Regional prevention coalition details youth mental-health findings, new grant and August wellness fair

Ashley Carrera, a licensed clinical psychologist and lifelong Bolton resident, told the Board of Selectmen on March 3 that the Bolton Prevention Coalition (with regional support from Amplify) is focusing its fourth year of work on youth mental-health and substance-use prevention.

Carrera said the coalition has secured a little over $20,000 in grant funds so far to support local training and resources. "We support the full age range," she said, describing Narcan training and QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) suicide-prevention certification offered to laypeople and the distribution of medication lockboxes to families through the school nurse.

The presentation focused on local survey data. Carrera said the 2023 Youth Voices Count survey achieved a 90% response rate in Bolton schools and that, among grades 6'12 respondents, about 18% reported feeling anxious nearly all the time, 15% reported nonsuicidal self-injurious thoughts, and roughly 10% had thoughts of suicide in the prior year. "So 35 students in our town indicated in the last year they thought about ending their lives," she said, an estimate derived from the roughly 350 students who took the survey.

Carrera described tangible resources already distributed: free medication lockboxes stocked with the school nurse, and new lockable bags intended to secure cannabis products and reduce youth access. "These are things that are completely free to residents," she said, and noted the coalition can provide them immediately to families in need.

On adults, Carrera said an adult-targeted survey returned 115 responses, which prioritized mental health and opioid-related concerns. She said the coalition will continue outreach to parents, first responders and other adult caregivers.

Carrera announced a new $7,500 grant from the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, authorized for spending the day before the meeting. She said the funds will be used for broader community engagement, including plans to revive a farmers market as a wellness fair (tentative date Aug. 22) and to create a $500 scholarship for people entering substance-use or mental-health fields.

During a brief Q&A, board members asked about medication-disposal options and whether a drop box would need 24-hour monitoring; Carrera said some communities use secure, unmonitored sealed boxes similar to ballot drop-boxes, although monitored locations are often preferred. She also confirmed the coalition will coordinate outreach materials and said she would provide the full survey results to board members on request.

The coalition closed by offering printed and electronic copies of both youth and adult survey results to selectmen and staff.