--- title: "Crescenta Valley Drug and Alcohol Prevention Coalition" type: "pdf" year: "2011" canonical: "/projects/473" --- # Herman Goldstein Award # Table of Contents - [Herman Goldstein Award](#herman-goldstein-award) - [Crescenta Valley Drug and Alcohol Prevention Coalition](#crescenta-valley-drug-and-alcohol-prevention-coalition) - [Drug and Alcohol Prevention Project A community's response to substance abuse prevention](#drug-and-alcohol-prevention-project-a-communitys-response-to-substance-abuse-prevention) - [Summary](#summary) - [Scan](#scan) - [Analysis](#analysis) - [Response](#response) - [Assessment](#assessment) - [Appendix](#appendix) - [The CVDAPc's philosophy](#the-cvdapcs-philosophy) - ["WE ALL MUST DO OUR PART IN REDUCING SUBSTANCE ABUSE TO CREATE HEALTHY, SAFE AND DRUG-FREE COMMUNITY-HOWEVER SMALL OR LARGE THE EFFORT, WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE."](#we-all-must-do-our-part-in-reducing-substance-abuse-to-create-healthy-safe-and-drug-free-community-however-small-or-large-the-effort-we-can-make-a-difference) - [Priorities](#priorities) - [Community Partners](#community-partners) - [Summary of Accomplishments 2009-2011](#summary-of-accomplishments-2009-2011) - [Grants/Awards](#grantsawards) - [Programs](#programs) - [Community meetings and forums](#community-meetings-and-forums) - [Website/ Outreach](#website-outreach) - [Awards of Success](#awards-of-success) - [Table 2](#table-2) ## Crescenta Valley Drug and Alcohol Prevention Coalition 2011 Award Application # Drug and Alcohol Prevention Project A community's response to substance abuse prevention Glendale Police Department, California 2011 ## Summary Project: Crescenta Valley Drug and Alcohol Prevention Coalition SCANNING: The Crescenta Valley was identified as having a serious alcohol and substance abuse problem among its youth. A Glendale Police Department Community Police PartnerShip (COPPS) officer was informed by several parents of a growing problem among their teenage children using heroin. A local gang became prevalent and many of the members were using heroin and distributing it to the teens. There were ongoing concerns over social hosting (parental allowance of parties), underage drinking and a wide use of marijuana. ANALYSIS: $\quad$ Prevention and education had been set aside in the community due to a lack of knowledge and accessibility to sufficient resources because of the poor economy. The majority of teens have been led to believe the effects of alcohol, marijuana and prescription medication are less harmful than they actually are. Most governmental agencies, city officials, educators, local businesses and residents were unaware of the extent of the problem and some even refused to acknowledge the rising problems over the years in a community which serves a population of over 38,600. Like most communities, the area preserves a model of community denial. Additionally, because of the community having such high standards set on the youth, many parents would quietly attempt to take care of their individual problems while school officials, concerned with their own status, refused to address the "social norms." RESPONSE: An organized community coalition was formed, led by law enforcement, to address community issues regarding high narcotics usage, lack of services, no teen centers and virtually no teen \& parental education. ASSESSMENT: The Crescenta Valley community now has an organization, The Crescenta Valley Drug and Alcohol Prevention Coalition (CVDAPC), to turn to for help with teen alcohol and drug prevention, an after school program and counseling/parenting seminars. The organization was awarded a federal grant to help create long-term sustainability and the coalition was formally organized, providing a valuable community resource. # Scan Community Description: The Crescenta Valley is a small inland valley in Los Angeles County, California. The Crescenta Valley is comprised of the communities, Montrose and La Crescenta. A portion of Montrose (91020) and La Crescenta (91214) was annexed (incorporated) by the City of Glendale. The other portions of Montrose and La Crescenta are an unincorporated area of the County of Los Angeles. The Crescenta Valley is a community with a distinct and separate sense of identity from that of its surrounding cities. The Crescenta Valley community is bordered on the northwest by the Los Angeles community of Sunland/Tujunga which is the primary source of marijuana and other illicit drugs being used in the Crescenta Valley. The Crescenta Valley is bordered on the north by the Angeles National Forest, on the south by the City of Glendale and on the east by the city of La Canada Flintridge. Many of Crescenta Valley's 38,696 residents have lived here for multiple generations with deep ties to the community. The majority of the Crescenta Valley residents are white ( $65.1 \%$ ) which includes a large Armenian population, but there is also a significant and growing Asian population (27.3\%) in the community. The economic demographics of Crescenta Valley are middle to upper-middle class (average household income is $\$ 80,644$ ). The unincorporated sections of the Crescenta Valley are governed by the County of Los Angeles, with the Crescenta Valley Town Council acting as a local forum for residents. The town council keeps the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors informed of concerns and issues of the Crescenta Valley residents. The town council has no power to establish, implement or enforce local ordinances. The annexed part of the Crescenta Valley is governed by the City of Glendale. Law enforcement services are split between the Glendale Police Department (GPD) and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD). All public schools in the Crescenta Valley are part of the Glendale Unified School District (GUSD). There are seven elementary schools, one middle school and two high schools. Crescenta Valley High School is ranked as one of the highest academic achieving schools in the U.S. The second high school, Clark Magnet, offers a specialized curriculum with high academic standards. These schools account for 30\% (approximately 8,000 students) of GUSD's 26,755 (08-09) enrollment. The community has experienced a transition with an increasing Asian population in the Crescenta Valley schools. From 1998 to 2009 there was an average 7\% increase in Asian student enrollment. This reflects the immigrant status of many of the Crescenta Valley's residents. La Crescenta has a "small town" feel to it, with active and entrenched civic and service clubs, plentiful youth sports and activities and schools that expect high performance from their students. However, within this idyllic setting, a number of factors are contributing to a sharp increase in drug and alcohol use among its youth. One aspect is the proximity to the large metropolitan area of Los Angeles (adjacent on its western border). Affluence allows "pocket" money" to be provided to bored teenagers. This, along with the pressure on teens to achieve, an increase in the number of single parent households, and an increase in ganglike activity among certain ethnic groups all contribute to the drug use problem. Many working parents leave a three to four hour window after school when students remain unsupervised. In 2007, 21\% of GUSD $7^{\text {th }}$ graders reported that they are home alone for up to 5 days during the normal school week. In 2007, only $66 \%$ of $7^{\text {th }}$ graders, $62 \%$ of $9^{\text {th }}$ graders, and $55 \%$ of $11^{\text {th }}$ graders reported that they had talked to their parents or guardian about the dangers of tobacco, alcohol, or drug use. While no specific gang has established itself in the community, gangs from Los Angeles communities recruit from the high school to sell drugs or run errands. Eventually, students become users and traffickers. There are known incidents involving Los Angeles County gang members infiltrating the area, fostering vandalism and drug trafficking. In the last two years, Rosemont M.S. has seen at least ten separate incidents of vandalism on campus, and graffiti is increasing in the immediate community. This is to say nothing of the property crimes that result from drug use in a community. A major \$10-million marijuana farm was discovered in 2009 in the Crescenta Valley hills. The community is a lucrative market for gangs and drug traffickers because of higher socio-economic conditions. Parents have moved to the area to provide the best for their children, but this same environment is an attractive market for drug-related activity. The School Resource Deputy from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's department stated, "The outside influences to students of this campus during normal school hours and beyond are numerous; the drug activity, thefts, and presence of undesirable characters abound in this otherwise relatively safe community." In 2009, two mothers came to GPD Officer Matt Zakarian in desperation to help their children who were abusing illicit narcotics. One was Natalie, a 13 year old female who began injecting heroin and was struggling in school and at home. Natalie had run away several times and her mother was at a loss. The second was Kyle, a 15 year old boy who had been smoking heroin and hanging out with a known gang. Kyle's mother was struggling with her marriage and was unsure of what to do with her son's heroin problem. Both parents were very distraught over their children's uncontrollable addiction. Heroin, a highly addictive drug which could easily lead to an epidemic, is limited to an small percentage of our young adults and teens, but other illicit and prescription medications are quite common among the youth. The Crescenta Valley has been aware of substance abuse issues for a decade and has attempted to respond to the youth in several ways. In July of 2000, two $8^{\text {th }}$ graders were brutally murdered on the campus of Valley View Elementary school as a result of their involvement with drugs. After that particular incident, there was an outpouring of community concerns. Hundreds of Crescenta Valley residents turned up at meetings held at Rosemont Middle School to address the issues of drug and drug-related violence in La Crescenta schools. One victim's mother, along with community members, attempted to start a grassroots "Seeds of Peace" organization for narcotics education. Ultimately, the community's concern and fear diminished, and the organization disbanded. In 2006, a 16 year old Crescenta Valley High School student died due to drugs and alcohol. Again, local organizations reached out to the local schools in an attempt to have a conversation about how to provide meaningful services and programs for youth outside the classroom. In 2008 and 2009, seven local juveniles and young adults were identified as having involvement in a local gang. Most would eventually be arrested in connection with selling heroin to the Crescenta Valley teens. Police seized over \$370,000 worth of heroin and \$27,000 in cash. Because of the overcrowding in the Los Angeles County Jail and Proposition 36, many of the arrestees, who are now adults, are still on our streets as heroin addicts. At the beginning of the 2009 school year, several incidents brought more focus to the Crescenta Valley. Crescenta Valley High School had several arrests regarding a group of students selling prescription medication on campus. Another incident occurred when a student had gone home and began inhaling "Dust-Off", a product commonly used to clean small areas with compressed air. The juvenile male was passed out on the bedroom floor when his mother found him. The mother called a coalition member who was familiar with a local outreach program. The president of the outreach program advised the mother to make sure the boy got placed on a 72 -hour medical hold that would insure the boy would not be released. Incidents such as those above are only a few of many that would eventually bring attention to our community. The community is at a loss as to why these kids who come from such high achieving families and "Blue Ribbon" schools could easily turn to such hard core narcotics at an early age. Something on a large scale would need to be addressed. # Analysis Since 2008, Officer Zakarian has been assigned to the GPD Community Policing Unit. He grew up in the area and was aware of the alcohol and drug problems in the Crescenta Valley, as he also attended Crescenta Valley High School over 30 years ago. The narcotic problems which plagued the community then still exist today. Although heroin wasn't as popular then, other addictive drugs such as methamphetamine, prescription medication, and cocaine were easily obtained. After working in the area for several months, Officer Zakarian felt there was an immediate need for education and intervention for substance abuse within the Crescenta Valley community. Based on prior knowledge of the area, escalating narcotic arrests, and increasing gang activity, he began analyzing specific needs and resources. Officer Zakarian felt a collective effort must be taken by all members of the community to ensure the quality of life in three categories: education for prevention, intervention and suppression. Accessibility to alcohol and drugs and a lack of enforcement of applicable statutes are contributing factors. According to the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC), there are 66 alcohol outlets in zip codes 91214 (La Crescenta) and 91020 (Montrose) and adjacent 91208 (Glendale) and 91011 (La Canada) or 1 outlet per 555 people. Larger "bedroom" communities in the area have 4 to 35 alcohol outlets, but more alarming than the density is that, according to ABC records, there have only been five under-age sales violations in the past five years. While there is a moratorium on marijuana dispensaries in the Crescenta Valley, there are 17 such outlets in the adjacent community of Sunland/Tujunga. The Crescenta Valley has a good foundation on which to build an effective drug and alcohol prevention strategy. The school district has a comprehensive drug, alcohol and tobacco-abuse policy that encompasses drug use prevention instruction, enforcement/discipline, intervention, non-punitive self-referral, and recovering student support. The district also utilizes a breathalyzer at high school dances, and Crescenta Valley High School is contemplating instituting a closed campus and a voluntary random drug screening program. The City of Glendale enacted a tobacco retailer licensing ordinance in 2008 and ABC laws take into account the potential negative impact of a liquor store/outlet in terms of its proximity to a school zone. As such, outlets in "close proximity" are licensed to mitigate impact. GUSD has a drug sniffing dog program at the high school level, a mandatory breathalyzer program for all school-sponsored dances, and in March, 2010, implemented a voluntary drug testing program with parental consent. The California Healthy Kids Survey (CHKS) is a State-sponsored, mandated survey administered by California school districts every two years at the $5^{\text {th }}, 7^{\text {th }}$, $9^{\text {th }}$ and $11^{\text {th }}$ grade levels. All schools receiving Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities funds must participate in the survey, which meets mandated requirements under the No Child Left Behind legislation. WestEd is contracted by the State of California to analyze CHKS data and each district's report is posted on the WestEd website. The CHKS was administered in the fall of 2005, 2007 and 2009. Working in close collaboration with GUSD's specialist in charge of the district's Safe and Drug Free Schools program, the CVDAPC was able to obtain school-site specific data for Crescenta Valley elementary schools, Rosemont Middle School (Rosemont) and Crescenta Valley High School (CVHS). The data revealed disturbing trends. Among $7^{\text {th }}$ graders, there was increased use of alcohol and marijuana, as well as a dramatic decrease in the perception of harm associated with alcohol, marijuana and tobacco use. Between 2005 and 2007 there has been a 100\% increase in the "yes" response among $7^{\text {th }}$ graders in La Crescenta when surveyed about any alcohol or drug use in the past 30 days (from 7\% to 14\%). Among other middle schools in the district, there was only a 15\% increase. Alcohol use specifically among $7^{\text {th }}$ graders increased by $150 \%$ between 2005 and 2007 (going from $4 \%$ $10 \%)$. Among other middle schools in the district, there is only a $22 \%$ increase. Marijuana use among $7^{\text {th }}, 9^{\text {th }}$ and $11^{\text {th }}$ graders increased significantly across all three grade levels with a $150 \%$ increase among $7^{\text {th }}$ graders, a $50 \%$ increase among $9^{\text {th }}$ graders and a $36 \%$ increase among $11^{\text {th }}$ graders. Increases in use are higher at the Crescenta Valley schools and overall use is higher among CVHS $9^{\text {th }}$ and $11^{\text {th }}$ graders than at other GUSD high schools. CVHS marijuana use among $11^{\text {th }}$ graders is also higher than the county as a whole (19\% CVHS; 17\% L.A. County). The age of onset of marijuana use at CVHS is reported as "never" among only $69 \%$ of $11^{\text {th }}$ graders, compared to $77 \%$ average of other GUSD high schools. Perceived harm of substance use took a sharp decline as well across all GUSD schools (no school-specific data was available here). The perceived harm of alcohol use among $7^{\text {th }}, 9^{\text {th }}$ and $11^{\text {th }}$ graders in the district went from $97 \%, 97 \%$ and $97 \%$ respectively in 2005 to $82 \%, 90 \%$ and $92 \%$ in 2007. This is a particularly alarming trend among $7^{\text {th }}$ graders. Similarly, the perceived harm of marijuana use among $7^{\text {th }}, 9^{\text {th }}$ and $11^{\text {th }}$ graders in GUSD went from $97 \%, 99 \%$ and $96 \%$ in 2005 to $82 \%, 88 \%$, and $88 \%$ in 2007. Like trends are found in the perception of harm in tobacco use as well. In 2007, $10 \%$ of $11^{\text {th }}$ graders said that they had forgotten what happened or pass out after using alcohol or another drug. In absolute terms, marijuana use among CVHC $11^{\text {th }}$ graders is higher than reported use at the district as a whole and even at the county level. The (CHKS) survey is conducted every other year and has not been published at this time for 2011. (See Table 2 in the Appendix) According to two different focus groups conducted with 24 Crescenta Valley High School students at the local YMCA, there is easy access in the community to substances that can be abused. "If you want drugs, it is not a problem to get them", was a common sentiment. Students state that substance abuse happens most frequently before/after school and at lunch (CVHS has an open campus at lunch), at house parties and on Mary Street, adjacent to the campus. These focus groups revealed that many parents don't seem to care about their kids using drugs or alcohol - "they just don't want you drinking and driving...some even provide the alcohol and drugs". These teens felt that parents in the community were too permissive. A community survey was conducted in February, 2010 among adults at several public forums, venues and events with a total of 76 respondents. $86 \%$ of respondents agreed that alcohol use by teens is a problem in the Crescenta Valley. Responses (which are tabulated in Table 3 in the Appendix) also indicate that teens have easy access to drugs and alcohol in the Crescenta Valley. There has also been an alarming increase over the past five years in drug-related crimes committed (over 61\% increase between 2005 and 2009) as well as suspensions and expulsions at CVHS and Rosemont Middle School. At the four hospitals serving the La Crescenta area (Verdugo Hills, Huntington Memorial, Glendale Adventist and Glendale Memorial) there is an average of 1015 referrals to adolescent behavioral health centers per month for substance abuse plus an additional 2,238 substance-abuse related ER admissions in the year 2009 alone (See Table 3 in the Appendix). Law enforcement agencies increased suppression efforts as the coalition formed. The coalition was taking shape for education and intervention to complement law enforcement's hard work. Some of the road blocks included, a complicated "spider web" of political and governmental agencies, multi-agency law enforcement and county and city boundaries mingled together with a growing Asian and Armenian population. This presented a problem of language barriers. Other contributing factors included the internal issues of "compartmentalized" resources due to budget constraints, multiple government jurisdictions, and the lack of cross-reporting. This led to community ignorance of, and apathy toward, the specific issues. The "head in the sand" and "not in my backyard" syndromes would be later exposed in order to gather the community's support. Strategic partners and collaborative associates would have to be identified and held to answer, as Officer Zakarian believed in the proverb "It takes a village to raise a child". The community would need to come together to provide input and direction for everybody living and working in the community. In addition, every person and every business would have something to offer to help this community rise above this systemic problem. # Response Based on the teens narcotic/alcohol incidents, coupled with the community's desperate cry for help, the Crescenta Valley Drug and Alcohol Prevention Coalition was formed in 2009. The mission of the coalition was to create awareness and maintain a safe and healthy drug-free community by providing youth a secure, caring and supportive environment. Officer Zakarian began holding meetings with community members in the basement of a local high school. Invited members included parents, a mother who is also a reporter for the local paper, an anti-drug educator and a fellow officer, Joe Allen, who had over 20 years of police experience and specialized in narcotics. Crisis counselors were also invited to be available to distraught parents at these meetings. News of this informal group spread and it began to grow. The meetings were moved to accommodate the larger group. Because of the popularity, the high school was pressed to recognize the group and the underlying issues that were brought to the surface. A local parent and community activist, Nancy Stone, came to one of the meetings along with a parent, Aileen, whose son was murdered 10 years earlier in a drug related incident. Both Nancy and Aileen felt the group meetings fit the same model that they had tried 10 years prior. The group rallied community members to come to the meetings and build partnerships. The principal of the school was able to secure funding from the school board to offer a therapist to meet with the affected parents at the local YMCA on a weekly basis. Those meetings are still being held a year and half later. Two forums were held at the local hospital to bring more attention to our youth. One community forum had law enforcement, educators and therapist advising parents on how to cope drug and alcohol issues. Another forum educated the community on Proposition 19, a state measure on the ballot that would legalize marijuana. The measure was later defeated. Over 120 parents and officials attended the forums to learn about prescription medication and what parents should be looking for at home regarding paraphernalia and symptoms. Some coalition parents started a youth center, The Firehouse, which would give teens a place to go before and after school as an alternative to just "hanging out" in an unstructured environment. Numerous focus groups and meetings take place at this venue. The coalition began updating a resource book called "The Little Book of Big Issues" which encompasses information to help parents identify narcotics, drug paraphernalia and helpful resources. A group of members created a website to get information out to the public (www.cvyouthsupport.com). The resource book is now on the coalition's website. The coalition learned that a "Drug Free Communities" (DFC) grant, worth over $\$ 1.2$ million over a five year period, was available from the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). The grant was applied for, with each coalition member providing research to prove our community's need. In September of 2010, the coalition was 1 of 12 California organizations which received this grant. The grant would require ongoing community assessment, strategic planning and volunteer training. The coalition would also have access in helping the town council to identify problematic areas of alcohol sales. This grant requires members to be trained by CADCA, The Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America. One key goal is developing a sustainable organization to address drug and alcohol issues in the long-term. The coalition continued to get the word out by giving reports to the local town council that the on-going meetings would still occur on a regular basis. Many community events would be attended to get the mission statement across or publicized. Another grant for \$8,000 from Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael Antonovich's office was awarded to help create and fortify a teen crisis assessment (TCA) project which would enable the principals of the middle and high schools to identify at-risk teens for immediate intervention and assessment. The coalition would be officially named "Crescenta Valley Drug and Alcohol Prevention Coalition" (CVDAPc). The Coalition created by-laws and a mission statement. The by-laws would bring a structure in which Officer Zakarian would be elected president for two years, beginning January $1^{\text {st }}, 2011$. The Glendale Police Department not only stood behind Officer Zakarian's efforts, but encouraged his role in creating and maintaining an organization which could fill the many gaps in the community. # Assessment When the coalition began (2008-2009) alcohol, tobacco and other drug (ATOD) arrests in the Crescenta Valley increased. The baseline of 2008 had 81 arrests between Glendale Police Department and Crescenta Valley Sheriff's Department. In 2009 there was a 33\% increase of juveniles arrested for these offenses. After 2010 there was a $41 \%$ decrease in these arrests, which can be directly related to the awareness by the community and law enforcement agencies due to the work of the coalition. (See Table 1 in the Appendix). Although 2011 CHKS figures are not available at the time of this report, in 2009 the use and perceptions of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs have stabilized or decreased throughout the middle- and high schools. However, the $11^{\text {th }}$ grade students surveyed at CVHS had a 1\% increase in 30 day use of "all other drugs" (AOD) and alcohol use. The long term results are difficult to predict in such early stages of the coalition's existence. However, another way to measure the achievement is the "buy-in" from the entire community. There are very few members of The Crescenta Valley who are not aware how large this societal problem has grown. The coalition is recognized in the community and its members participate in various events to increase community awareness towards drugs and alcohol. Although the coalition is in its early stages, the DFC grant is in place to create a sustainable organization for years to come. The grant included provisions for a full-time executive director and program director to help create programs and review local policy. The newly hired Executive Director, David Marquez and Program Director Julia Rabago have been working diligently on the coalition's strategic plan to impact drug, alcohol and tobacco use over the next several years. Since opening in October, 2010, The Firehouse has served over 500 teens. The Teen Crisis Assessment, administered to students identified as at-risk for drugs by school principals, has been given 13 middle \& high school student's since the program was instituted in late March, 2011. The parent support sessions have educated over 700 parents and students since September of 2010. The two forums in 2010 educated over 200 parents, students and school officials of the hazards posed by substance abuse. Although typical SARA projects use statistics to show success, we augment statistics with an increase in community engagement and a perception of harm. In 2009, as the coalition formed, there was an increase in arrests. There is an apparent downward trend as perception of danger now increases. The organization's purpose is to drive the community to constantly examine and evaluate drug and alcohol issues. This SARA project incorporates a communitygoverned organization funded by a government grant. It is a start-up program with sustainability to continue performing the four SARA steps on a regular, community-driven basis. It is a model to guide other law enforcement agencies in public partnerships to address community crises. # Appendix The following are additional particulars regarding the CVDAPc's philosophy, priorities, Community Partners (strategic partners), a list of accomplishments and awards of success in just less than a two years time. ## The CVDAPc's philosophy ## "WE ALL MUST DO OUR PART IN REDUCING SUBSTANCE ABUSE TO CREATE HEALTHY, SAFE AND DRUG-FREE COMMUNITY-HOWEVER SMALL OR LARGE THE EFFORT, WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE." This philosophy has helped in bringing diversity in age, race, language, gender and as well as representation from multiple sectors. The community "owns" the coalition and knows that they have a voice and can attend at any time to shape programming and policy. The key is to provide a sense of ownership and empowerment, and treat each individual and organization with dignity and respect to optimize participation and sharing. Like any relationship, the relationship with each member and between each member requires nurturing. Encourage participation from the diverse community of Whites, Korean, Armenian, elders, youth, parents, educators, business owners, people of faith, people in recovery and relatives of addicts in recovery for them to express their views and participate in the planning and implementation of activities and the infrastructure of the coalition. # Priorities CVDAPc's priorities were identified by the committee using nominal group techniques and surveys from the community at large. - Priority Area 1: The reduction of underage drinking - Priority Area 2: Increase the percentage of youth who perceive harm in smoking marijuana - Priority Area 3: Increase the percentage of youth who perceive harm in abusing opiates ## Community Partners The CVDAPC, although only formally established just less than two years ago, has already joined forces with several organizations and individuals in the community for whom the health, well-being and positive development of youth is a primary objective. These organizations include: the YMCA of the Foothills, the Crescenta Valley Town Council, Rosemont PTA, CVHS PTA, GUSD, Glendale PTA Council, Prom Plus, CV Weekly, CV Chamber of Commerce, Verdugo Hills Hospital, Glendale Healthy Kids, Montrose Church, St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Glendale Police Department, LA County Sherriff, Crime Stoppers, LA County Supervisor Michael Antonovich, LA County District Attorney's Office/Juvenile Affairs, California State Senator Carol Liu, Action, Foundation for a Drug Free World, and Glendale Community College. In addition to these individuals and organizations already being aligned with the mission of the CVDAPC, there is a wide array of youth-serving organizations in the Crescenta Valley that can be included in the Coalition network such as: AYSO Soccer regions 13 and 88, Crescenta Sports Association, Crescenta Valley Little League, Foothill Hoops, Tae Chang Young Martial Arts, The Martial Way, US Black Belt Center, Crescenta Hills Music, Kids Art, Dance Revolution, Boy Scouts of America Verdugo Hills Council, Girl Scouts of Great LA - Montrose, Community Foundation of the Verdugos, CV Rotary, CV Kiwanis, Knights of Columbus Crescenta Valley, La Crescenta Women's Club, Lions Club (Crescenta-Canada), Montrose Verdugo Chamber of Commerce, Verdugo Mental Health Center, Youth and Family Services, Youth Employment, Verdugo Hills Al-Anon, Glendale Recreation and Community Services, Charter TV, Glendale News Press, Los Angeles Times. There are also 14 after school clubs and sports teams at Rosemont and 81 at CVHS. There are currently 5 members of the CVDAPc executive committee and 12 members on the general board. The CVDAPc has also been able to access some State funds such as a technical assistance grant from the California Department of Alcohol and Drug-Community Prevention Initiative program for the purposes of strategic planning and coalition development in the amount of $\$ 2,500$. # Summary of Accomplishments 2009-2011 ## Grants/Awards - Awarded \$125,000 Drug Free Community Grant for five years from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. - Awarded \$2,500 technical assistance grant from the California Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs. - Received a \$5,000 grant from the Glendale Unified School District to provide weekly parenting sessions with Pam Erdman, MFCC - Received \$8,000 from Supervisor Antonovich's office for youth services and programs. - Received the "Organization of the Year award" in 2010 from the Crescenta Valley Chamber of Commerce ## Programs - Organized weekly parenting sessions at the YMCA of the Foothills dealing with teen issues. - Worked with Rosemont Middle School and St. Lukes Episcopal Church to develop programs on Thursday mornings. - Collaborated with St. Lukes Episcopal Church to start a teen center called the "Firehouse" ## Community meetings and forums - Presented a meet and greet Forum to introduce David Marquez, our new Executive Director - Presented a Community Drug Awareness and Education program for Red Ribbon Week - Presented a Community forum on under-age and binge drinking and social hosting - Co-sponsored a Town Hall meeting with Los Angeles Sheriff's Department - Co-sponsored a Town Hall meeting with Glendale Police Department - Coalition members spoke at Crescenta Valley Town Council meetings and local PTA meetings - Sponsored a Summer activities meeting for parents and families ## Website/ Outreach - Developed a community website: cvyouthsupport.org - Worked with a Student focus group to produce a video on the dangers of drugs and alcohol - Published the "Small book of Big Issues" a comprehensive resource for parents and community members - Worked with Supervisor Antonovich's office to place a ban on marijuana dispensaries in the Crescenta Valley area - Events - Partnered with the Drug Enforcement Agency for a community wide Prescription Drug Drop off Campaign - Co-sponsored Foothill Bike Event - Participated in Montrose Christmas Parade 2009 and 2010 - Co-sponsored CV Chamber 5k run event # Awards of Success Officer Zakarian was awarded the Premier Rose Award (2011) by the Glendale Education Foundation and was also awarded the "Distinguished Service" award (2010). Table 1 Crescenta Valley Juvenile Arrests GPD (Glendale Police Department) / LASD (Crescenta Valley Sheriff's) | | 2008 | | Total | 2009 | | Total | 2010 | | Total | 2011 YTD $^{1}$ | | Total | Grand Total | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Charge | GPD | LASD | | GPD | LASD | | GPD | LASD | | GPD | LASD | | | | Narcotic | 13 | 9 | 22 | 29 | 6 | 35 | 19 | 9 | 28 | 12 | 12 | 24 | 119 | | Alcohol/To bacco | 54 | 5 | 59 | 72 | 1 | 73 | 25 | 0 | 25 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 165 | | Grand Total | 67 | 14 | 81 | 101 | 7 | 108 $+33 \%$ | 38 | 9 | 53 $-41 \%$ | 20 | 12 | 32/76 ${ }^{2}$ $+21 \%^{3}$ | 284 | [^0] [^0]: ${ }^{1} 2011$ statistics are from January $1^{\text {st }} 2011$ to May $31^{\text {st }} 2011$ ${ }^{2} 2011$ projected figure ${ }^{3} 2011$ projected percentage # Table 2 California Healthy Kids Survey Data Comparison La Crescenta Schools/Glendale Unified 2005, 2007 and 2009 | | $7^{\text {th }}$ Graders by \% | | | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | | Rosemont | | | GUSD | | | | | 2005 | 2007 | 2009 | 2005 | 2007 | 2009 | | Any AOD use in the past 30 days | 7 | 14 | 8 | 13 | 15 | 9 | | Used alcohol in past 30 days | 4 | 10 | 6 | 9 | 11 | 7 | | Used marijuana in past 30 days | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | | Used cigarettes in past 30 days | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 2 | | Perceive harm in tobacco use | 99 | 87 | 76 | 98 | 83 | 84 | | Perceive harm in alcohol use | NA | NA | 61 | 97 | 82 | 84 | | Perceive harm in marijuana use | NA | NA | 67 | 97 | 82 | 83 | | | $9^{\text {th }}$ Graders by \% | | | | | | | | CVHS | | | GUSD | | | | | 2005 | 2007 | 2009 | 2005 | 2007 | 2009 | | Any AOD use in the past 30 days | 23 | 22 | 19 | 24 | 24 | 22 | | Used alcohol in past 30 days | 21 | 19 | 15 | 21 | 22 | 18 | | Used marijuana in past 30 days | 6 | 9 | 7 | 5 | 8 | 9 | | Used cigarettes in past 30 days | 9 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 8 | | Perceive harm in tobacco use | 99 | 93 | 90 | 99 | 91 | 88 | | Perceive harm in alcohol use | NA | NA | 61 | 97 | 90 | 84 | | Perceive harm in marijuana use | NA | NA | 69 | 97 | 88 | 83 | | | $11^{\text {th }}$ Graders by \% | | | | | | | | CVHS | | | GUSD | | | | | 2005 | 2007 | 2009 | 2005 | 2007 | 2009 | | Any AOD use in the past 30 days | 38 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 38 | 35 | | Used alcohol in past 30 days | 36 | 34 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 31 | | Used marijuana in past 30 days | 14 | 19 | 14 | 11 | 14 | 14 | | Used cigarettes in past 30 days | 20 | 16 | 13 | 16 | 15 | 13 | | Perceive harm in tobacco use | 98 | 94 | 96 | 98 | 91 | 91 | | Perceive harm in alcohol use | NA | NA | 60 | 97 | 92 | 93 | | Perceive harm in marijuana use | NA | NA | 60 | 96 | 88 | 86 | | Table 3 | | | :--: | :--: | | Crescenta Valley Residents' Beliefs about Community Teenage Alcohol Use (February 2010) | | | How do you feel about the following statements? | Percent who Agree | | | $\mathrm{N}=76$ | | Young people in the Crescenta Valley tend to start drinking in their early teens. | $83 \%$ | | I know teenagers who drink alcohol. | $62 \%$ | | Alcohol use by teens is a problem in the Crescenta Valley | $86 \%$ | | It's okay for teens to drink alcohol as long as they are supervised by adults. | $1.3 \%$ | | It's okay for teens to drink alcohol as long as they don't drink and drive. | $1.3 \%$ | | Most teens who drink get the alcohol from their friends. | $71 \%$ | | Stores in the Crescenta Valley sell alcohol to teens. | $51 \%$ | | Alcohol is easy for teens to access in the Crescenta Valley | $75 \%$ | | I know teens who use illegal drugs | $49 \%$ | | Drug use by teens is a problem in the Crescenta Valley | $80 \%$ | | Drugs are easily purchased in the Crescenta Valley | $67 \%$ | | Drug use by adults is common in the Crescenta Valley | $46 \%$ | | Our community is educated about the effects of drug use | $54 \%$ | | After school programs and activities are available for teens in our community | $63 \%$ |