Light & Unite Red uses pop-culture to shatter myths, empower teens with facts | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Division
January 23, 2018
Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele today announced that Milwaukee County will again put the spotlight on teen substance abuse prevention this week, National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week, with an interactive and multimedia campaign designed to help teens learn the facts about using drugs and alcohol. This special campaign is presented by the Light and Unite Red Committee – a community-wide substance use prevention coalition led by the Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Division. This particular campaign aims to shatter the myths that teens learn from the internet, social media, TV, movies, music or from friends. The campaign runs from January 22 to 28.
“The epidemic of substance abuse has hit home for so many in Milwaukee County,” said Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele. “Through National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week, we are partnering with more than 50 community organizations, health departments, libraries, schools and more. Together, we are empowering tens of thousands of our community’s youth to lead the conversation about prevention, equipping them with the facts about the effects of drugs and alcohol on their brains and on their futures. The best approach to eliminating an epidemic is to prevent it … and that starts with our youth.”
Throughout the week, several schools and youth organizations are encouraging their students to wear red, the national color for substance abuse awareness. Many will also host activities including a haiku contest, quizzes and trivia contests, bingo games, and will encourage teens to use a SnapChat filter to share facts with friends. Teachers can download blog posts and a lesson plans from lightunitered.org.
“We’ve designed this week with the help of teens,” says Mike Lappen, Administrator of the Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Division. “We’re using messages, technology, a film about a teenager exposed to opioids and more to help our youth understand what misusing drugs and alcohol actually is. Many are misinformed and misled by what they see on social media and the internet. We want to prevent substance abuse and connect teens to help if they need it.”
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
National Drug and Alcohol Fact Week also includes a number of free events for the public and features a nationally-awarded documentary and panel discussion about opioid abuse.
•Michael Lappen, MS, LPC, Administrator, Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Division and co-chair of the City-County Heroin, Opioid and Cocaine Task Force
•Michael Vann, MSE, CSAC, ICS, Recovery Support Specialist, Wisconsin Resource Center
•Maria Perez, PhD, VP of Behavioral Health Affairs, Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers
•Mark Fossie, MS, LMFT, APSW, CSAC, ICS, President Chief Executive Officer, M&S Clinical Services, Inc. and Bishop, Lion of Judah Christian Ministries
•Walter Lanier, JD, MDIV, Director, Multicultural Services and Community Engagement, Milwaukee Area Technical College and Pastor, Progressive Baptist Church.
The public is encouraged to attend any of these free programs. To learn more about National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week and for a full list of events and partners, visit lightunitered.org.