Full Text
Community and Family Life in the California Alps Spring 2021 Community and Family Life in the California Alps Spring 2021 Alpine Watershed Group 2 April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month 3 Alpine Kids 4 Alpine County Child Abuse Prevention Council 4 Tips for Emotional Well-Being 5 Injection Drug Use and HIV Risk 6 E-Cigarette Access Among Youth & Young Adults 7 Healthy Eating, in a SNAP!.... 8 In this Issue... The Alpine County Health Department is pleased to welcome Erica Forzley to the Tobacco Control Program! Erica stepped into the Tobacco Control Program Coordinator position in August 2020. She comes to Alpine County from Missoula, Montana where she received her Master of Science in Community Health and Prevention Sciences. There she learned that in addition to behavior and lifestyle choices, social and economic opportunities determine the conditions in which we live. Opportunities to choose behaviors and lifestyles that lead to good health ought to be distributed to all people. Erica enjoys gardening, hiking and skiing. Some of her skills include getting along with children and curiosity about creepy crawly bugs! She looks forward to getting to know you. ALPINE THREADS ---PAGE BREAK--- [ 2 ] Alpine County Threads I Spring 2021 Our planet sustains us. Maybe we are biased, but I think our slice of Earth here in Alpine County is particularly glorious. One of the joys of being your local watershed group is getting to work in this place, where the inspiring environment supports an ethos of stewardship. We love our volunteers! We are sad to again not be celebrating this year’s Earth Day at Grover Hot Springs State Park with our watershed community. We are hopeful that we will be able to resume hosting workdays soon, and we are tentatively planning for an Earth Day workday this summer. In the meantime, we offer up some ideas to help you celebrate Earth Day this April 22, and every other day before and after. • Earth Day originated in 1970. Visit www.earthday.org/history/ to learn more. • Every time you take a walk, bring a bag and gloves so you can pick up any trash that you come across. • Take proactive steps beyond reduce, reuse, recycle—really think about ways to use less plastic, like refusing straws and packing restaurant leftovers in your own containers. • Garden for the planet—there so many possibilities to work with nature and support wildlife, and there are so many resources to help you learn. A few ideas: plant pollinator-friendly plants, eliminate or reduce use of pesticides and herbicides, and remove invasive, nonnative plants. • Think nontoxic—whenever possible, choose nontoxic chemicals to use in your home and on your property. • Be part of your watershed community! If you aren’t getting Alpine Watershed Group’s email newsletter, please email [EMAIL REDACTED] or subscribe at www.alpinewatershedgroup.org. Our environmental health and our personal health are intertwined. Alpine Watershed Group exists to help lead our community in doing all that we can to preserve and enhance our local environment. Small choices and actions really do make a difference—believe this. Plus, for any younger folks watching you, they are learning from your enjoyment and caretaking of Earth, and they are the recipients of your gifts for their future. Every Day is Earth Day By Kimra McAfee, Executive Director ---PAGE BREAK--- Alpine County Threads I Spring 2021 [ 3 ] SAAM is a month focused on raising awareness and informing the public about what individuals can do to change the culture and join the movement to end sexual violence in this nation and worldwide. Every 73 seconds, a person is sexually assaulted in the United States. Nearly 1 in 2 women and 1 in 5 men experience an act of sexual violence other than rape in their lifetime, with 80% of sexual assaults committed by someone the victim knows. It’s important for every member of our community to feel safe and supported; facing sexual assault can be scary and overwhelming. At Live Violence Free, we help sexual assault survivors. We provide counseling, host a 24/7 crisis line, provide support when speaking with law enforcement, accompany medical exams, and provide community education. We are here for sexual assault survivors; we are here for our community. We are making changes that help survivors and our communities through our services and prevention. Educating our communities about sexual violence can prevent sexual violence from occurring in the first place. We need to continue to support survivors and take action to prevent sexual assault in our communities. To learn more about sexual violence and know the signs to look for in someone experiencing domestic violence, sexual abuse, stalking, and child abuse, visit We invite everyone in the community to get involved and support our mission. Together we can empower choices and inspire change! Alpine County Public Health is now on Facebook & Twitter Like us and follow us for up to date information and tips about healthy living and emergency preparedness in beautiful Alpine County! Every April, Live Violence Free joins public officials, college campuses, law enforcement, victim advocates, and communities across California to raise awareness for Sexual Assault Awareness Month. April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month Please call our crisis line, visit our office, or send us an email using the information below: 24-Hour Crisis Line: (888) 750-6444 Office: 100 Foothill Road Markleeville, CA 96120 (530) 694-1853 Office Hours: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:00pm Email: [EMAIL REDACTED] ---PAGE BREAK--- [ 4 ] Alpine County Threads I Spring 2021 Use your Thumb to remember Social & Emotional Competence of Children because “thumbs up” is one of the first ways we learn to communicate our emotions. Your Index Finger represents Knowledge of Parenting and Child Development because you are your child’s first teacher. Your Pinky Finger signifies Concrete Support in Times of Need because it is the smallest finger and reminds us that we all need help sometimes. Your Ring Finger stands for Parental Resilience because your first commitment must be to yourself in order to be strong for others. Your Middle Finger can help you remember Social Connectedness because it should never stand alone! We all need a positive social network. (530) 694-2235 x227 How to remember the 5 PROTECTIVE FACTORS that make your family strong. The Alpine Kids Program is planning exciting changes to the way they operate. A potential partnership with the Carson Valley United Methodist Church would enable the program to become a part of the church. A religious component would be added to the program. The Church Council will be voting on adding Alpine Kids to the church ministry on April 10, 2021. The vote will be held at the church where a presentation by Alpine Kids will also occur. Pastor Tony Hoefner is working with the Alpine Kids Program to find some grants and donations to continue the program. Everything you already love about the program will stay the same; yearly membership fees are $40, and everyone will still wear their purple shirts. Enter a raffle to win a $50 WALMART gift card*! Take this short survey at by April 5th to enter the raffle. Your input will help improve future editions of Alpine Threads! *County employees are not eligible to win the raffle. ---PAGE BREAK--- Alpine County Threads I Spring 2021 [ 5 ] During the pandemic we have had to work extra hard to manage our emotions. The daily news headlines and the stresses of dealing with the pandemic can cause anxiety and panic. Below are some tips to help us cope and improve our well-being. Find ways to express kindness, patience, and compassion. Be extra kind to yourself and others. This is a hard time for everyone, and we are all in this together. Helping others in need creates more purpose to our day and supports our well-being. Here are a few ways to express kindness and involve children in the process. 1. Offer your full attention to someone. Tasks, to-do lists, and texts can easily distract us from giving a person our full attention. Today try to be completely present with your children or a friend and notice what happens. 2. Express sincere gratitude to a friend or family member. Do your friends and loved ones know how much you appreciate them? Bring a smile to someone’s face by sending a message or placing a phone call to say, “thank you”. 3. Practice self-compassion and be an example to your children. We cannot offer compassion to others effectively if we do not have compassion for ourselves. Close your eyes, take a few deep breaths, and notice if you feel tension anywhere. Imagine breathing warm compassion to your places of tension. Place your hand on your heart and say, “May I find peace.” Create new routines and keep practicing healthy behaviors. Daily healthy routines can be helpful for you and your children. Our brain wants predictable activity so we can relax our nervous system. Go to bed early and go outside each day to be active. Remember that our activities, thoughts, and mood are closely linked. If you want to change your mood, change your activities and/or your thoughts. Eat Well. Good nutrition helps our mood. Try to fill your home with unprocessed foods like fresh produce, frozen vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, poultry, fish, lean meats, and reduced-fat dairy products. Let go of what you can’t control. Make lists of what you can and cannot control. You cannot control things like the actions of others, how long this pandemic will last, how others will react, predicting what will happen, and other people’s motives. Focus on what you can control like your own attitude, turning off the news, your own social distancing, finding fun things to do at home, your kindness and grace, and limiting your social media. For more resources visit the Center for Child & Family Well Being at Source: Chopra, University of California, San Francisco. Tips for Emotional Well-Being ---PAGE BREAK--- [ 6 ] Alpine County Threads I Spring 2021 Sharing needles, syringes, or other drug injection equipment - for example, cookers - puts people at risk for getting or transmitting HIV and other infections. Risk of HIV The risk for getting or transmitting HIV is very high if an HIV-negative person uses injection equipment that someone with HIV has used. This is because the needles, syringes, or other injection equipment may have blood in them, and blood can carry HIV. HIV can survive in a used syringe for up to 42 days, depending on temperature and other factors. Substance use disorder can also increase the risk of getting HIV through sex. When people are under the influence of substances, they are more likely to engage in risky sexual behaviors, such as having anal or vaginal sex without protection (like a condom or medicine to prevent or treat HIV), having sex with multiple partners, or trading sex for money or drugs. Risk of Other Infections and Overdose Sharing needles, syringes, or other injection equipment also puts people at risk for getting viral hepatitis. People who inject drugs should talk to a health care provider about getting a blood test for hepatitis B and C and getting vaccinated for hepatitis A and B. In addition to being at risk for HIV and viral hepatitis, people who inject drugs can have other serious health problems, like skin infections and heart infections. People can also overdose and get very sick or even die from having too many drugs or too much of one drug in their body or from products that may be mixed with the drugs without their knowledge (for example, fentanyl). Reducing the Risk The best way to reduce the risk of getting or transmitting HIV through injection drug use is to stop injecting drugs. People who inject drugs can talk with a counselor, doctor, or other health care provider about treatment for substance use disorder, including medication-assisted treatment. People can find treatment centers in their area by using the locator tools on Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) People who continue injecting drugs should never share needles, syringes, or other injection equipment such as cookers. Many communities have syringe services programs (SSPs) where people can get free sterile needles and syringes and safely dispose of used ones. SSPs can also refer people to treatment for substance use disorder and help them get tested for HIV and hepatitis. People can contact their local health department or the North American Syringe Exchange Network (NASEN)external icon to find an SSP. Also, some pharmacies may sell needles and syringes without a prescription. Other things people can do to lower their risk of getting or transmitting HIV, if they continue to inject drugs, include: Using bleach to clean needles, syringes, cookers, and surfaces where drugs are prepared. This may reduce the risk of HIV and hepatitis C but doesn’t eliminate it. Bleach can’t be used to clean water or cotton. Being careful not to get someone else’s blood on their hands, needles, syringes, or other injection equipment. Disposing of syringes and needles safely after one use. People can put them in a sharps container or another container like an empty bleach or laundry detergent bottle. Keep all used syringes and needles away from other people. Injection Drug Use and HIV Risk Resources: Abdala N, Reyes R, Carney JM, Heimer R. Survival of HIV-1 in syringes: effects of temperature during storageexternal icon. Subst Use Misuse 2000;35(10):1369¬–83.A, http://www. samhsa.gov 1-800-662-HELP (4357). ---PAGE BREAK--- Alpine County Threads I Spring 2021 [ 7 ] COVID-19 Pandemic Resulted in Changes in E-Cigarette Access among Youth & Young Adults Understanding patterns of e-cigarette use and access during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is important because e-cigarettes may put users at risk for more severe respiratory effects and other health problems. A recently published study examined whether underage youth and young adults who ever used e-cigarettes self-reported changes in access and use of e-cigarettes since the COVID-19 pandemic began. A national, cross-sectional online survey study was conducted from May 6 to May 14, 2020. This sample of 4351 participants aged 13 to 24 years across the US included 2167 e-cigarette ever-users. Findings included: • Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, 56% e-cigarette users changed their use: 32% individuals quit, 35% reduced the amount of nicotine, 18% increased nicotine use, 8% increased cannabis use, and 7% switched to other products. • Participants reported that not being able to go to vape shops and product unavailability were the reasons accessing e-cigarettes was difficult after the pandemic began. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, individuals reported purchasing from alternative retail stores, primarily purchasing online instead of retail. • Underage youth reported e-cigarette deliveries from vape shops and/or dealers or friends who received such deliveries, and 28% reported accessing e-cigarettes without age verification. • E-Cigarette users were 52% less likely to quit or reduce their use if they previously used e-cigarettes between 11 and 99 times, 68% less likely to quit if they previously used e-cigarettes more than 100 times, and 51% were less likely to quit if they were nicotine dependent. The researchers concluded that during the COVID-19 pandemic, youth e-cigarette users reported changes in e-cigarette use, point-of-purchase, and ability to purchase e-cigarettes without age verification. Source: Gaiha et al. (2020). Underage Youth and Young Adult e-Cigarette Use and Access Before and During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic. JAMA Network Open, Dec 1;3(12):e2027572. ---PAGE BREAK--- Blueberry Baked Oatmeal ~ Prep Time: 15 min, Cook Time: 35-40 mins, Servings: 12 ~ 75 B Diamond Valley Rd. Markleeville, CA 96120 Phone: (530) 694-2146 Addressing the needs of the Alpine County Community ALPINE THREADS Standard Rate U.S. Postage Paid Permit No. 3 Markleeville, CA 96120 POSTAL CUSTOMER [ 8 ] Alpine County Threads I Spring 2021 For more recipes, borrow SNAP-Ed cookbooks from the Library and the Woodfords Indian Education Center. Ingredients • ⅓ cup – Slivered almonds • 2 cup – Oatmeal, Dry, Rolled • 1 tsp – Baking Powder, Double Acting • 2 tsp – Cinnamon, Ground • 1 Tsp – Salt, Kosher • 2 cup – Milk, Cow’s, 1% • 1 large – Egg, Chicken, Raw • ⅓ cup – Sugar, Brown (or maple syrup) • 2 tbsp – Butter, Regular, No Added Salt • 1 tbsp – Vanilla Extract • 2 medium – Banana, Raw • 2 cup – Blueberry, Unsweetened Directions 1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. 2. Spray or butter the inside of a square 8-inch baking dish. 3. Combine oats, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. 4. In separate bowl, whisk together sugar, milk, egg, butter, and vanilla. 5. Layer sliced bananas across the bottom of baking dish and cover with a layer about 1 cup of berries on top of banana. 6. Evenly spready dry ingredients over bananas and berries. Slowly pour wet ingredients in. 7. Sprinkle mixed nuts and remaining berries over the top. 8. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes uncovered. Top will brown and oat mixture will set/firm. 9. Remove from oven. Can serve hot. To store let cool. Then refrigerate. 10. Reheat small portion in microwave or in oven. Serve in bowl with milk poured over the top. Alpine Threads is brought to you by Alpine County Tobacco Control, a Prop 99 funded program. Healthy Eating, in a SNAP! Alpine Threads Editorial Board First 5 Alpine 100 Foothill Rd. PH: [PHONE REDACTED] www.first5alpine.com Alpine County Health and Human Services 75 B Diamond Valley Rd. PH: [PHONE REDACTED] FAX: [PHONE REDACTED] The Learning Center and Local Child Care Planning Council 100 Foothill Rd. PH: [PHONE REDACTED] Disclaimer: This wellness-focused publication is not intended to provide timely news and/or personal, political or discriminatory statements. Alpine ThreadsEditorial Board reviews all content. Website Links l www.alpinecountyca.gov/calendar l www.first5alpine.com l www.alpinecounty.com l www.alpinewatershedgroup.org l www.alpinebiomasscommittee. wordpress.com l www.spnawareness.org/ ATTENTION LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS & AGENCIES If you’d like to share your website link send it to Gina at [EMAIL REDACTED] and we’ll add it to our column.