[Liberty, NY] Sullivan 180 will be holding two trainings for individuals to become facilitators of the evidence-based CATCH My Breath Youth Vaping Prevention Program. The trainings will take place on February 16th and March 15th from 12:30 – 3:30 pm at the CVI Building in Liberty. Sullivan 180 is seeking school staff, youth workers, and community volunteers who are passionate about community health and are willing to lead this program with young people in school and after-school settings, as well as community youth organizations.

According to the Mid-Hudson Regional Community Health Needs Assessment, Sullivan County suffers from the highest rates of smoking in the Hudson Valley. The average age of a new smoker in New York State is 13 years old. The CATCH My Breath pilot study found that if implemented as intended, roughly 45% of students would NOT try an e-cigarette in a given year. The overall goal of CATCH My Breath is to prevent the initiation of e-cigarette use among students and is designed to help students:

·         Discover that non-use of e-cigarettes is the norm for adolescents

·         Identify reasons why young people might start using e-cigarettes

·         Recognize the subtle, and not so subtle, messages in e-cigarette advertising

·         Practice skills for resisting peer pressure and advertising pressure to use e-cigarettes

·         Decide on their personal reasons not to use e-cigarettes and set goals for future non-use

After completing the training, one trainee from the Boys & Girls Club recommended this training because “[they] are easy to understand and very informative. It gives [educators] a better understanding of how the youth may think when it comes to vaping.” A nurse from Fallsburg Central School District wrote: “Go to this training! The info is important and good to know.”

Adults trained will gain free access to the complete curriculum to guide young people, grades 5 –12, through the program which is known to reduce the chances of youth starting a lifelong addiction to nicotine. Educators will receive CTLE’s for completing this training thanks to an agreement with Sullivan BOCES. Partnering organizations including Catholic Charities and Tobacco Free Action Communities Reality Check Program will also be on hand to provide schools with support and additional resources.

Registration for this training is required by contacting Nicole Blais, Sullivan 180 Prevention Coordinator, at 845-295-2684 or nicole@sullivan180.org.