During the May 21 Whitehall-Coplay Communities That Care meeting, group members discussed substance abuse prevention efforts.

Matt Christman, Whitehall Township Police Department officer and school resource officer, reported one of the biggest challenges in the schools is vaping among youths. He reported not seeing as many problems with cigarettes and alcohol.

He noted it is fairly easy for youths to access vaping equipment, including marijuana and THC for the vapes.

“There isn’t much control over Internet sales,” Christman said.

He mentioned he would like to see more focus on education to assist with the prevention efforts. This would include not only the health concerns, but school and legal ramifications.

It was reported having marijuana, including with vapes, on school grounds is illegal.

“Education is going to be huge next year,” said Gabe Dillard, Whitehall High School assistant principal. Christman said he wants to see these prevention efforts start as early as fourth or fifth grade.

Denise Continenza, CTC moderator and a Penn State Extension educator, noted they first need to raise awareness, then teach and offer prevention tools, before using more targeted intervention programs.

Dillard reported they have already adjusted the discipline procedure at the school to include prevention efforts. They seek not only to punish for the wrongdoing, but to address and seek out the root of the problem to prevent further issues.

For example, if a student is caught vaping at school, he or she receives a suspension and Student Assistance Program (SAP) referral. SAP is designed to assist in identifying issues including alcohol, tobacco, other drugs and mental health issues that pose a barrier to a student’s success.

Stephanie Dorney, with the Center for Humanistic Change, noted there are many more students reporting vaping regularly on the Pennsylvania Youth Survey than the number of referrals they receive. She said these education and prevention efforts will be key to reaching more students.

Chad Stefanyak, a WHS counselor, reported a challenge to an education or prevention program is the transient nature of many students in the district. He said they regularly have students moving in and out of the district, which could pose a barrier to building a strong prevention programming foundation.

Dillard noted he believes part of the problem with students who may have substance abuse problems is a lack of connection with the school and a lack of involvement in activities. He wants to see all the students being more goal oriented, which he believes will make them less likely to partake in illicit activities.

He said they are in the process of working through a new system at the school, which will give each student a faculty mentor. This mentor will connect with the student and expand a relationship beyond the classroom. Students will be provided a space to talk about things beyond classwork.

The hope is to build relationships, cultivate goals and help build additional important skills the students will need in life.

In other business, district registrar Michelle Khouri reported the Snack Pack Pals program is currently feeding 189 students in the district.

“The kids are happy to get the food,” Khouri said.

She also reported they are planning to do a mailing to 2,035 families to spread information about the Whitehall-Coplay Hunger Initiative summer feeding program. These targeted mailings will be sent to the families of the students who receive free or reduced-price lunches in the district.

Whitehall Township Mayor Michael Harakal presented the CTC with a proclamation to honor the work of the group and its prevention partners.

“There’s a lot of important work here that needs to be recognized,” Harakal said. “It’s making us and our kids potentially a lot safer and healthier.”

Allison Frantz, from the Suicide Prevention Coalition of Lehigh County, reported the organization has noticed a decrease in suicides across different demographics.

“In general, suicides are down from this time last year,” Frantz reported.

It was noted this was not the expected outcome with the pandemic.

“Your report is encouraging,” Continenza said.

Frantz said the group has a new website - suicidepreventionlc.com - and that it is receiving a lot of traffic.