County Welcomes Prevention Specialist

With funding under the federal Partnership for Success grant, Blaine County has access to a new Prevention Specialist, Ashley Birdtail. Although Birdtail works for the Havre Encourages Long Range Prevention (HELP) Committee and the Boys & Girls Club of the Hi-Line, her added title encompasses all of the communities within the boundaries of Blaine County.

Birdtail began her position in June 2021 and then moved into the prevention program at the end of August when the previous specialist moved on to another position. She has been the Prevention Specialist for Blaine County for almost six months. Her duties in that capacity include building and maintaining partnerships, interacting with community partners and members, and engaging with area youth to promote substance use prevention.

Currently, Birdtail has joined forces with the Blaine County DUI Task Force. The Task Force is a coalition of community partners focused on educating the public about the costs of driving while intoxicated.

About this work, Birdtail reports: "We are collaborating with area schools on disseminating prevention messaging for proms. This would include a media piece and a prize of some sort to be drawn prior to prom's ending. All students must be present to win. I've spoken with a couple of principals about setting up a table at their parent-teacher conferences to give out information from campaigns we work with, including ParentingMontana.org and Let's Face It.

"I will also be partnering with the DUI Task Force later this spring to work on some graduation ideas for all schools. And I hope to be at the Blaine County Fair this year, as well, with information regarding prevention and our partner campaigns."

New to the prevention world in terms of work, Birdtail is still finding her footing. "I've been in onboarding since September, and I'm finally able to get out and start making connections. The activities that I will be helping with are mostly those that have already been happening in the county. Our job is to promote youth substance use prevention and to act as a support for those activities and programs that are already in existence," she said.

Birdtail's goal for this year is to promote awareness about youth substance use prevention and to share the available resources. "I know how hard it is to be a parent these days, as I have three children of my own, and I am always looking for new ideas to help me along the way."

Another subject of conversation that was brought forward and discussed with Blaine County Commissioners regards a social host ordinance. "It wasn't a formal proposal, more of a discussion-starter to see if this would be a possibility and to gather thoughts," Birdtail explained. "Data from the Montana Prevention Needs Assessment, Youth Risk Behavior Survey, and other information was presented for review to see if this is something that can be pursued in the future, as well as how our identified substance use risk factors are shared in other spectrums and can be addressed through collaboration."

Social hosting is the providing of alcohol to someone under the age of 21 at a privately hosted party. A social host is defined as a person who owns or rents the home where the event is taking place and permits such an event or gathering.

Recent studies reveal that cities with more stringent and enforceable social host laws had lower levels of drinking at parties among teenagers compared to cities with less stringent laws, or without any kind of social host law. For example, in Helena, municipal criminal law, in the form of ordinances, holds hosts accountable for providing alcohol to minors who are not their own children. Similarly, in Billings, a social host can be charged with a misdemeanor if there is underage possession or consumption of alcohol beyond a non-intoxicating quantity in the social host's home, even if the social host is not present.

Established in 1979 by community minded partners, the HELP Committee shares a mission with the Boys & Girls Club of the Hi-Line. That mission is "to organize concerted efforts to recognize and constructively address the region's needs, related to the prevention and education of alcohol, tobacco, and other drug abuse, and to inspire and enable all young people, ages 6 – 18, to realize their full potential as productive, responsible, and caring citizens."

These groups and entities believe that parents and other responsible adults can make a difference in the lives of youth by implementing strategies such as talking and listening, establishing rules, modeling positive behavior, monitoring activities, and clarifying misperceptions about substance use.