Town Manager Scott C. Crabtree along with the Youth and Recreation Department Invite the Public to Attend Youth Risk Behavior Prevention Meeting on Wednesday, November 9, 2022

Town Manager Scott C. Crabtree along with the Youth and Recreation Department Invite the Public to Attend Youth Risk Behavior Prevention Meeting on Wednesday, November 9, 2022

(Saugus, MA) November 4, 2022 – Town Manager Scott C. Crabtree and the Youth and Recreation Department invite all parents, educators, and interested residents to attend the Town of Saugus’Youth Risk Behavior Prevention meeting aimed at identifying the ongoing challenges in addressing substance abuse and informing the community about available resources. The meeting will take place on Wednesday, November 9, 2022, at 6:30 p.m. in the Town Hall Auditorium, located at 298 Central Street, Saugus.

During the meeting key findings will be shared from the 2022 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), a national school-based survey conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention designed to enable public health professionals, educators, policy makers, and researchers to describe the prevalence of health-risk behaviors among youth, assess trends in health-risk behaviors over time, and evaluate and improve health-related policies and programs. Attendees will get the chance to see how Saugus data results compare with previous Town studies, as well as the rest of the state and across the nation.

“This event is an opportunity for parents and educators to gain an in-depth understanding about the most pressing health concerns affecting our youth,” said Town Manager Scott Crabtree. “Having access to quantitative data is critically important, and will serve as a blueprint in determining the types of resources that our youth and families truly need.”

Saugus Public Schools administered the YRBS to middle and high school students in January 2022.  This anonymous survey, which ensures that students’ privacy is protected while upholding parental permission protocols, assessed the following six categories of priority health-risk behaviors among youth and young adults:

Behaviors that contribute to unintentional injuries and violence;

Tobacco use;

Alcohol and other drug use

Vaping

Saugus received support to conduct the YRBS through the MASS Call 3 Grant.  Saugus, Revere and Chelsea received the Massachusetts Collaborative for Action, Leadership, and Learning (MassCALL3) Grant. The group was awarded this grant in the Spring of 2021, initiating a six-year contract that funds local and regional strategies that address substance use and mental health challenges facing our middle and high school aged youth.

All parents, educators, and interested members of the community are encouraged to attend this informative event, which will be held in the Saugus Town Hall Auditorium, 298 Central Street, on Wednesday, November 9, 29022 at 6:30 p.m.

Ryan Barry, Regional Coordinator of the Mass CALL3, will be presenting and speaking at the event. Barry plans to discuss the exponential challenges that all communities across the state are facing and strategies moving forward.

For more information, please contact the Youth and Recreation Department at 781-231-4022.