The BOLD (Building Our Lives Drug-free) Coalition brought over forty community members together for a strategic planning meeting at White's Restaurant on February 9, 2007. The group worked on ideas for an area-wide youth substance abuse prevention following an earlier session held in May, 2006. Participants began by reviewing data on substance use and attitude survey results and then broke into four work-groups to brain-storm ideas for a variety of interventions designed to reduce youth substance use. Each group then reviewed the work of the other three work-groups. An afternoon session identified common themes and rated ideas on dimensions of feasibility, priority and timing. The results of the planning day will be incorporated into the master strategic plan that will outline the coalition's work over the next several years. For more information about the BOLD Coalition, funded by a  SAMHSA grant, contact Program Director Karen Fischer  at Stanley Street Treatment & Resources at 508-235-7032.
 

(Top row, left) Youth Outreach worker Korin Pensao is welcomed by Hannah Bogle, BCC VISTA worker Adam Souza and BOLD staffers Susan Wolfson and Karen Fischer at the registration table. (Top row, center) Durfee Senior and TADA Co Chair Meredith Taylor introduces herself to the group as Hospice Outreach worker Amy Curry, Fall River Police Detective Jay Huard, Fall River Housing Authority Director of Field Operations James Comer and former Durfee High School counselor Nathalie Kaufman look on. (Top row, right) Det. Huard, Mr. Comer and BCC student intern Crystal Correa listen as Fall River Health and Human Services Director Michael Coughlin suggests a possible strategy. (Middle row, left) Youth Services Coordinator Christian McCloskey, Suzanne Raposo of the Girl Scouts of Southeastern Massachusetts and Mike Ramos listen to a group presentation while Parenting Wisely Coordinator Susan Wolfson takes notes. (Middle row, center) Youth Outreach worker Diana Ferreira reads off some of the suggestions for strengthening families in Fall River. (Middle row, right) United Neighbors Director Jenny Rulisson asks for feedback from the group working on individual intervention strategies. (Bottom row, left) Local art teacher Jim Kay makes a point to BCC tutoring coordinator Ronald Weisberger as Fall River Police Sgt. Dan Dube, CD-Rec Community Development and Recreation program coordinator Jamison Souza, and Fall River Housing Authority staff member Joseph DaSilva listen. (Bottom row, center) Community Coordinator Maureen Estes makes a recommendation to her group as Karen Fischer and District Attorney's Office staff member and B.O.L.D. Chairperson Mike Ramos listen. (Bottom row, right) Katy Dutille dos Santos of Southeast Center for Healthy Communities and Ed Hill of the Southeastern Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corp. listen to Amy Curry make a point.