IRON MOUNTAIN, Mich. (WZMQ) A recent survey conducted in Dickinson and Iron Counties revealed critical youth risk factors, prompting a data work group to meet monthly. Yesterday, the group convened to discuss revising an existing action plan to address the issues for the next two years.
“The results of our survey have decreased from previous years, but remain above the national average,” said Bob Boivin, Prevention Coordinator for Dickinson-Iron Communities that Care. “Depressive and anxiety symptoms are particularly high, and the perceived risk of alcohol abuse is still a significant concern, albeit slightly above the national average.”
Boivin highlighted that the rural nature of the community might influence these trends. Discussions yesterday also delved into the new data on energy drink consumption among youth. He added, “This was the first year on the youth survey that questions around energy drinks are coming about and the world is changing. Energy drinks are becoming more and more potent, just like everything else is becoming more and more potent.”
He shared how data board members want to include health education to local youth. Boivin emphasized the importance of not appearing hypocritical in their messaging. ‘We don’t want to come across as being hypocritical that caffeine is bad. We’re saying that anything in excess can be dangerous, especially for our youth, whose bodies of minds are still developing, so we talked about adding that informational piece to what we’re doing and bring that into the fold.”
The group also considered the potential for a health education campaign. “Tamara Juul from the Dickinson area community foundation, she talked about the potential for a mini-grant to do an educational piece to bring something like that out,” he stated.
The action plan will focus on educational programs, including Botvin’s LifeSkills Training available to area schools, which targets students from 4th-9th grade. Boivin stressed the need for community partnerships to enhance these efforts. “We’re constantly building partnerships to disseminate information effectively,” he said.
Addressing logistical challenges, Boivin mentioned the lack of public transportation in the counties. “We discussed ride-share options and other solutions to improve access to resources,” he said.
The action plan will soon be shared with the community for feedback. “We’ll be seeking input from everyone to ensure the plan is comprehensive and effective,” Boivin stated.
The next focus group meeting is scheduled for August 6th at the Dickinson County Library at 9:30 a.m. CST in the conference room. Additionally, the annual suicide awareness walk on September 22nd will serve as a platform for community engagement. “At this year’s suicide awareness walk, which will be held at the Dickinson County library, we’ll have a sign-in sheet for contact information and a question at the very end: ‘Would you appreciate being a volunteer in our community?’ – If they say yes, all of a sudden we’ve got a volunteer sheet. Those people we’ll be reaching out to first,” Boivin said, adding, “In this community, the great thing is the passion of the people that live here. All we’ve got to do is figure out how to harness it, and how to let people who are passionate contribute.”
Boivin reiterated the need for ongoing community support. “We’re always looking for people who want to contribute to existing programs and ensure they are well-promoted,” he said.
The communities that care is also supporting an initiative for a QPR training to aid local volunteers in responding to suicide crises within the community. There will be a training held on August 14th and another training at the Suicide Awareness event (held this year at the Dickinson County Library) on September 22nd.
For more information on the youth survey and action plan, or to sign up for a suicide response training, visit:
