Oregon City Together’s 2021 community prevention champions

Check Presentation by OptimistsOregon City Together’s annual award recognizes outstanding leadership and commitment to preventing youth substance use in Oregon City.

“Prevention is essential to all our youth having healthy futures,” says Coalition Chair Maureen Palaoro. “This award acknowledges people in our community who are doing an outstanding job with this important work.”

Members of the community submitted nominations. The criteria included showing leadership in building the coalition and/or advancing the mission of the coalition — preventing youth drug use, especially marijuana and alcohol.

“Prevention requires a multi-strategy approach,” says Palaoro. “This includes: increasing awareness of the risks of early substance use; reducing risks such as teen stress and anxiety; and increasing protective factors such as positive parenting and connections to school and the community. It also includes changing policies such as locations of marijuana retail outlets and the amount of marijuana advertising our kids see.”

She adds that the work OCT’s Community Prevention Champions of 2021-22 reflect a variety of these strategies.