Communities Talk Town Hall Meeting - Fentanyl Awareness
Hosted by: Texas Southern University Graduate Counseling Program, the TSU Counseling Association, and Chi Sigma Iota - Chi Sigma Tau Chapter (Counseling Academic and Professional Honor Society International)
Please briefly describe your Communities Talk activity.
On Tuesday, October 1, 2024, students in the Department of Counseling at Texas Southern University (TSU) hosted a community town hall meeting to discuss underage drinking and other drug use. The TSU Counseling Association and Chi Sigma Iota – Tau Sigma Upsilon Chapter, key players in the event, facilitated and opened with an interactive discussion on mental health, well-being, and the consequences of alcohol and drug use. Next, a special presentation and discussion on fentanyl awareness was led by “Travis’s Voice,” Inc., a nonprofit organization focused on fentanyl awareness. A highlight of the event was the positioning of 300 pictures leading into the venue and lining the walls that represented daily deaths from use and/or contact with fentanyl. Stories related to some of the victims were shared by parents, siblings, and friends who are on a mission to raise awareness about the dangers of fentanyl and other drugs. Over 100 students, faculty, and staff attended the event. The overwhelming response was positive, with pledges to make the Communities Talk event more extensive and accessible to students. One professor who attended with her students remarked, “This should have been done on the Tiger Walk!
How does alcohol and other drug misuse affect your community?
According to national research, nearly 15 million American youth ages 12-20 drink alcohol illegally and dangerously, and 4 million use illicit drugs. The economic impact of substance misuse is estimated to be $249 billion for alcohol misuse and $193 billion for illicit drug use. Additionally, Texas’ Harris County has one of the highest rates in the U.S. for motorized vehicle fatalities related to alcohol and drugs. The Communities Talk initiative helps to educate the community about underage alcohol and other drug use to address these issues. This is the third year that the graduate counseling program student organizations, with their dedication, hard work, and community service, have hosted the event.
Which prevention strategy(ies), as defined by SAMHSA’s Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, best fit your Communities Talk activity?
- Community-Based Process Strategy - focuses on enhancing the capacity of the community to address AOD issues through organizing, planning, collaboration, coalition building, and networking.
- Information Dissemination Strategy - focuses on improving awareness and knowledge of the effects of AOD issues on communities and families through “one-way” communication with the audience such as speaking engagements, health fairs, and distribution of print materials.
- Education Strategy - “focuses on “two-way” communication between the facilitator and participants and aims to improve life/social skills such as decision making, refusal skills, and critical analysis.
What goal(s) did you hope to accomplish with your Communities Talk activity?
- Hold meetings or discussion groups on alcohol and/or other drug misuse prevention.
- Create alcohol and/or other drug misuse prevention action groups (e.g., committees, task forces, and advisory boards).
- Start a youth-led coalition on alcohol and/or other drug misuse prevention.
- Develop strategic plans to reduce and prevent alcohol and/or other drug misuse.
- Build coalitions with other agencies or programs to reduce and prevent alcohol and/or other drug misuse.
Did you accomplish your goal(s)?
Yes.
What challenge(s) did you face in planning your activity this year?
- Unforeseen difficulties when planning our activity
- We had to change the date due to unavoidable circumstances, so we had to identify another appropriate group to participate in the event. As a result, the event was held on the Texas Southern University Campus. It was an overwhelming success with the students.
How did you overcome these challenges?
The targeted audience was high school teens in alternative education programs. The plan was to invite them to campus and have them attend the event with underage college students. The idea came about when the high school students were visiting campus and were so excited. Many had issues related to drugs, and many had never visited a college campus before. So, the plan was to invite them back and have them participate in the event alongside the college students. Fortunately, a large student population is on campus, including incoming freshmen and athletes. Juggling the time so the students could attend was a challenge, but it turned out to be an overwhelming success, as evidenced by the students’ verbal expressions of appreciation for the event and how they lingered around talking with the presenters and each other after the program.
What are your next steps?
- Host follow-up meetings or activities
- Create new action groups to tackle specific issues raised during our Communities Talk activity
- Expand our coalition with new partnerships in the community
- Create a public education campaign to raise awareness and/or change behaviors around underage drinking (i.e., create PSAs and other promotional materials)
- Yes, looking to begin a podcast on campus in the student center.
If you’ve conducted Communities Talk activities in prior years, how has your repeated participation contributed to progress in achieving your prevention goals?
Interest in the activity grows every year. This year, we connected with community organizations, and the dean of the college and others showed up and participated. After three years, I think they finally understand how big and important this topic and this event are.
Organizations that conduct Communities Talk activities often involve other organizations in the planning and execution of events. Please indicate which type(s) of organizations you involved in your activity planning.
- Faith-based based organizations
- Youth-led organizations
- Colleges or universities
- Local chapters of national organizations
- And the University itself.
Which of the following best describes the primary audience(s) for your Communities Talk activity?
- Teachers or other education staff
- Youth leaders (e.g., coaches, parks and recreation personnel, and scouting leaders)
- Healthcare providers
- Community members
How did you reach and engage your primary audience(s) to encourage them to participate in your activity?
Flyers and email invitations were distributed. The college deans also sent email blasts to chairs and professors to encourage their students to attend.
Which Communities Talk resources (or other SAMHSA resources) were most helpful for your activity?
- Prevention-related webinars
- Prevention videos, such as College Drinking: Prevention Perspectives
- Tips & Tools for Hosting a Virtual Event
- Customizable Resources for Communities Talk Promotion and Implementation
- Communities Talk website
- Communities Talk toolkits
Event At a Glance
Location: Houston, TX
Format
- Town hall meeting
Topics
- Alcohol misuse and/or substance misuse and mental health
- Alcohol-related and/or substance misuse policy/legislation (e.g., social host laws; liquor license laws and regulations)
- Communication campaigns and strategies (e.g., materials development, promotion of prevention messaging)
Host Information
Name: Texas Southern University Graduate Counseling program student organizations the TSU Counseling Association and Chi Sigma Iota - Chi Sigma Tau Chapter
Contact: Deborah Wilson
Website: Texas Southern University