FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (EASTON-March 13, 2008)
TALBOT TIPLINE DEBUTS TO TARGET UNDERAGE DRUG/ALCOHOL PARTIES
One of the strategies suggested in the Talbot County Blue Ribbon Commission Report is to increase targeting and dispersing of underage drug/alcohol parties. The Talbot TipLine debuts this month to report underage drug/alcohol parties in Talbot County.
The Talbot TipLine 410-820-4003 was established through Talbot County's 911 Emergency Operations Center, in coordination with the Talbot Family Network, Talbot Partnership, partner organizations and local police departments. Citizens can call this tip line or local police departments and leave anonymous tips to report parties and other disruptive behavior involving youth. Police will follow up on these tips, investigate the situation, and take appropriate action.
The goal of the tip line is to deter youth's involvement at parties where first time use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs often occurs and to educate and/or reprimand adults at whose homes these parties occur.
The Talbot County Blue Ribbon Commission (BRC), comprised of 15 leaders representing a cross-section of the community reviewed data on high local rates of substance abuse and recommended a community-wide action plan for reducing those rates. The Talbot TipLine is part of this action plan.
According to Rob Schmidt, Behavioral Specialist for Talbot County Public Schools and a member of the Blue Ribbon Commission, "The Commission's findings showed that interventions for substance abuse often occur too late. When confronted by peer pressure, teens often succumb to risk taking behaviors. By implementing a tip line, we are supporting teens by targeting and disbursing these parties that could be their gateway to future substance abuse."
A media campaign is being rolled out in March to help educate Talbot County citizens about how to use the Talbot TipLine. For further information on the Talbot TipLine, call Donna Hacker at the Talbot Family Network at 410-770-6868. For further information on the Talbot County Blue Ribbon Commission Report, call Talbot Partnership at 410-819-8067 or download it at www.talbotpartnership.org.
