Dickinson Soutwest Coalition Program Highlights For January

Eldon Mehrer from the North Dakota Highway Patrol and Clarence Tuhy from the Dickinson Police Department agreed to serve on the video committee. Kathy Jahner from Dickinson State University will host the first meeting at the university. Student RAs and a professor from the Theater Department will be invited to help with the project. The availability of grant funds from North Dakota Highway Patrol and Community Action was researched. ,000 is available from NDHP. A proposal and budget will be developed by June 1, 2002. ,000 is potentially available from Community Action and Development Program for production and other costs. This drug and alcohol Video and interactive CD will replace the Alcohol 101 education piece currently used by the university with students abusing the "no alcohol on campus" rule. The Alcohol 101 video has not been effective with the students. The last Drug and Alcohol survey conducted showed an increase in usage among both Junior and Senior High students both in Dickinson and regionally. The impact of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs on youth and families was discussed with the Ministerial Association. Information and statistics about youth usage rates in Region VIII were distributed to 12 local pastors. The Ministerial Association was interested in assisting the coalition to get the message out. Pastor Josh will help sponsor Reggie Dabbs to local schools. Reggie Dabbs is a national speaker on alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. The coalition will support his presentation with media and promotion.

Funds received from the national State Farm Insurance Company were used to order an additional set of Drunk Busters to use at regional schools. The plan is to work with Driver Trainers to use the goggles in their classes. A planning meeting was held to discuss the number of locations and coverage for an Alcohol Screening Day. Dickinson High School, Trinity High School, Dickinson State University and St. Joseph's Hospital Wellness Center at Prairie Hills Mall will be contacted to host the screening. Cookies will be served to people who stop to complete the survey. Lori Basaraba-Thompson of WestWind Consulting; Carrie Knutson of Dickinson State University; Ed Shay and staff of Badlands Human Service Center; and Denise Lutz of St. Joseph's Hospital and Health Center have committed to assist with the screening.

Incentives were provided to Warren Hoffman of the Killdeer Police Department for a safety belt program at Killdeer High School in March. Incentives and information provided included an informational brochure on drinking and driving, pens, pencils, key chains, air fresheners, notepads, posters, and scrapers. Officer Hoffman will also use the Vince and Larry costumes, 3D goggles, and Drunk Buster goggles just received through the grant from State Farm Insurance. Information was distributed to Hagen Junior High School, Dickinson High School and Trinity High School for their safety belt campaigns.

Through collaboration with the North Dakota Department of Health, the Occupant Protection Committee discovered communities in the outlying region were already prepared for Child Passenger Safety Week, and focused on activities in Dickinson. Media for the "Don't Monkey Around - Buckle Up" campaign included the Roughrider Report on KQCD, three radio stations, and a talk show on activities during the week and the importance of buckling youth in a car seat or booster seat. Law enforcement will step up enforcement efforts during the week and Clarence Tuhy will arrange to use the Law Enforcement Center garage for a car safety seat check and roundup on February 14, 2002. Wells Fargo was contacted for a Savings Bond for a drawing and arrangements were made with BabyKind at St. Joseph's Hospital to set up a display and donate a car seat to the first child born during Child Passenger Safety Week. Registration boxes were placed in restaurants for the monkeys that were given away. Child Passenger information was provided to local clinics and the Health Unit. Daycares and schools in Dickinson were contacted with materials and a buckle-up poster contest was held for seventh and eighth grade students at Hagen Junior High School.