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(Lincoln, NE) Gov. Dave Heineman and First Lady Sally Ganem have thrown their full support behind a series of town hall meetings planned to be held in communities across the state highlighting efforts to curb underage drinking.
“There are so many problems associated with underage drinking, and we want to encourage our young people to consider all that they are risking,” Gov. Heineman said. “Research shows that young people who drink alcohol at a young age are more likely to develop alcohol dependency as an adult, and they add significant risks to their formative years. These town hall meetings are a way to help parents and community leaders reach out to kids about the short- and long-term consequences of drinking.”
Each forum will provide an opportunity to access the latest research on youth alcohol consumption and discuss how local partnerships can be used to better prevent underage drinking. The series of meetings is part of a nationwide effort to raise awareness on the negative physical and social effects of drinking. More than 20 forums have been planned through out the state.
Ganem said, “As a former schoolteacher and principal, I know how important it is to work together to confront the challenges facing our children and grandchildren. I want to commend Nebraska communities for embracing the challenge we will positively impact many lives if we can reduce underage drinking.”
Preliminary results of the most recent Nebraska Risk and Protective Factor Student Survey show that more students use alcohol than any other drug, including tobacco. The survey is administered by the Nebraska Health and Human Services System (HHSS) and the Nebraska Department of Education, and will be published later this spring.
“The good news is that it appears we are beginning to see improvement in the numbers,” Gov. Heineman said. “The rates of youth binge drinking, drinking and driving, and of kids being passengers in the car of a drinking driver are declining, thanks to the efforts of community-level coalitions that are mobilizing across Nebraska.”
Two forums will take place this evening, Monday, March 27, in the towns of Schuyler and Syracuse. Forums planned for Tuesday, March 28, will be held in Beatrice, Chadron, Crawford, David City, Hastings, Holdrege, Lincoln, NEaska City, North Platte, O’Neill, Ralston/Omaha, Rushville, Scottsbluff, and Sidney.
Additional forums will be held in Burwell on March 29, Oshkosh on March 30, Grand Island on April 3, and Ogallala on May 9. The First Lady is scheduled to attend the town hall meeting in Ralston on Tuesday, March, 28. Several community forums have already been held in Franklin, Kearney and Loup City.
Each forum is sponsored by local coalitions funded through the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA) with the support of the Nebraska Partners in Prevention, which is the Governor’s advisory council for substance abuse prevention.
Susie Dugan of coalition member PRIDE Omaha said, “This is a problem that has touched almost every Nebraska family. It is time to break the cycle of underage alcohol tragedies in our communities. I would urge parents and grandparents to attend a town hall meeting in order to help Nebraska work together in finding meaningful solutions.”
Nebraska HHSS Director Nancy Montanez said, “Children and parents need the support of communities and local professionals. Parenting is not always easy, and what we find across the wide array of our services is that informal support networks can be a true lifeline.”
More information on meeting times and locations, as well as ways to combat underage drinking is available on the SAMHSA Web site at http://www.stopalcoholabuse.gov by clicking the “Town Hall Locations” box for the most up-to-date information on each state forum.
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