“With everything going on in our city and country, this is a way to celebrate something good,” said CCPiP’s leader since 2019, Carey McKee, at its annual meeting on Jan. 9. “Today we celebrate the progress the coalition has made. Programs have grown from preschool to older adults. The coalition’s partners need to be congratulated for their collaborated efforts.”
Creating change
The group was formed when McKinley Hall CEO Wendy Doolittle emphasized the community couldn’t keep fixing the same problem. She stressed prevention using seven strategies that create change in a community.
One of the standout statistics is local data that found tobacco – including electronic vaping – marijuana, prescription drugs and alcohol usage by high school students dropped in 2024. Given marijuana laws in many areas have been relaxed in recent years, the CCPiP team found it a pleasant surprise.
A combination of awareness campaigns, workshops and parental education helped.
“It’s showing up in the numbers, which is really, really good to see,” said Niescha Rhodes, a community navigator at McKinley Hall.
She worked in partnership with Springfield Promise Neighborhood with students to get local retailers who sell alcoholic beverages to put up signage and stickers to remind only those 21-older may purchase and doing signage at events where alcohol is served.
Another positive was seeing vaping by students down from 28% to 16%. Tom Rollins, CCPiP’s Training for Intervention Procedures trainer, said while that number is good, they’d like to see it reduced to meet the national average 10-15% as those who are vaping are using all the time.
“There’s still a lot of confusion about it being safe. Some parents may still think it’s okay,” he said.
To counter vaping usage, CCPiP introduced Catch My Breath, an evidence-based education program being used in health and science classes, assemblies, sports teams, summer camps and parental meetings. The program is also being used as an alternative to suspension for students caught vaping.
‘Youth-based is the best prevention’
One strength is what Rollins called “positive peer pressure” by having the students create ads and showing they have reach.
“Youth-based is the best prevention,” he said.
Rollins said more than 800 middle and high school students have taken the program. One local district will introduce it into its curriculum next year.
Rhodes and McKee provided opioid education to 140 students, including how to recognize an overdose and Narcan usage. It may never come into use, but having the knowledge is better than not.
Family is also getting emphasis including the Thriving Families Program utilizing the Creating Lasting Family Connections and Guiding Good Choices programs, particularly focusing on youth communication and resiliency skills, led by Meredith Carter.
“They may not come to a group conclusion but everybody is heard,” Carter said. “The great thing is people can become leaders, with many exchanging numbers and finding new positive friends and peers for support.”
CCPiP also has a 12-member youth council of high school students from local districts working on community events aimed at teens and families. They recently received a $10,000 grant for prevention from Youth To Youth International. Their projects include marijuana prevention with an emphasis on how youth have access to it and educating parents on the harms of youth marijuana use.
The youth council also created billboards, T-shirts, signs, wristbands and hosted community family events.
While many similar nonprofits have had funding cuts, CCPiP has also scrambled for grants. The coalition is currently funded by a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Sober Truth on Prevention of Underage Drinking Act grant; Community Health Foundation; OneOhio Recovery Foundation; and Mental Health & Recovery Board of Clark, Greene and Counties.
CCPiP has also reapplied for a Drug-free Community Grant worth $125,000 for five years.
McKee said community partnerships with approximately 25 organizations has been a blessing to CCPiP’s efforts including local law enforcement, health departments, churches, schools and other nonprofits.
“Our partners are what makes this coalition amazing with the people that came together,” she said.
The community can experience what CCPiP does this spring with Pedal for Prevention, a family-friendly bicycle event on May 16 starting at Johnny Lytle Blvd. That will include a bike ride, food, prayer stations, information and more.
For more information about CCPiP, its programs and events, go to www.clarkcountypip.org/ or www.facebook.com/ClarkCountyPartnersinPrevention/.
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