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AOD: 2-7-2024

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Drug Free Campus Committee — Feb. 7, 2024
WebEx

Members Present

  • Rosemary Coffman, Executive Director, Student Success & Wellbeing, LC, Student Success and Belonging
  • Mike Spletter, Management, Student Engagement, LC, Student Success and Belonging
  • Cynthia Barrios, HR Director, LC Human Resources
  • Amber Carter, Southeast Coalition, BACODA
  • Mike Flores, Life Recovery Services, BACODA
  • Jordan Smith, Program Manager, LC, Workforce & Community Development
  • Sterling LaBoo, Suicide Prevention, LC, SAMHSA Suicide Prevention Grant
  • Tiffany Winchester, Coordinator, Veterans Center, LC, Student Success and Belonging
  • Zola Montana, Assistant Chief, LC, Security

Review of Membership and Purpose of the Committee

The Biennial Review will be updated in the summer 2024. The recommendations from the last report will be reviewed for progress in this report. These include the following:

  • Investigate to determine the best way to include Workforce Education (non-credit) students with the dissemination of the Drug-Free Statement.
    • With the non-credit program now utilizing PeopleSoft, we should be able to send out the drug free notification via their email address.
  • More focus is needed for the support and activities on education and resources for alcohol and other drugs.
    • We will continue to work with BACODA to provide training in education to our campus to include providing Narcan on campus and training regarding the importance of Narcan.
  • Investigate the tools and resources available to students and part-time employees through TimelyCare and market these resources to those eligible for this service.

Review of Biennial Report

We reviewed the Biennial Review recommendations or goals that will be included in the fall 2024 report. These include the following:

  • Investigate to determine the best way to include Workforce Education (non-credit) students with the dissemination of the Drug-Free Statement.
    • Marsha reminded us that all workforce or cross-credit students now have access to the myLC email and will receive notices sent to all users. They are encouraged to check their email as their primary communication.
  • With our community partnerships and initiatives, much support has been provided to our Tobacco-free campus policy. With lessons learned in the promotion of tobacco education and cessation, more focus is needed for the support and activities on education and resources for alcohol and other drugs.
  • Investigate the tools and resources available to students and part-time employees through TimelyCare and market these resources to those eligible for this service.

Tobacco-Free Policy

We continue to work with our community partners to include MD Anderson (Be Well Baytown) and BACODA. This includes campus messaging such as signage; promoting the Tobacco 101 online module for students (www.tobacoco-edu.org) and the dedicated website that leads directly to cessation resources (https://www.lee.edu/about/maintaining-a-drug-free-campus/tobacco-cessation/). In addition:

  • As part our partnership with Be Well Baytown, we will be sending out a survey in March for all students and employees regarding tobacco use and attitudes toward tobacco use. We have data from previous surveys for comparison.
  • We have funding to support individuals who want to quit nicotine through the virtual Freedom From Smoking Plus program. The cost is covered by Be Well Baytown and includes incentives for those who participate. If you know someone interested, please send them to myself (rcoffman@lee.edu) or Linda Torrez-Mann (ltorrezmann@lee.edu) for more information.
  • Our Peers Against Tobacco student group remains strong. As in the fall, Priscilla Guerra will be doing peer-to-peer education at some of the junior high schools in GCCISD. Priscilla is an active member of our PAT group and also a senior at IMPACT Early College High School.  

Prevention, Education, and Support

We continue to promote prevention and education at our New Student Orientation. This includes information on our Drug Free Campus Initiative and the dangers of Fentanyl.

Lee College is the recipient of Garrett Lee Smith Campus Suicide Prevention Grant. As with all SAMHSA initiatives, the focus is both on mental health and substance use issues. This month the grant paid for nine Lee College employees to participate in a workshop on motivational interviewing skills.  

Other educational or tabling events for the spring semester include:

  • Spring Fling: March 21
  • Health Fair: April 2

Narcan Dispensers and Training

Thanks to Amber and BACODA, we have received Narcan kits to be mounted on campus in high traffic areas. Amanda Summers will be updating the safety and security handbook to include information on With the Narcan on campus, we want to make sure we offer training to our employees and students.  In addition to posting a short 5-minute video, Amber is working with Dr. Joy Alonzo to do a training for faculty and staff. It was suggested that we have the training with the Safety and Security Committee and invite security officers as well. Rosemary will follow up with Amanda Summers to see if we can schedule this either as our March (March 6) or April (April 3) meeting.     

Summer Bash

Our annual Summer Bash will be in June with the date TBD. We will have a subcommittee to work on the event. The event will highlight education and support for alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs as well as support positive mental health.  While not advertised, the community is welcome to the event. Jordan will share the information with the Kids at College program as possible participants. With the opening of the Student Center, we will probably move it indoors for most of the vendors.

With the event being both for substance use disorders and mental health, Mike (BACODA) discussed the perception that mental health and substance use disorders are different, when in fact they often occur together. With substance use, there is often a more negative stigma based on the myth that it’s a personal choice. (More information: COPS-D)

Announcements / Adjournment

  • We have our next Mental Health First Aid Training in March. The deadline to register is the end of February.
  • Eliminate Tobacco Use Summit: April 10–11. If anyone from the committee is interested in attending this virtual event, we will have a limited number of registrations that we can pay for.

Respectfully Submitted,
Rosemary Coffman,Executive Director, Student Success and Wellbeing