Substance Abuse Ionia, Michigan

1. Ionia County Substance Abuse Initiative
FY 2011-2012 Year End Evaluation Report

2. Introduction
Ionia County is nestled between the metropolitan areas of Mid-Michigan (Lansing) and West
Michigan (Grand Rapids) our communities provide a relaxed and family-oriented quality of life
with safe neighborhoods, strong schools and healthy lifestyles. The Ionia County Substance
Abuse Initiative (ICSAI) is the county initiative for substance abuse prevention. The workgroup
consists of community members, community members in recovery, local public agencies,
schools, and local treatment providers. ICSAI meets on a monthly basis to focus on substance
abuse prevention services in our community through data collection. The ICSAI mission is to
facilitate a continuum of substance abuse services in Ionia County. The vision of the ICSAI is that
all Ionia County residents will be free of substance abuse and its effects
Prevention System
The Ionia County Prevention System partnerships include entities such as the Ionia County
Health Department, which staffs the ICSAI Advisory Board and ICSAI workgroup. The Ionia
County Sheriff’s office partners with the ICSAI and provides alcohol and tobacco compliance
checks to vendors throughout the county. Local court officials and schools partner with the
ICSAI by referring youth to the evidenced based substance abuse program Teen Intervene,
Shoulder to Shoulder parenting program others to treatment services. Drivers training
providers partner with the ICSAI to provide the most up-to-date drunk driving curriculum to
students taking drivers training. Ionia County Intermediate School provides essential data and
contacts for prevention planning. The Great Start Collaborative partnership with the ICSAI is
vital, due in part to the first few years of a child’s life being the most important in determining a
child's physical and emotional health. The ICSAI offers assistance and support to local alcohol
and tobacco vendors to enhance their policies and procedures and reduce sales to minors. Also,
available to alcohol vendors free of cost was the Training for Intervention Procedures (TIPS)
program. Treatment providers facilitate a variety of services within the County including
treatment, prevention and policy enforcement. The Ionia County Child, Family, and Community
Council have identified the importance of substance abuse treatment and prevention within
the county and are actively participating in the substance abuse prevention system as well.
Community members who have been in recovery share input on their experiences and what
worked for them to be where they are today. This valuable addition of members provides the
community perspective on many issues and valuable partnerships with communities have been
made through these members. There is collaboration within the ICSAI Advisory Board and the
Board of Commissioners on all issues relating to substance abuse services.
The existing formal coalition structure and linkages include: the Ionia County Substance Abuse
Initiative Workgroup, which is the recognized entity for completing the work of the coalition.
During fiscal year 2011-2012 the ICSAI workgroup chair is Michael Thomas, who is a member of
the community who is a recovered alcoholic. Other ICSAI workgroup parties represented
include: the Great Start Collaborative, Juvenile Court, Ionia County Intermediate School District,
local media outlets, District and Circuit Courts, Ionia County Community Mental Health, Ionia
County Sheriff’s Department, Ionia County Health Department, Michigan Department of Human

3. Services, community members, youth community member, staff as well as private treatment
providers. The ICSAI Advisory Board are the voting members that serve as the advisory body to
the Ionia County Board of Commissioners, on all issues relating to substance abuse services.
This is including but not limited to programming, funding, creating public awareness, advising
and consulting with the Commission on substance abuse initiatives within the county. The Ionia
County Board of Commissioners shall review and approve all issues related to substance abuse
services, including but not limited to programming, funding, and creating public awareness.
Community Readiness
The Ionia County Board of Commissioners placed Ionia County’s community readiness at the
Stabilization Phase. Stabilization includes: programs that are up and running and are supported
by community decision makers; programs/activities/policies that are viewed as stable;
limitation may be known, but there is no in-depth evaluation of effectiveness, nor is there a
sense that any recognized limitations suggest an immediate need for change.
The ICSAI Workgroup placed Ionia County’s community readiness at the Preparation/Initiation
phase. This phase includes: planning that is ongoing and focused on particular detail; there is
general information in regards to problems and pros and cons of prevention activities, actions
or policies (this may not be based on formal collected data); leadership that is active; decisions
are being made about what will be done and who will do it; resources are actively sought and
committed; the community climate offers at least modest support of efforts; enough
information is available to justify efforts; activities or actions have been started and are
underway, but is still viewed as new efforts.
Funding Streams/Prevention Programming
The ICSAI funding stream is Mid South Substance Abuse Commission. ICSAI FY 2011/2012 key
prevention programs include Teen Intervene Program, Tobacco Compliance Checks, Alcohol
Compliance Checks, Shoulder to Shoulder program, Above the Influence media campaign and
TIPS program.
Qualifications and credentials of the ICSAI prevention staff include:
Courtney Miller, Prevention Coordinator: Bachelor of Science Degree (B.S.), Certified
Prevention Specialist (C.P.S.)
Deb Thalison, Community Health Supervisor: Master of Arts (M.A.), Bachelor of Arts (B.A.),
Certified Criminal Justice Professional (C.C.J.P.),
Criminal Justice Administrator (C.J.A.), Certified
Clinical Supervisor of Michigan (C.C.S.M.), Certified
Prevention Consultant Michigan, (C.P.C.M)
Stacy Moore, Health Educator: Bachelor of Science Degree (B.S.), Certified
Prevention Specialist (C.P.S.)

4. Sarah Matthews, Social Worker Masters of Social Work (MSW), Bachelor of
Applied Arts (B.A.A.), Register Addiction
Counselor Development Plan through
MCBAP
Process Outcomes
Completed Strategies:
- 25% of alcohol vendors had vendor education training face to face
- 25% of tobacco vendors had vendor education training face to face
- 50% alcohol vendors received compliance checks
- 50% of vendors tobacco vendor received compliance checks
- Above the Influence Most Media Campaign
- ICSAI Programs evaluated
- Collaborated with Drivers Training program providers and provided prevention
educated
- Five Training for Intervention Procedures (TIPS) programs conducted
- Four Shoulder to Shoulder Parenting classes conducted
- Synar inspections
- Teen Intervene Program
- Focus Groups
- Website, facebook and press releases updated/sent out monthly
- Advocacy materials created and shared
- ICSAI presentations
- Data in Action reports
- Congratulatory certificates to alcohol and tobacco vendors for being in compliance
- Educated communities on prescription drugs misuse and abuse
- Quick reference sheets on prescription drugs created
- Data collected related to meth lab seizures, demographics characteristics, etc.
- Population surveys
- Substance abuse related Town Hall meetings
- ICSAI informational booth at community events
- Orientations held for new ICSAI members
- Alcohol logic model updated
- AlcoholEdu program implemented into Saranac High School
- Four Trainings conducted on: Prescription Drug Abuse and Misuse; Michigan Medical
Marijuana Act; Newly Emerging Drug Trends and Synthetic Marijuana.
- Introduced ROSC system in the county and hosted training for potential peer to peer
support coaches.
The estimated completion percentage of milestones in the ICSAI Implementation Plan is 100%.
Major success of the ICSAI FY 2011/2012 Implementation Plan include:

5. The Teen Intervene program runs approximately twice a month. Referrals at the beginning of
the implementation of the program came from the court system. The program has now grown
and has referrals from the school systems, junior high and high school coaching staff and
concerned parents. By promoting the program at school meetings (superintendent, principal,
counselor meetings and the county juvenile justice meeting) encouraged schools to send
students to the program verses a suspension. A few schools even adopted the program into
their school policies and procedures. Once students complete the program they are allowed
back into to school and/or play on the sports team. They can avoid suspension all together or it
can minimize it if they participate in the program. Schools have promoted the program in
school newsletter, schools signs and on their websites which has increased parent referrals.
The second year of running the Training for Intervention Procedures (TIPS) was a continued
success. TIPS trained Ionia County servers on alcohol how to prevent intoxication, drunk
driving, and underage drinking. Immediate results included: compliance with state and local
regulations, protection from alcohol liability, decreased penalties for alcohol violations,
improved customer service and satisfaction and increased staff professionalism. After
participate evaluations were completed and to meet local establishment demands the ICSAI
decided to expand the TIPS program for next fiscal year to better fit the demand.
The ICSAI was able to offer four trainings on Prescription Drug Abuse and Misuse; Michigan
Medical Marijuana Act; Newly Emerging Drug Trends and Synthetic Marijuana. The trainings
were all well attended and able to offer professionals continued education credits for attending
the trainings. Community members were also invited to attend the trainings. Parents and
caregivers were in attendance. The presenters offered a wealth of knowledge on subject
matters. The ICSAI is eager to offer more local trainings in the future.
The Shoulder to Shoulder parenting class was a pilot program this year and was a great success.
Guiding today's young people through adolescence is no easy task. The class reassured parents
they are not alone. The curriculum guided parents in making the most of staying ahead of the
game and find common ground with their teen. Shoulder to Shoulder is dedicated to helping to
making parents job easier by connecting fellow parents and caregivers, and sharing the insight
of those who have been there before. Referrals came in from multiple human services agencies
for parents to attend classes as required by the courts. Schools and Teen Intervene contacts
were also referrals sources to the program. The ICSAI is excited about offering the program
again to parents and hoping to expand the parenting classes to fit the early childhood
population.
Behavioral Outcomes/Achievements
An immediate behavioral outcome achieved by the prevention program alcohol compliance
checks are the compliance sale rate has dramatically decreased or stayed the same in the last
five years. The coalition links this success to the TIPS program and face to face vendor
education and several years of baseline compliance checks being completed and a strong
partnership with the Ionia County Sheriff’s Department.

6. Major data indicators tracked overtime include the alcohol compliance checks data. Alcohol
sale rates to minors: 2007-17%, 2008- 9%, 2009-10%, 2010-10%, 2011-6% and 2012-
0
5
10
15
20
Alcohol Sale Rate
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
In additional immediate behavioral outcome achieved by the prevention program Teen
Intervene was the number of Ionia County alcohol related offenders was decreased by 11% in
one year and stayed almost the same rate for fiscal year 2011.. The coalition links this success
to the schools implemented more positive and stronger substance abuse policies into their
school policies and procedures along with the parent referrals to the program and the Above
the Influence youth media campaign. Local vendors receiving compliance checks and face to
face vendor education also reduces the probability of a store selling to a minor.
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Youth Alcohol Related Offenders
2010
2011
2012
System Outcomes
The ICSAI continued to welcome community members who are from the recovery community
to the ICSAI workgroup this past year. This is extremely valuable as we move towards the ROSC
model. ICSAI staff provided a Peer to Peer Support 101 training to community members
interested in becoming a Peer to Peer support. The training provided participants with an in-
depth and comprehensive training experience focused on the development of the skills
required for a person to responsibly providing the services of a Peer Support. The training
provided tools and resources useful in providing recovery support services and will emphasize
skills needed to link people in recovery to needed supports within the community. The primary

7. purpose of the peer to peer support program is to help individuals in addiction treatment gain
access to needed resources, services, or supports that will help them achieve recovery from
their substance use disorders (SUD). Peer Supports can help individuals address multiple
domains in their life that have been impacted by their SUD, but are difficult to address within
the structure of most addiction treatment programs, such as returning to employment or
finding stable housing. Peer Supports can also help individual transition through the continuum
of addiction treatment. Finally, Peer Support can help individuals sustain their recovery after
the formal addiction treatment component has been completed thorough consultation, skills
training, and, of course, coaching.
Coalition Evaluations
Major strengths include: community ownership, organizational effectiveness, comprehensive
approach on prevention issues, committed to results, and there is a linkage between coalition
and community funding prevention programming and key community partnerships have been
formed and maintained with human services agencies such as Community Mental Health and
the Michigan Department of Human Services. Continued strengths include evidenced based
prevention and treatment programs and services have been implemented in Ionia County, and
committed to the work, the mission/vision statements, the mission of the ICSAI is to facilitate a
continuum of substance abuse services in Ionia County, the vision is to help all Ionia County
Residents to be free of substance abuse and its effects and the ICSAI has a strong regional
advocacy voice and strong representation of consumers on the ICSAI workgroup.
Major weaknesses include: Lack of additional funding sources, recognize and adapt to diversity;
how communities operate, demographics, etc.
Opportunities to excel: continue networking and partnering with local entities have capacity
and willingness to pilot programs and strategies and partners actively seeking alternative
funding source support for prevention activities.
Barriers, Challenges, and External Factors
The ICSAI identified the following major challenges: outside funding sources, sustained
funding/funding restrictions and limitations, consistent prevention and treatment message
across county.
Future Plans
ICSAI next step in achieving sustainability of the County’s Prevention System include, but are
not limited to: continued networking and partnering with local entities having the capacity and
willingness to pilot programs and strategies; and continuing to actively seek alternative funding
sources for prevention activities.