Get Involved
The Region 10 Community Wellness Coalition was established in 2010 by a group of concerned community members to address underage drinking and its associated risk factors within the towns of Harwinton and Burlington. The coalition continues to be an asset to the community with strong support from the Region 10 School District administration and the First Selectmen of both towns.
Social Host Law Campaign
Local survey data shows that the most common place for teenagers to acquire alcohol in Harwinton and Burlington is at home or on private property, with or without owner’s knowledge. In the Region 10 School District, over half of the students who report alcohol use said they had four or more drinks on one occasion in the last 30 days.
Social Host Law in Connecticut refers to legislation that became effective in October of 2012. The law prohibits anyone who owns or controls private property from permitting anyone under age 21 to illegally possess alcohol in the unit or on the property. Existing law prohibits knowingly allowing possession while the new law extends liability to those property owners whether or not they are home at the time or knowingly providing alcohol to minors. It requires any person who knows that a minor possesses alcohol illegally to make reasonable efforts to stop it.
The Region 10 CWC continues to educate parents and property owners about the liabilities associated with providing alcohol to anyone under the age of 21, with the exception of their own children. Along with a $2,000 fine, the penalty for this Class A Misdemeanor violation is a maximum of one year of jail time.
Data Collection
Data collection is an important part of the Public Health Model for Prevention. Region 10 CWC has historically partnered with Region 10 School District to survey students from grades 6-12 about trending substance use and mental health topics. With this information we can get a clear picture of what our youth need in terms of support, resources, education, and connection to the wider community. The Region 10 CWC contracts with SERAC for survey development and implementation and an Evaluator for data evaluation services. We are committed to implementing evidence-based programs based on data-driven analysis of our community. We utilize the Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF) for best practices on implementing Prevention. To learn more about the SPF, read SAMHSA’s guide here.
Region 10: Building Capacity
The Region 10 Community Wellness Coalition currently has active membership from multiple sectors. With these members we are able to partner with a wide range of local organizations to maximize our positive impact in Harwinton and Burlington. We are always looking for new members, especially from the from the business community, religious community, local parents, media and health care providers.
Progress by the Numbers Short Term Outcomes
- 118 Parents currently on the Safe Party Parent Registry
- 8 Community Events held from 09/2017-10/2018
- 8 Media Campaigns/PSA’s conducted on the Social Host Law and Safe Party Parent Registry
New Initiatives for 2019-2020
- HOOP initiative for opioid education and prevention in Harwinton
- NCSP Suicide Prevention initiative for K-12
- Partnership between Youth Coalition and Town of Burlington to create PSA’s
These new programs are made possible through partnerships with schools, local governments, and community providers.
Opportunities and Next Steps
- Increase engagement from parents, local businesses and faith based organizations
- Increase opportunities and activities for youth in the community by partnering with other youth serving agencies
- Increase educational opportunities and programming for parents
- Decrease reported 30 day use of alcohol of high school students
- Decrease perceived ease of access to alcohol
- Decrease access to alcohol in homes both with and without parent permission
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