Ann Armstrong wants to help kids in Blaine County to "go further in life"

Fairgoers may recall a young woman sitting at a long table in the Commercial Building. Her table was full of 'giveaways,' interesting 'do-dads,' and lots of informational pieces all promoting healthier lifestyles for kids. The young woman is Ann Armstrong and she is the Blaine County Prevention Specialist, a job she's held since last March. I was curious to learn about Ann's work and plans for our youth. Here's information about some of the programming Ann has done in Blaine County and other resources to help our youth "go further in life."

Part of the programs of the Boys and Girls Club of the Hi-Line

Ann's activities in Blaine County are part of the services for youth provided by the Boys and Girls Club of the Hi-line based in Havre, where Ann has worked for five years. Her current position is funded by a federal grant and her focus is promoting healthy habits for youth to avoid abusing alcohol, marijuana and vaping. She develops and implements strategies that involve all Blaine County's communities, schools, parents and kids to "give our kids more opportunities and education to go further in life."

One of her first activities was driven by a statistic from a statewide survey that found 48% of Montana's 8th, 10th and 12th graders have used alcohol (the number was 24.4% in Blaine County). At the spring proms in Harlem and Chinook Ann rewarded students at the proms who were alcohol free and would prove it by taking a breathalyzer test.

Ann explained, "We gave incentives for students to submit to the breathalyzer test. If they tested alcohol free their name was entered in a raffle for gift cards and other rewards provided by local businesses and groups." At Harlem half the students participated and a little more than half the students at Chinook. Ann said the goal of the testing was to "try to normalize and reward appropriate behavior at school events." She was pleased that at least half in both schools participated and all who took the test were alcohol free.

At Fort Belknap Ann got the community involved to stop adults from providing alcohol to underage teens. Noting another statistic that teens in Montana start using alcohol at age 13 and that family and friends often provide the alcohol to underage teens, a campaign was launched to put warning stickers on packages of beer. The warnings were applied in stores around Fort Belknap with the help of locals in that community.

Another health issue for teens is the increase in vaping, even among preteens. At first hyped as a healthier alternative to smokers, Ann said, "Later research showed that one supposed healthier flavored vaping cartridge, marketed to kids, actually has the equivalent amount of nicotine as a whole pack of cigarettes. Vaping is not a healthier alternative to cigarettes." She added, "We see evidence that parents and older friends are buying vaping apparatus for teens who are not old enough (must be 18 in Montana) to buy it themselves. Now it has become a community problem as well as a teen problem."

And the biennial Montana Prevention Needs Assessment Survey, given to 8th, 10th and 12th graders showed in a sampling of 144 Blaine County students that 22.1% had used marijuana compared to 16.8% Montana-wide. Ann opened, "We know as marijuana becomes more available the number of teens abusing alcohol is decreasing." The opportunities and likelihood for addictions is increasing.

Resources for parents and communities

Some of the materials Ann Armstrong had displayed at the fair were aimed at helping parents. She explained, "We have materials for parents of children ranging from birth to 19 years of age. There are online programs that allow a parent to look at particular issues a child is facing (from underage alcohol use to anger management) and find helpful strategies based on the child's age." The help includes 5-step actions to employ and words to say to improve behavior and better communicate with a child. Go to http://www.ParentingMontana.org to learn about helpful ways parents can engage and guide children of varying ages.

Another online Montana-based program provides parents opportunities to learn more about the effects of underage substance abuse. Misuse can result in brain damage to children that can affect learning and academic performance, ability to control violent outbursts and put kids at risk of mental health issues. The Facebook based program at http://www.LETSFACEITMT.COM allows for sharing of information about the results of misuse of substances. As of last spring the Facebook page had nearly nine thousand followers sharing a variety of approaches being used by parents.

Ann Armstrong has offered another tool to parents of Blaine County. She said she would be interested in meeting face-to-face with local organizations or groups of interested citizens to share information about the status of abuse in the county and discuss resources available to help prevent addictions. Ann Armstrong can be reached at 406-265-6206.