Geminus Prevention Stop Act

STOP ACT Project

STOP Act ‐ Sober Truth On Preventing Underage Drinking In our efforts to prevent underage drinking, we set forth activities and events that will impact the youth and young adult population, effectively. We implemented the Orange Ribbon Campaign in April, 2014, which is Alcohol Awareness Month and hosted a national level Town Hall Meeting, May, 2014 during prevention week, amongst other activities executed through the STOP Act. The purpose of Orange Ribbon Week is to raise awareness and amplify the risks and consequences associated with underage drinking. The Orange Ribbon Campaign was implemented within 16 high schools throughout Lake County, targeting youth and young adults between the ages of 12‐20. The campaign packets issued, contained materials from SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Association) and donated copies of the customized Parent Resource Guide by LCSAC (Lake County Substance Abuse Council). Every day during the campaign, students were able to engage in some sort of activity that would increase awareness against underage drinking. Schools were given daily articles that consisted factual, statistical, and mythological data about drinking, orange ribbons to tie around trees on the school’s campus, and chalk to inscribe awareness messages on the school sidewalks.

The Town Hall Meeting, entitled, ‘Our Town. Our Health. Our Future.’ was held in the Whiting High School auditorium. We advertised the meeting in the local POST‐Tribune newspaper, encouraging members of the community to participate and help support the underage drinking initiative. There was a total of 43 student participants and with dedication and support we were able to build a strong panel which included presentations from Whiting High School’s, STAND (Students Together Against Negative Decisions), Indiana Excise Police, Sergeant Taylor, North Township’s Communities that Care Coordinator, Albert Gay, and The FinBloom’s Story which was supported by the Indiana Lifeline Law. The focal point of each presentation dealt with topics on reduction, education and prevention, with emphasis surrounding the major issues communities face as it relates to underage drinking.

The STOP Act Taskforce generally works toward eliminating the problem with underage drinking, within the younger generation before it starts. The formation of advocacy groups and campaigns encourage students by keeping them committed to maintaining sobriety, setting good examples, and being positive role models.