My name is Angelica Mozqueda and I am the Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist covering Golden Valley & Musselshell County. This newly developed position is federally funded and distributed throughout the state on a regional basis. Region III has partnered with the Mental Health Center (Billings, MT) to bring prevention specialists to each of the counties within the South Central Region of Montana. I look forward to helping support, build and sustain a healthy and safe community for all members.
SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION
GOLDEN VALLEY & MUSSELSHELL COUNTY
PREVENTION SPECIALIST ROLE
PREVENTION SPECIALIST ROLE
- Prevention is a science that creates long-term environmental change.
- The goal of substance use prevention is to prevent the onset of substance use (underage use) and reduce the progression of substance abuse. By strengthening the comprehensive prevention approach, we will begin to see environmental changes throughout our community to help protect and support our community members.
HOW DOES SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION WORK?
- Successful prevention is to meet the needs of the community and its members where they are now. It is not to enforce change but rather bring everyone together to start conversations, educate, and grow as one.
- Fostering collaboration between community partners and school resources to assess issues, develop an action plan/logic model, implement evidenced-based programs and monitor progress.
- Educating all community members with specific focus on at-risk youth about substance abuse and other high-risk behaviors, while also providing them the skills to make positive choices.
- Identifying and decreasing risk factors throughout the community while also implementing protective factors to help prevent early onset of substance use.
WHAT WILL PREVENTION LOOK LIKE?
- Building a community coalition with the support of teachers, law enforcement, commerce, commissioners, non-profits, parents, youth and mental health resources.
- Reducing 30-day use of alcohol by youth (measured by PNA).
- Reducing 30-day use of marijuana by youth (measured by PNA).
- Reducing 30-day adult binge drinking (measured by BRFSS).