From Harford County government:
Topics to include suicide prevention, bullying, substance abuse and internet safety
On Tuesday, June 28, 2011, from 7:45 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., the Harford County Department of Community Services, Office of Drug Control Policy, will hold its Annual Symposium on Drug Prevention, Intervention and Treatment at Bel Air High School,100 Heighe Street, in Bel Air.
The Annual Symposium on Drug Prevention, Intervention and Treatment focuses on relevant and timely issues taking place in not only our county, but nationwide. This year’s theme is “Rising Above the Trends, Breaking the Cycle,” and will focus on topics such as suicide prevention, bullying, substance abuse and internet safety, as well as others.
The Symposium provides an opportunity to learn about addiction, suicide prevention, mediation techniques, abuse of prescription and over-the-counter drugs, internet safety and sexting, teen dating violence, and bullying. As the county focuses on substance abuse and prevention locally, these topics are well-timed and pertinent and offered through a day of workshops and a keynote and plenary address from highly respected experts in the field.
Davita Carpenter, BA, MBA, will present the keynote address on “Rising Above the Trends, Breaking the Cycle,” which will cover trends, how they begin, how they can be destructive, and how we can rise above what is adopted as a social norm. Her plenary address will discuss bullying and allowing our youth to have a stand.
The yearly Symposium explores current health and safety issues facing our youth in Harford County. These concerns generate the topics of the workshops that are useful to social workers, drug counselors, nurses, educators, and the public. The topics chosen this year will enable participants to expand their knowledge on issues such as mediation and problem solving, as well as the latest trends in drug and alcohol abuse, intervention, prevention and treatment.
The Symposium includes a series of workshops with topics including I’m Yelling, Why Can’t You Hear Me?: How to Listen in the Midst of Chaos; Why Addicts Don’t Stay Sober; Suicide Prevention; Abuse of Prescription & Over the Counter Drugs; Internet Safety and Sexting; and Break the Cycle of Underage Drinking, to name just a few.
“A top priority of this administration is to place Harford County as a leader in current health and safety issues,” stated Harford County Executive David Craig. “The Symposium highlights pertinent issues and should benefit everyone who attends as they learn how to effectively address concerns involving our youth.”
“Each year we strive to make the Symposium topics relevant to the current trends reported by surveys, law enforcement and government agencies,” says Joseph Ryan, Manager, Office of Drug Control Policy. “We encourage Harford County citizens to join us for a useful day of eye-opening education,” continued Ryan.
Registration is available online at http://www.harfordcountymd.gov/services/drugcontrol/Symposium.cfm. Disability-related accommodations are available upon request.
For more information, contact odcp@harfordcountymd.gov or 410-638-3333.
The 2011 Symposium is presented by FACE-IT, in partnership with the Harford County Department of Community Services’ Office of Drug Control Policy; Addiction Connections Resource, Inc.; Harford County Public Schools; and the Harford County Sheriff’s Office.
Six Continuing Education Credits (CEUs) will be granted for this training. Maryland Addictions Professional Certification Board, Maryland Association of Prevention Professionals and Advocates, Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners, Category I Program, or receive a Certificate of Attendance.
Faith Activated Community Empowering Intervention Training (FACE-IT) was formed to provide educational intervention through training to prevent substance abuse and combat addictions in Harford County. The group’s purpose is to build a community of spiritual healing by empowering and supporting faith and community organizations in their service to people suffering from substance abuse and other addictions through prevention, awareness, education and training
The Harford County Office of Drug Control Policy (ODCP) coordinates local events to address the devastation that local drug use is having in Harford County. Locally, over the past five years, 55% of the drug and alcohol overdose deaths of Harford County residents were related to prescription drug overdoses. The county’s participation in the nationwide prescription drug take back days was a great success, resulting in over two tons of unused or expired medications being turned in for proper disposal over the last nine months.
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