LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

 I found a picture from 1946 of a family member at the age of about 18 months with his loving aunt and uncle.  The uncle was smoking a cigarette and giving the young child a sip out of a beer bottle as the aunt watched on.  We know now that smoking in the presence of children is unhealthy for them.  We also know that giving children alcohol is definitely a hazard to their future health.  So we don’t smoke in front of our children any more and we don’t give them alcohol, right?  This is what my Letter from the Director was going to be about.

But after showing the picture to several co workers and friends, and discussing my thoughts with them, I was discouraged to hear that it has been their observation that not much has changed.  They say, it is still common practice to smoke in the presence of children and share alcohol with them!  Children are still being exposed to situations that will impact their future health and lifestyle choices.

This brings me to speak about the healthcare reform bill passed by Congress that includes a plan to spend $15 billion on disease prevention.  Some advocates want the money to be spent on disease-specific interventions targeting problems like smoking and diabetes.  Others are asking that the money be used to address broader community health initiatives. 

Kenneth Warner, Ph.D. dean of the School of Public Health at the University of Michigan chaired  a committee that released the 2009 report, Prevention of Mental, Emotional and Behavioral Disorders Among Young People, concludes that prevention of addiction and mental illness has been proven to be scientifically feasible, but only public-health approaches are demonstrably effective. 

Basically what this means is that programs that address single issues are not as effective as those that address issues across a broader spectrum.  The report noted, “There is growing evidence that well-designed prevention interventions reduce a range of problems and disorders and that these efforts are sustained over the long term.  These programs often help children, families, and schools build strengths that support well-being.  A focus on prevention and wellness can produce multiple benefits that extend beyond a single disorder.”  Proven strategies include:
 

• strengthening families by targeting problems such as substance use, or aggressive behavior; teaching parenting skills, and helping families deal with disruptions such as divorce, poverty and mental illness 
• strengthening individuals skills and improving cognitive processes and behaviors
• preventing specific disorders such as anxiety or depression by screening at risk individuals and offering treatment and interventions
• promoting mental health in schools
• promoting mental health through health care and community programs

We may see more support for prevention programs as President Obama's administration rolls out the new Successful, Safe and Healthy Students program, slated to replace the Safe and Drug-Free Schools grants.  It is designed to have a broader focus creating an “improved school climate that reduces drug use, violence and harassment and improves school safety and students’ physical and mental well-being.”

So what does this all have to do with the picture of my 18 month old family member?  Maybe not much,
other than the fact that the seeds of addiction are planted at an early age and as I have done the work of prevention for almost 23 years it saddens me to hear that some 18 month old child, today, may be the victim of second hand smoke and alcohol fed into his body.  Hopefully, the next 23 years, with increased awareness, education and public funding we will see a greater change.