Gizmo the therapy dog

What is Prevention anyway?  Even some of my coworkers don’t know who we are. In an office at the back corner of the agency, what we do is try to make less work for our colleagues on the mental health/substance use side by preventing people from experiencing those challenges in the first place. The Cortland County Community Health Action plan lists mental and substance use disorder prevention as its #1 priority since the county experiences higher-than-average rates.

From birth to adulthood, we have free community programs that support people in learning how to identify and manage emotions, set healthy goals, create positive relationships, and give them tools to avoid problematic substance use and mental health crises, right here at Cortland Prevention Resources.

Universal social-emotional skills education: “Did you bring Tuggles today?” ask the kindergarteners, ready to hear what their favorite bear puppet has to say today about the social-emotional skills needed to make healthy choices. From Kindergarten to 12th grade (as the schools allow), Too Good for Drugs program facilitators go into schools weekly for 10 sessions, helping children develop core skills such as:

• Setting reachable goals
• Making responsible decisions
• Building positive friendships
• Identifying and managing emotions
• Communicating effectively
• Resisting peer pressure
• Knowing about harmful substances and their effects on the body (as developmentally appropriate)

Students are also excited to see the therapy dogs that accompany the Gizmo program, offered with the support of the Mental Health Association and Josie’s Journey. After reading a book about mental health and how to take care of it, children make their own mental health care plan and have the chance to pet and relax with a therapy dog.

Family relationships: Did you know that recent research shows that if a child has even just one secure relationship with an adult, it can have a lifetime of positive effects? Parenting Wisely is an online, self-paced video program where caregivers explore ways of dealing with common parenting challenges.

Youth mental health and substance use: SUNY Cortland students mentor teens during Compass, giving them the opportunity to connect both with peers and older role models while participating in enriching activities like rock climbing . Girls’ Circle and Boys’ Council bring together middle school students in a safe, creative space to talk about about topics relevant to them and create positive peer relationships.

If a youth is already using substances, Teen Intervene is a one-on-one program that helps them identify how using impacts their lives, develop skills that promote healthy behavior, and take responsibility for change. And Hidden Mischief offers caregivers a chance to learn how to spot signs of substance use in a life-size simulation of a teen’s bedroom (yes, they can hide it in there!).

Community education and engagement: If free lunch is what you want, Food for Thought, offered in conjunction with the Mental Health Association, is a monthly series offered to all Cortland area community members to enhance their understanding of various wellness topics and/or local services and programs. Virtual attendance is also an option. The Drug Takeback, held twice a year, is a drive-through allowing people to safely dispose of unwanted medications, preventing misuse.

While everyone may not know what we do, we see the effects of our programs in the smiling greetings from students who recognize us in the community and the glowing reviews of how our programs have helped youth and families connect and make healthy choices. Although rates have been historically high in Cortland, there has been decline in substance use and suicide mortality in the community in recent years, and we hope our programs will be able to continue that trend—preventing it from happening in the first place.

If you’d like to know more about these free programs, call our Prevention program at 607-756-8970.

Bailey Marks is a contributing writer for Cortland Prevention Resources, a division of Family & Children’s Counseling Services.