Natick Together for Youth (NTY)
Working together to keep our community healthy and safe.**WEBSITE UNDER CONSTRUCTION. PLEASE CHECK BACK FOR UPDATES AND LINKS TO CURRENT INFORMATION.**
Who
Is the Natick Together for Youth Coalition?
The
Natick Together for Youth coalition is a group of concerned community
representatives who meet monthly working to prevent, reduce and delay
substance use among Natick youth. Under the direction of Erica
Dinerman, Prevention Specialist, the group came together in September
of 2010-a merging of two community groups, the Natick Alliance for Substance Abuse
Prevention (NASAP, formerly NADAC) and Natick Together, and have been focusing
efforts on community health issues that include youth substance abuse. The merged
group, Natick Together for Youth (NTY) established the membership and plan
required to apply for the SAMHSA Drug Free Communities (DFC) grant. On August 31,
2011, the group was awarded a five year, DFC grant.
What
Is The Drug Free Communities Grant?
The
Drug Free Communities program is directed by the White House Office
of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), in partnership with the Substance
Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The
DFC program provides grants of up to $625,000 over five years to
community coalitions that facilitate youth and adult participation at
the community level in local youth drug prevention efforts. In Natick, the identified drugs of most abuse are alcohol and marijuana though there is growing concern about prescription drug abuse, including
prescription drug diversion and prevention initiatives, as well as
underage drinking prevention programs.
Coalitions that are awarded the grant are comprised
of community leaders, parents, youth, teachers, religious and
fraternal organizations, health care and business professionals, law
enforcement, and the media. Data show that communities receiving DFC
funding have seen significant reductions in past 30-day use of
alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana among middle and high school
students.
Natick
was one of the 87 new grantees selected nationally in 2011 from 452 applicants through a
competitive, peer-reviewed process. To qualify for these
matching grants, all awardees must have at least a six-month history
of working together on youth substance use reduction initiatives,
have representation from 12 required sectors of the community,
develop a long-term plan to reduce youth substance use, and
participate in the National Evaluation of the DFC program.
Who is on the Natick Together for Youth Coalition?
Astrid
Dretler-Parent
Deb
Budd-Natick Human Services
Jon
Marshall-Natick Recreation Department
Nick
Mabardy-Selectman, Town of Natick
Michelle
Cromwell-MultiCultural Village. Parent
Jane
Biagi-Norfolk DA Office, Parent
Chief
James Hicks, Natick Police Department
Moira
Munns-Director, Council on Aging, Human Services
Elizabeth Heffler-School Resource Officer, Natick Police Department
Karen
Rufo-Head of School Nurses, Parent
Victoria Guest, Reverend, First Congregational Church Shelley
Richmond Joseph-Attorney, Parent
Ian
Wong-Natick Board of Health, Parent
Brian
Peoples-President, Natick Federal Savings Bank
Chuck
Young-Pharmacist, Parent
Deb
Sayre-Director, Kids Connect
Rick
Halloran-Natick Police Department
Jane
Detwiler-Health Educator, Parent
Lindsey
Tarrant-Natick Early Childhood Network
Christine
Guthery-Chair, Parents Against Bullying and Cyberbullying
Diane
Packer-Natick Town Clerk, Parent
Peter
Sanchioni-Superintendant, Natick Public Schools Jeanette
Potts-Natick Community Resident
Jennifer F. Wiech, MSW, LCS, MetroWest Behavioral Health
Maggie Moran, ACCESS After School Program, Natick Public Schools
Frank Lombardo, FDA
Margaret Boudreau, Assistant Principal, Natick High School
Sandy Pease-NTY Project Coordinator, Parent
**Erica
Dinerman, Prevention Specialist, Natick Public Schools: NTY Coalition
Chair
Can
anyone get involved with Natick Together for Youth?The
Natick Together for Youth Coalition welcomes all participants. To find out
more about NTY, you can speak with someone on the Coalition, call or
email Erica Dinerman. NTY meetings are posted monthly on the Town of Natick meeting schedule.
The 2012 meetings are scheduled for Tuesdays from 8:30-10am at Town Hall in the Selectman's Meeting Room on the following dates: Jan 10, Feb 14, March 13, April 10, May 8, June 12
For more information about the coalition or grant, contact:
Erica Dinerman, M.Ed
Director, Natick Together for Youth
edinerman@natickps.org
ph. 508-647-6623 | 
