Transcript Slide 1

Teen Substance Use on
Martha’s Vineyard
ATTITUDES AND PERCEPTIONS OF KEY
PROFESSIONALS, EXPERTS AND COMMUNITY
LEADERS ON THE ISLAND
INTERVIEW AND DATA COLLECTION PRESENTED BY:
EMILY DAVIE
SARAH DOHERTY, RN
ZHENI GJOKA
CHRISTINA ILIADES, RN
GENEVIEVE VERRASTRO
FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS MEDICAL
SCHOOL
Purpose
 The Dukes County Health Council formed the Youth
Task Force (YTF) in 2004 to address the unmet
health needs of youth and families on the Island.
 The YTF conducted a Youth Risk Behavior Survey of
middle and high school students in 2007.
 Substance abuse was identified as a problem,
creating the need for further investigation of
parental and community perceptions of teen
substance use.
The Interview
 Over the past two weeks, students from UMass
Medical School have conducted 27 open-ended
interviews of key community leaders and
professionals involved with youth.
 The interview consisted of 19 questions pertaining to
existing norms, parental attitudes and behaviors.
 Findings from these interviews are explored
throughout this presentation. All interviewees’
names are kept confidential.
 Data will be used by the YTF to aid in the future
development of a parental survey.
Question 1
Are you currently the parent of a middle or high school
student?
Number of Responses
16
14
12
15
12
10
8
6
4
2
44%
56%
0
YES
NO
Question 2
Have you read or heard anything about the Youth Risk
Behavior Survey?
Number of Responses
30
27
25
20
15
10
5
0
0
YES
NO
Question 3
What contact do you have
professionally with MV
youth and families?
How often do you have
contact with MV youth and
families?
4%
10%
7%
30%
Social
Services
Education
23%
7%
Daily
19%
Weekly
Law
30%
Monthly
70%
Spiritual
Medical
n=27
n=27
None
Question 4
Do you believe youth substance abuse is a problem on the
island?
30
How significant do you think it
is?
25
26
Number of Responses
Number of Responses
25
20
15
10
20
20
15
10
7
5
74 %
26%
0
Significant
Not Significant
5
96%
0
0
YES
NO
1 (4%)
DON’T KNOW
From Youth Risk Behavior Survey
Community Comments
 “Most teenagers are at risk, and there is probably a
higher level of use here than in other places that I’ve
lived.”
 “Not all, and not even most kids are drinking and
using drugs. They need to know this.”
 “On the island there is abstinence and heavy
drinking but nothing in between.”
 “We hear a lot about the problem and we don’t hear
enough about kids who don’t use.”
Question 5
Number of Responses
Do you think parents on Martha’s Vineyard believe there is
a problem with youth substance abuse on the Island?
14
12
12
11
10
8
6
40%
4
4
2
45%
15%
0
YES
NO
SOME
“Parents believe that there is alcohol and drug use, just not that their kid is
involved.”
Question 6
Risk Factors That Interviewees Believe Contribute to
Youth Substance Use
11%
24%
Parents
Isolation/Boredom
26%
Peer Pressure
Resort Community
8%
31%
Normal Teenage
Behavior
Community Comments
 “This is a culture of permissiveness and isolation.”
 “School has become the center for ethical conduct of
the teens and the community.”
 “There are a lot of hard working parents, a lot of
empty homes.”
Question 7
Protective Factors that Interviewees Believe Prevent
Risky Behavior
3% 3%
Small community
44%
Supportive
activities/resources
Law enforcement
50%
None
Community Comments
 “We have a strong community of adults who do care
and are really trying to pull together and find
solutions.”
 “My son got stopped a few weeks ago, and at least
seven people told me about it.”
 “There are a number of agencies doing good things
[to prevent youth substance abuse] but they aren’t
working together enough.”
 “If there’s a problem with a kid, there’s always a
family to go to [for help].”
Question 8
16
Where do youth receive
messages about substance
use?
Messages Interviewees
Believe Youth Receive
About Alcohol and
Substance Use
15
Number of Responses
14
12
11%
56%
Parents
27%
10
9
8
School/Police
16%
Community/Culture
33%
Peers
6
4
3
2
0
0
Mixed
11%
Use is ok Use is not
No
ok
response
23%
23%
Media
Community Comments
 “Partying and drinking and going out to bars is the
norm on the island.”
 “I get a sense that [parents think] drinking is ok as
long as there’s no driving.”
 “I’m a firm believer that we as adults must lead by
example.”
Question 9
What messages should youth get from their parents about
substance use?
21%
Honesty/Education
53%
No Tolerance Policy
Responsible Use
26%
“First and foremost the most important thing is to have good communication, and
that needs to start from a very early age”
Question 10
 The two most common
Number of Responses
Do you believe parents have clear
rules about substance use and
impose consequences?
14
13
12
10
10
48%
8
37%
6
4
4
15%
2
0
0
All parents
Most
parents
Some
parents
None
consequences mentioned were
taking away privileges and
grounding.
 “Until parental attitudes
change, the number of kids that
use is not going to change.”
 “There are certain parents that
provide the message: just don’t
get caught… do it in the
household so I can keep an eye
on you.”
 “Hopefully if we help them
grow up right, they’ll make the
right choices.”
Question 11
Number of Responses
 Places mentioned where youth get alcohol and drugs:
 High School
How do you think youth get access to alcohol and
 Lagoon Pond
drugs?
18
17
16
Road/Beach
16
38%
Road Vineyard
14
12
Haven
40%
10
 Circuit Ave.
8
6
5
4
12%
2
4
10%
0
Parents/home
Older friends
and community
members
Peers
Stealing from
vacant homes
and
restaurants
Youth Risk Behavior Survey Results
Question 12
How do you think parents believe youth get access to
alcohol and drugs?
14
12
Number of Responses
12
10
48%
8
6
4
5
20%
2
4
4
16%
16%
0
Parents/home
Older friends and
community members
Peers
Don't know
Question 13
Is there consistent
enforcement of underage
drinking policies?
11%
15%
11%
Yes
No
Maybe
63%
Don't
know
 “Teens need to know where
the line is, and that it is the
same line for everyone”
 “We have a total good old
boys system that is alive and
well on the island.”
 "[in] several towns… police
have started to crack down
on home parties over past
few years."
Question 14
As long as kids are not getting
caught, are parents (inner
circle) or community members
(outer circle) concerned?
19%
4%
26% 33%
Yes
33%
No
Depends
41%
37%
7%
Don't
know
 “Some parents are happy (if
their kids get caught by law
enforcement) because it
takes the consequences off of
them.”
 “Parents want to be friends
with their kids rather than
parents, especially with their
teenage children.”
 “Many parents are
concerned, and are doing the
best they can."
Question 15
Do parents believe kids are "just experimenting" when
using substances?
15%
4%
Yes
No
Maybe
81%
Question 16:
What community resources exist to support youth and
families?
1. Island Community Counseling and Martha’s
Vineyard Community Resources
2. School: Activities and Guidance Councilors
3. The YMCA
Question 17
What additional supports for family and youth are
needed?
1. Rehabilitative and detox services for teens on the
island
2. Substance abuse specialists, especially for
adolescents
3. Education and Community involvement



SADD
MADD
DARE for High School students
Community Comments
 “The High School does a wonderful job of putting this info
out. The schools in general do a wonderful job making help
available for parents for training and teaching. I think we
have a great DARE program.”
 “We try to intervene right at the beginning. I think
community service is huge on the island. There are a lot of
therapists on the island. I think the island has a lot to offer
once you’ve identified a problem. I think the hospital does
an excellent job and I think that the schools are trying.”
Question 18
What is the first step you think should be taken to
address these problems?
1. Education for parents, teens, and teachers
2. Increased services for adolescents and parents
3. Role modeling of appropriate behaviors
Question 19
What questions do you think should be asked on a
parent survey when it is created?
Categories:
 Statistics Specific to Martha’s Vineyard
 Support
 Knowledge
 Personal/Family History
 Communication
 Legal Issues
 Consequences
Conclusions
Interviewees indicated that parents, and the community
as a whole, believe that youth substance abuse is a
problem on the Island.
2. Those surveyed overwhelmingly believe that messages
about substances, positive and negative, come primarily
from parents.
1.
a)
b)
3.
Parents need more education about the nature of addiction and
how to address it with their kids
Parents need more support in their own struggles with substances
There is a lack of knowledge/communication about the
support, education, and treatment programs/services
available on the island.
Conclusions continued
Much of the substance access comes from the
phenomenon of high school age kids mixing at jobs or
socially with adults in their early 20s.
5. Many of those surveyed believe that the programs
provided by the YMCA will be very helpful for the
community.
6. Consensus that there is a lack of programming and
support on-island for youth drug users or those in
recovery (Ala-Teen, detox, etc.)
4.
Final Thought
“I think the island community is very protective. We
come together when somebody’s ill or somebody dies
or somebody needs help. This is a wonderful thing
and the fact that the task force is trying to address
this issue in a regional way… it’s much more
impressive then if you were outside of Boston. When
we do come together, that’s very important and very
special.”
We would like to thank:
Interviewees for their honesty and time
Youth Task Force and Island Health Council:
Tom Bennett
Cindy Mitchell
Patsy McCornak
Cindy Doyle
Olga Church
Island Counseling Center and Martha’s Vineyard Community Services
Daybreak
Island Health Clinic
Health Care Access Program and Sarah Kuh
Ron Rappaport
Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, especially for housing:
Tim Walsh
Dede Weiler
Suzanne Cashman