Steuben prevention coalition highlights billboard campaign and plans to expand youth-led outreach

The Steuben Prevention Coalition presented its year-end work to the Human Services, Health and Education Committee on Jan. 7, describing a countywide prevention push that included a late-year billboard campaign and new efforts to involve young people in messaging. "Our biggest outcome was the 2,200,000 media impressions," Caleb Cutler said, noting eight or nine billboards placed across the county near highways and in Hornell.

Caleb Cutler, who described his transition into a prevention services manager role, said the coalition has made youth engagement a priority and will formally create a youth coalition next year so young people can help design messages and activities. The coalition also said it will coordinate partners so prevention messages are consistent across agencies and reduce conflicting information, a strategy it believes will strengthen local reach. "We really ramped up all of our messaging and tied it in ... with the opioid committee and general prevention beyond that," Cutler said.

Connie Terry, the opioid committee program assistant, told the committee the coalition has worked with schools, libraries and first responders to expand Narcan trainings and other prevention offerings. The coalition also emphasized partnerships with law enforcement on some campaigns. Committee members praised the outreach and asked staff to keep tracking training coverage across school districts; Terry said some districts have only had nurse training while others are expanding to broader staff and coaches.