their power grows through intimidation of rival gangs and citizens alike, and direct confrontation is best left to law enforcement. However, everyone has the responsibility to work towards a solution. ~ Get involved in programs that are designed to help our youth. ~ Encourage immediate graffiti removal ~ Maintain a strong liaison with your police department for continued maintenance of community policing. If you have any concerns, please contact the Youth Services Officer, Youth Resource Officer or the DARE Office in your Police Department. Crime Tip/Graffitti Hotline: 925-833-6638 94 ~~~ ~ /~ Gettin Involved In Your Comm ' g unity Chapter 20 Are you interested in helping your community? Do you want to reap the rewards of helping others? There are many places in your neighborhood that can use your help! Some organizations may ask you to attend extensive training programs, while others just need a helping hand. You can spend as little as one hour perweek, to as much as 20 hours per week, depending on your availability. Still other services ask only for aone-time commitment. Whatever your situation, your donation of time can make a difference. Listed below are just a few of the many organizations that depend on volunteers: Big Brothers Big Sisters of the East Bay 510-729-5050 Child Care Links 925-417-8733 Discovery Counseling Center 925-743-3059 Dublin 4H Club 925-462-4518 Dublin Housing Authority 925-828-3132 Dublin Library 925-828-1315 Dublin Partners In Education 925-828-2551 Dublin Police Services 925-833-6670 Dublin Senior Center 925-556-4511 (Parent Faculty Student Organization, Athletic Boosters Band Boosters) East Bay Regional Parks-General Information 888-327-2757 Habitat For Humanity, Oakland 510-251-6303 Make A Wish Foundation 415-982-9474 Tri Valley Convention & Visitors Bureau 925-846-8910 Tri Valley Haven, Livermore 925-449-5842 Volunteer Center-serves Alameda & Contra Costa Counties 925-472-5760 Tri Valley YMCA 925-475-6108 Your School's Parent Teacher Organization: Dougherty Elementary (K-5) 925-803-4444 Dublin Elementary (K-5) 925-833-1204 Fallon Elementary & Middle School (K-8) 925-875-9376 Frederiksen Elementary (K-5) 925-828-1037 John Green Elementary (K-5) 925-833-4200 Murray Elementary (K-5) 925-828-2568 Wells Middle School (6-7-8) 925-828-6227 Valley High School (8-12) 925-829-4322 Dublin High School (9-12) 925-833-3300 Websites: City of Dublin - ci.dublin.ca.us Corporation for National & Community Service - cns.gov IdeaLIST - idealist.org Volunteer Match - volunteermatch.org SERVEnet - servenet.org Youth Build USA - youthbuild.org 95 ~s~ ing Neighborhood Watch Program Chapter 21 Crime Prevention Through Cooperation of Citizens and Police Goals of Neighborhood Watch Neighborhood Watch forges bonds among area residents and businesses, helps reduce burglaries and robberies, and improves relations between police and the communities they serve. The main objective of Neighborhood Watch is to reduce the incidence of crime by: (a) Increasing citizens' awareness of burglary and other neighborhood crime through a continuing information program. (b) Training citizens in the means of better property security and assist them in making their property more secure, by enlisting each home/apartment business in Operation Identification. (c) Developing a neighborhood action program where neighbors help watch each other's property and report suspicious persons and activities to law enforcement agencies. (Neighborhood Watch) (d) Encouraging all citizens to cooperate with law enforcement agencies in reporting crime. Elements Needed to Commit a Crime: -Desire - to commit the crime -Ability - to commit the crime -Opportunity - to commit the crime Neiahborhood Watch versus Opportunity: -The Four "D's" of eliminating a criminal's opportunity Deter -Deny -Delay -- Detect 1~IE16HBORHOOD CRIME NtATCH r ~ ~;%fs , ~~ ~ R ~~. We ineedisMb ~encre all SttSPfgOUS PERSONS +M " eeir ?v m ~ Pecos nom. Deterring Criminal Opportunity: -Whatever makes you feel safer and the criminal more at risk -Knowing your neighbors -Alarms -Dogs -Citizen Patrol -Well Lit Neighborhood Denying Criminal Activity: -Making It Difficult or Impossible For Crime To Be Committed: -Lock Doors and Windows -Close Garage Door -Prevent Landscaping Concealment of Doors and Windows Delavina the Criminal: -Make the Criminal Think Twice About Your House! -Do Not "Advertise" That You Are Away -Use Timers for TV, Lights, etc. -Do Not Completely Close Shades/Curtains -Have Neighbor Park in Your Driveway -Have a Neighbor Check on Your Residence 96 Detect and Report: -Be Aware - of what is happening in your neighborhood -Report Suspicious Activity - to the Police Objectives of Neighborhood Watch: -Maintain Cooperative System of Neighbors -Phone Tree -Watching Neighbors Property -Knowing Who Belongs In Your Neighborhood -Reporting Suspicious activity- to the police Crimes: -Who Commits Tliem? -Professionals -less than 20% -Young Adults and Juveniles - 80% -Average age between 12 and 22 years -Common Items Taken -Weapons -Money -Jewelry -Drugs/Medications -Quick Sell Items (TV's, VCR, Stereos) How to Report: -What type of activity -Description of suspicious person(s) -Race, sex, age, height, weight, hair, eyes, clothing -Description of vehicle used -Color -Year -Model -Body -License Plate Number -Direction of travel Securing Your Home: -Entrance Doors -solid core or metal -Quality Locking Devices -Deadbolt locks, re-enforce the strike plates -Know who has the key to your house -- New resident? Change the locks! -Sliding Glass Doors -Pin locks under tension, round screws in track, dowel rods, auxiliary locks -Lighting -40 watt bulb at front and rear entrance -Security Lights -- Motion or solar sensor -Light all entry ways and windows -Light dark corners and hiding places -Marking Your Property -Electric engraver- Driver's License Number and State Abbreviation -Record make, model and serial number of valuables -Photograph or video tape property -Other Considerations -Large visible house numbers -Curbside address numbers To find out more about Dublin's Neighborhood Watch Program call the Crime Prevention Unit at 925-833-6677 or 833-6686. 97 97~ ioa Mentoring Chapter 22 The most recent California Department of Education statistics reveal that in 1999/2000, 47,282 students in grades 9 through 12 dropped out of school. In California there are more than 600 juvenile violent crime arrests per 100,000 youths between the ages of 10 and 17, compared to a national rate of about 500 arrests. Drug use among teens in California has doubled over the past four years. It is clear to see that in today's world our children face significant challenges. Studies indicate that youths from at-risk families and communities can be successful in overcoming the risk factors that surround them. These studies further indicate that the key positive factor in these success stories is the presence of at least one caring adult in the lives of these youths. A mentor is an individual who provides one-on-one support and attention, a friend and a role model. Dozens of model projects, throughout the State of California demonstrate that a mentoring relationship can bring a supportive role model into the life of a youth which enables that youth to define himself or herself in positive rather than negative ways. One of the underlying principles of mentoring is the time tested theory that educators have always known -- children tend to emulate the behavior of those they care for and admire. The critical importance, then, of caring adult relationships for successful outcome for kids also takes the direct case for organized mentoring programs. By definition these programs attempt to create cone-on-one adult-to-youth relationship that lasts over time and is focused on the developmental needs of the youth. Our governor so strongly believes in the power of mentoring that he created the California Mentor Initiative to address the growing problems that confront our youth by providing role models to the thousands of kids who need them the most. This public/private partnership, the nation's largest of its kind, utilizes the resources of state government, local community groups and existing mentoring programs to link supportive, caring role models with at-risk youth. Our state government has already invested $11.6 million in mentoring programs, including $5 million from the state's Office of Child Development and Education, to local school districts and communities to help 12,000 students stay in school. Our governor created the California Mentoring Council, which will work to increase awareness about the' benefits of mentoring in an effort to achieve the goal of recruiting 250,000 new mentors by the year 2000. There is no better antidote for the social ills that face our youth than an adolescent's belief that the world is a positive place and that they can accomplish what they want in life. This is the goal of the California Mentor Initiative, and with the commitment of individuals, business and government, it will become a reality. To learn more about mentoring opportunities in your community, call the California Governor's Mentoring Partnership at 1-800-444-3066 or visit the website at www.mentoring.ca.gov. Today there are agencies in our country working on developing mentoring programs. 98 ,= / ~r ~- RESOURCES RESOURCES FOR CHAPTERS 1 THROUGH 15 ARE LISTED IN THE ORDER THE CHAPTERS APPEAR IN THE BOOK. WHEN SEEKING RESOURCES, CONSIDER YOUR PASTOR, RABBI, CLERGYMAN, DOCTOR OR COUNSELOR. All'resources listed on the following pages have been checked and confirmed prior to publication. Please be keenly aware that organizations, particularly non-profit organizations as in this instance, move to new locations, change phone numbers, hours of operation, and sometimes even change the focus of their available services as funding and grants dictate. Sometimes it is necessary for some organizations to discontinue much needed services, or even close their doors. Please check your resources. Check the Internet or your phone directory for the most recent updates, and ALWAYS TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION IN AN EMERGENCY. CALL 911 OR DRIVE DIRECTLY TO A HOSPITAL. Healthy Parenting -Chapter 1 Resources Discovery Counseling Center 925-743-3059 Parent Education classes, mental health and substance abuse counseling services, sliding scale fee. Planned Parenthood 925-838-2108 San Ramon Non-Profit agency provides counseling services for individuals and couples. Day and evening hours. Low cost, sliding scale fee. Parents Helping Parents 1-408-727-5775 Special needs children La Familia Counseling Services 510-881-5921; lafamiliacounselingservice.com Community based organization serving broad range of human services with emphasis on advocacy education and community mental health. California Children Services 510-208-5970; dhcs.ca.gov Tri Valley Haven Community Center trivalleyhaven.org; 925-449-5845 ;1-800-884-8119-24hr Parenting Classes, School and community outreach program, dating violence prevention, sexual assault prevention, self-assertiveness, conflict resolution, etc. Family Stress Center familystresscenter.org; 925-827-0212 Offers parent education classes that teach basic communication, child development and positive skills. Public Health Clearinghouse 1-888-604-INFO (4636) -Toll free information and referral line -multi-lingual staff -extensive database of services for all children. Horizons Family Counseling ci.livermore.ca.us -find under City Services; 925-371-4747 Family counseling to help improve family relationships; crisis intervention for youth and their families; Spanish speaking counselors available; on-site school counseling on-going support groups; licensed staff Teen Anger -Chapter 2 Resources National Runaway Switchboard Tri Valley Haven Community Center 1-800-786-2929 Provides crisis intervention, 925-449-5845 Parenting classes, school and community travel assistance, referrals to shelters for outreach program, dating violence prevention, sexual runaways. Also relays messages. assault prevention, self-assertiveness, conflict resolution,etc Family Stress Center - familystresscenter.org ; 925-827-0212 Offers Parent classes that teach basic communication, child development and positive skills. 99 9~ ~~~g Depression -Chapter 3 Resources Int'I Fdn for Research & Education on Depression 1-800-784-2433 1-800-789-2647 -Resources En Espanol 1-877-Sui-cida ifred.org National Mental Health Association 1-800-969-6642; Hotline: 1-800-273-TALK Provides brochures & referrals; nmha.org Valley Mental Health 925-462-3010 Mental health, Medi-cal recipients only. Psychiatric testing, referral for Alameda County out-patient mental health; adults, children.. No cost. National Hopeline Hotline 1-800-SUICIDE or 1-800-784-2433 24 hr Hotline will automatically route your call to nearest local certified crisis center; hopeline.com Alameda County Crisis Support Center crisissupport.org ; 1-800-309-2131 Crisis Hotline, 24 hrs/7 days/wk; Crisis lines available for people in distress. Referrals available to over 1,000 agencies throughout Alameda County. Suicide -Chapter 4 Resources Suicide Response Options: • Call Alameda County Crisis Support Center -1-800-309-2131 - 24 hr/7 days per week. • If child has taken pills, or otherwise hurt himself/herself, immediately call 911 or go to the hospital emergency room nearest you and inform them of the suspected suicide attempt. • If the child is at risk as a runaway or is combative, call the police/sheriff for assistance. American Association of Suicidology National Hopeline Network 1-800-784-2433 1-800-273 TALK (8255) Education and 24 hr hotline; hopeline.com; will automatically resource; organization does not provide direct route to nearest local certified crisis center services; suicidology.org; 202-237-2280 Crisis Support Services of Alameda Cty 1-800-273-8255;1-800-SUICIDE 925-309-2131 Crisis Hotline, 24 hr/ 7 days/wk. Crisis lines available for people in distress. Referrals available to over 1,000 agencies throughout Alameda county. No cost. crisissupport.org California Youth Crisis Line -1-800-843-5200 youthcrisisline.org Poison Help - 800-222-1222 24 hrs aapcc.org Lead Poisoning Prevention 510-567-8294 -Alameda County Health Care Services; cdph.ca.gov type in lead poisoning in search window; Chldhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Branch 100 Grief & Loss -Chapter 5 Resources Hope Hospice Bereavement Program hopehospice.com ; 925-829-8770 For all persons in grief. Individual and peer and professional counseling, on-site and at home. Bi-monthly professional and peer facilitated support groups. Crisis consultation. Telephone counseling. Resource library. Information and referral services. Family Stress Center familystresscenter.com ; 925-827-0212 Offers Parent Education classes that teach relationships, basic communication, child development and positive skills Horizons Family Counseling ci.livermore.ca.us find under City Services; 935-371-4747 Family counseling to help improve family grief and loss; divorce; self-esteem, school difficulties; crisis intervention for youth and their families; Spanish Speaking counselors available; on-site school Counseling; M-F gam to 8pm; fees on sliding scale. Grief Counseling Project -1-800-260-0094 Crisis Support Services of Alameda County 1-800-309-2131 24hr crisis line Handling Stress -Chapter 6 Resources Family Paths Family Stress Center (formerly Parental Stress Service) familystresscenter.org ; 925-827-0212 1-800-829-3777; familypaths.org Offers Parent Education classes that teach basic 24 Hours; counseling for parents and communication, child development and positive children 18 years and younger. skills. Eating Disorders -Chapter 7 Resources Overeaters Anonymous oa.com ;check online for local meetings and contact numbers National Association of Anorexia Nervosa & Associated Eating Disorders 1-847-831-3438 Hotline Mon-Fri 9a-5p Central anad.org National Mental Health Association 1-800-969-6642; In Crisis? call 1-800-272-TALK nmha.org Teen Sexuality -Chapter 8 Resources Planned Parenthood School Age Mothers Program 925-838-2108 San Ramon (Educational Services for teen moms) Non-profit agency provides counseling 925-426-4275 Pleasanton -Horizons High School Services for individuals and couples. Day and evening hours. Low cost, Sliding scale fee. 101 ~ol~iog Teen Sexuality (continued) -Chapter 8 Resources Valley Community Health Center San Ramon Regional Hospital - 925-275-9200 925-462-5544 Pleasanton Prenatal Programs 828-4357; 24-hour crisis line; Non- profit agency provides individual, group, Center for Human Development marriage, family and child therapy. 925-687-8844 - chd-prevention.org Offers parenting education classes, Provides confidential support groups for gay, HIV/AIDS support groups and drug lesbian, bisexual; social activities, HIV outreach, treatment programs. Sliding scale education and advocacy. fees. Lambda Youth Group The Lavender Youth Recreation 8~ Information 510-247-8200; 510-887-0566 Gay, lesbian Center (LYRIC) lyric.org ; 1-800-246-7743 and bisexual support group for youth up to 415-703-6150 -1-800-246-PRIDE-Youth Talk Line in CA age 23 in So. Alameda County. Meets in Education, recreational, social and peer leadership drug/alcohol-free environment. Social development for lesbian, gay, bisexual, activities, field trips, events. Project Eden transgender and questioning youth under 24 years sponsored. Confidential information. of age. Youth talkline, after school program, young men's HIV prevention/education project, PFLAG (Parents, Family & Friends Of Lesbians and Gays) National Youth Crisis Hotline San Ramon-Danville 1-800-442-4673 925-831-8172; 925-833-1694 Provides counseling and referrals for youths dealing with pregnancy, suicide and child abuse. National Abortion Federation prochoice.org; 1-800-772-9100 National Life Center (Right-To-Life) Provides information on pregnancy and nationallifecenter.com ; 1-800-848-5683 24 hours Abortion procedures; provides referrals. Counseling on pregnancy. Newsletter and pamphlets available. Free pregnancy test. National Adoption Center adopt.org; 1-800-TO-ADOPT Independent Adoption Center - 925-827-2229 Information and referrals on adoption Non-profit open adoption agency that allows the Brochures and pamphlets available birthparent to choose the adoptive parents for her child. Financial assistance for pregnancy-related Birthright expenses may be available. Referrals 925-798-7227 Provides counseling, emotional support School Age Mothers (Educational Services for And practical information on alternatives teen moms) 925-937-1530 xt. 3960-Pleasant Hill to abortion. Free pregnancy testing, 925-426-4275 Pleasanton -Horizons High School Referrals and housing when necessary. Not a medical facility Best Beginnings 925-676-0300 John Muir Hospital Prenatal Programs; Planned Parenthood, Concord 925-939-3000 Prenatal programs 925-941-7900 Birth Center Teen Line 800-852-8336 School-Age Mothers and Fathers Program 925-426-4275 Education programs for Teen Parents 102 STDs -Chapter 9 Resources Centers for Disease Control 8~ Prevention (CDC) cdc.gov STD/STI Hotline 1-800-227-8922 Information regarding all STD's/STI's Referrals. 800-CDC-INFO Alameda County Health Department 510-267-8000 Communicable Disease 510-267-3200 -Alameda County Planned Parenthood 925-838-2108 San Ramon Offers low cost, confidential or anonymous testing, counseling, and referrals. Valley Community Health Center Clinic 925-462-5544 Pleasanton 925-828-4357 - 24 hr Crisis Line HIV/AIDS -Chapter 10 Resources CDC National Aids Hotline 1-800-342-2437-24 Hours; cdc.gov Information on the prevention and spread of HIV/AIDS. Spanish: 1-800-344-7432 San Francisco AIDS Foundation sfaf.org ; 1-800-367-2437 Trilingual Hotline, provides basic information. Brochures available Project Information HIV/AIDS Hotline projinf.org ; 1-800-822-7422 Provides treatment information and referral for HIV positive. East Bay AIDS Center altabates.com ; 510-204-4444 Berkeley; Care of HIV positive patients AIDS Health Project of San Francisco 415-476-3902 National AIDS Clearinghouse 1-800-458-5231 cdcnpin.org Project Inform National HIV treatment line: 1-800-822-7422 The Genard Aids Foundation 925-943-2437 Planned Parenthood San Ramon 925-838-2108 Offers low cost, confidential or anonymous testing counseling and referrals. Diablo Valley AIDS Center dvac.org ; 925-686-3822 Concord Provides counseling and referrals for patients, families and friends. Food bank for low income HIV positive persons. California HIV/AIDS Hotline 800-367-2437 HIV/AIDS Support Group 925-674-2190 John Muir Medical Center Provides information and referrals. Partners, friends, family, and caregivers welcome. Teen AIDS Hotline 1-800-234-TEEN or 1-800-440-TEEN ibiblio.org National Herpes Hotline 1-919-361-8488 HIV Testing/Aids Information AXIS Community Health 925-462-1755 103 / o,~ I n~ Substance Use -Alcohol & Other Drugs -Chapter 11 Resources Valley Community Health Center Alcoholics Anonymous 925-828-4357 - 24 hr Crisis line Contact a local AA Chapter listed in the white 925-462-5544 Pleasanton pages or contact AA's national office: Teen Drug & Alcohol Recovery 1-212-870-3400 Program is designed for adolescent P.O. Box 459 teens that are beginning to have New York, NY 10163 drug or alcohol related problems. AL-ANON (AL-A-TEEN) Family Group Alcohol and Drug Helpline 1-800-344-2666 925-932-6670 24 hours; Based on the 1-800-821-HELP; Refers callers to in- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, AI-ANON is a patient and out-patient units and/or crisis program for relatives and friends of alcoholics. They attend centers for alcohol and drug dependency. meetings, share experiences and review literature Cocaine Hotline National Council on Alcoholism 1-800-262-2463 & Drug Dependence - 1-800-NCA-CALL Offers referrals for cocaine abusers and Gives referrals to support groups and treatment centers. their families. Also provides brochures. National Drug Information and AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) Treatment Referral Line 925-829-0666 24 Hr -Valley Service Center; 925-829-3160 1-800-662-HELP (1-800-662-4357) Refers callers to support groups and National Clearinghouse for Alcohol & Drug treatment centers. Brochures available. Information 1-800-729-6686 Offers free pamphlets on alcohol, smoking, marijuana, Americans for Non-Smoker's Rights crack, cocaine, and hallucinogens. To order any of the 510-841-3032 Berkeley five "Tips for Teens About..." publications, call above # or write NCADI, 11426 Rockville Pike, Ste. 200, Rockville, NA (Narcotics Anonymous) MD 20852 925-68 5-4357-Concord Provides a 12-step program and New Bridge Foundation - 1-800-785-2400 information on meeting locations. 510-974-1930 Albany, CA; Adolescent outpatient chemical dependency treatment, early intervention, Recovery Quest no-cost assessment, community education, family 925-426-0501 Provides counseling therapy, individual therapy. Services to people with alcohol or drug eating disorders for adults or Addiction Cancer Information Service of California , Teens, & other addictions. Confidential. 1-800-422-6237; Information on smoking related cancer and its prevention. American Heart Association 1-800-242-8721 Information on smoking-related heart disease and its prevention. California Smokers' Helpline 1-800-NO BUTTS American's for Non-Smokers' Rights no-smoke.org; 510-841-3032 Berkeley National Center for Tobacco-Free Kids Campaign 202-296-5469 -1400 Eye Street, Ste. 1200, Washington, D.C. 20005 104 Violence, Abuse, Child Abduction ~ Teen Dating Violence -Chapters 13, 14, 15, 16 Resources Planned Parenthood 838-2108 San Ramon Non-profit agency provides counseling Services for individuals and couples. Day and evening hours. Low cost, Sliding scale fee. Parental Stress Service 510-893-5444 or 1-800-829-3777 Tri Valley Haven for Women 925-449-5845 -Business Line 925-449-5842 - 24 Hr Crisis Line 1-800-884-8119 - 24 Hr Line Shelter, counseling, advocacy, and legal assistance for battered women and their children and for sexual assault victims. trivalleyhaven.org Children's Protective Services 925-646-1680 - 24 hr Contra Costa Cty 510-259-1800 - 24 hr Alameda County Investigates reports of child abuse. Runaway Hotline - 1-800-621-4000 nrscrisisline.org Firestoppers Program Coordinator: 925-454-2332 Pleasanton Police Dept.: 925-931-5100 Livermore Police Dept.: 925-371-4760 Horizon's Family Counseling: 925-371-4747 A youth Firesetting & Intervention program dedicated to the intervention and prevention of youth-set fires creating afire-safe environment for our children, families and community. National Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-799-7233 National Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-799-7233 - 24 Hours Information and referrals to local services Alameda County Child Abuse Council 510-780-8989 Information, referral and education on child abuse and neglect. Rape Crisis Center of Central Contra Costa 800-670-7273 - 24 hours STAND! Against Domestic Violence (Battered Women's Alternative) 1-888-215-5555 925-676-2845 -Crisis Line Serves battered women and their families, offers shelter, support services, drop-in counseling, job connections, children's programs, parenting programs, counseling (individual, group and men's), legal services and prevention services. Valley Community Health Center -The Center 925-462-5544 Pleasanton 925-828-HELP (828-4357) 24/7 Crisis Line Non-profit agency provides individual, group marriage, family and child therapy. Offers parenting education classes, HIV/AIDS support groups, and drug treatment programs, including adolescent drug treatment programs. Sliding scale fees. Rape Abuse & Incest National Network 1-800-656-HOPE Youth Crisis Hotline - 1-800-448-4663 National Center for Missing & Exploited Children 1-800-843-5678 Child Help USA -National Child Abuse Hotline 1-800-422-4453 -for victims, offenders and parents childhelpusa.org California Missing Children Hotline 1-800-222-3463 105 In~~ i~g WEBSOURCES Dublin Police Services attempts to update The Parent Book every year or two. However it would be impossible to keep all of the resources up-to-date on hard copy; phone numbers change, agencies move, addresses change, non-profits sometimes lose funding, others might consolidate. Sites listed are information only and does not indicate an affiliation with Dublin Police Services. The internet offers a vast amount of information and in most instances that information is updated regularly. Help is available and current on the net. Please keep in mind that frequently the most reliable and current information will be found on government, education or organization/agency sites..For that reason, when searching, try to gravitate toward addresses that end in: ".gov" ".org" or ".edu" rather than ".com" sites. Some site choices: drugfreeamerica.org Partnership for a Drug Free America adolescent-substance-abuse.com Educational website sponsored by CRC Health Group usdoj.gov/ndic National Drug Intelligence Center teendrugabuse.us Educate people about why teens begin using, what they are using and how thy affect teens drugstrategies.org Drug Strategies mayoclinic.com Three main Web sites provide information & services on health and discover Mayo's medical research and education offerings ed.gov/offices/OESE/SDFS Safe and Drug Free Schools Program dare-america.com D.A.R.E. theantidrug.com Parents, The Anti-Drug health.org National Clearinghouse for Alcohol & Drug Information ncadd.org National Council on Alcoholism & Drug Dependence, Inc. madd.org Mothers Against Drunk Driving al-anon.alateen.org Alanon-Alateen; Information for friends, family with drinking problems wholetruth.com Students Working Against Tobacco whitehousedrugpolicy.gov Office of Nat'I Drug Control Policy; Publications, programs, information samhsa.gov Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration ncpc.org National Crime Prevention Council fightcrime.org Fight Crime: Invest in Kids ycwa.org Youth Crime Watch of America ojjdp.ncjrs.org Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention; Nat'I Youth Network nationaltownwatch.org National Association of Town Watch mcgruff.org Nat'I Crime Prevention Council -Crime prevention site for kids -games, information, tips for safety on internet, stranger dangers, etc. ncvc.org National Center for Victims of Crime amberstick.com Memory Stick holds vital family information pedaids.org Pediatric AIDS Foundation; Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric Aids Fdn aac.org AIDS Action amfar.org American Foundation for AIDS Research aidsaction.org AIDS Action standagainstdv.org Non-profit agency dedicated to ending domestic violence 106 ~~~~ ~ ~a~ WEBSOURCES (Continued) parentingisprevention.org Parenting is Prevention ci.livermore.ca.us On City of Livermore website -Horizons Family Counseling locate under City Services talkingwithkids.org/drugs.html Talking With Kids About Tough Issues Parents.com Run by publisher of Parents, Child Family Circle and McCall's Magazines search-institute.org Search Institute -mission is to advance well-being of adolescents and children by generating knowledge and promoting its application nationalyouth.com Provide Education and information regarding programs and services for underachieving youth advocatesforyouth.org Advocates for Youth; talking with kids about sex aap.org American Academy of Pediatrics notmykid.org Not My Kid.Org -Nonprofit organization dedicated to helping parents get educated about youth behavioral and health issues including substance abuse, ADHD, lying, suicide and depression aacap.org American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry; Teen suicide suicidology.org American Association of Suicidology -Suicide in Youth crisissupport.org Crisis Support Services of Alameda County nmha.org lafamiliacounselingservice.com dhcs.ca.gov pueblo.gsa.gov ipi.org ncjrs.org ci.dublin.ca.us commonsensemedia.org kidlink.org kidscom.com yar.org National Mental Health Association La Familia Counseling Services California Children Services Federal Citizen Consumer Information Center Internet Public Library Justice Infor. Center - Nat'I Criminal Justice Resource Service City of Dublin website Dedicated to improving the media and entertainment lives of kids and families Kidlink, Empowering Youth to Build; global networks of friends in 21 languages Published by Circle 1 Network; Safe, educational and entertaining electronic website for kids 4-15 Youth as Resources 1800runaway.org National Runaway Switchboard plannedparenthood.org Planned Parenthood php.com Information for Special needs children ndvh.org National Domestic Violence fingerprintamerica.com Manufactures/sells self-contained child I.D. and stranger safety products amberalertnow.org Sponsored by Polly Klass Fdn -information website educating public on preventing child abduction missingkids.com National Center for Missing & Exploited Children codeamber.org Contains information and alerts on missing children pollyklaas.org Site contains information on missing children and what to do 107 ~ ~`~ ~ IAQ FUNDING Funding for the Dublin Police Services Crime Prevention Parent Handbook became a reality through the efforts of the Altamont Cruisers in 2002. Through their various fundraisers, the Cruisers donated money as part of their Cruisers Against Drugs Program to Dublin Police Services. This donation allowed the Crime Prevention Unit to compile and distribute the first edition of the Parent Resource and Education Guide. Dublin Police Services has been the recipient of grants from the Altamont Cruisers for many years. In 2003, an'updated Parent Handbook was made possible by a donation from the Tri-Valley Community Fund (TVCF). The TVCF raises and distributes charitable contributions to local human service, cultural and educational organizations in the area. They bring together charitable donors, community leaders and service providers to assess community needs, and to provide leadership in addressing those needs. THANK YOU VERY MUCH This Parent Handbook has been put together by Volunteers and staff of Dublin Police Services and the Dublin Police Services Crime Prevention Unit. Most of the information was reproduced from the San Ramon Valley Community Against Substance Abuse or CASA Parent Handbook. We thank them for allowing other groups and organizations to reproduce their handbook for personal or educational use. Our thanks go to the following people and organizations for their efforts in making this book a reality. San Ramon Valley CASA CASA Handbook Subcommittee (Committee that compiled, wrote, and researched information in their handbook) Dublin Police Department The Altamont Cruisers Tri-Valley Community Fund A special thanks to Rose Macias, Raelene Heath, Cynthia Dickinson, Val Guzman and the diligent group of Volunteers of Dublin Police Services who adapted the book to include information for the Dublin / Pleasanton / Livermore areas. SOURCES San Ramon Valley CASA CASA Handbook Subcommittee Dublin Police Department Information Bulletin U.S. Department of Justice, Nat'I Drug Intelligence Center Alameda County Public Health Department Crime.com National Neighborhood Watch National Drug Intelligence Center National Institute on Drug Abuse Center for Safe and Responsible Internet Use 108 ~r Emergency Calls Only 9-1-1 Non-Emergency Numbers Dublin Patrol Officer Response: 925-462-1212 Dublin Police Business Office: 925-833-6670 Dublin Fire: 510-618-3490 Pleasanton Police: 925-931-5100 Pleasanton Fire: 925-454-2361 Crime Tip/Graffiti Hotline: 925-833-6638