Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of Health and Human Services has just released, the 2012 Report to Congress on the Prevention and Reduction of Underage Drinking. Data from the report, representing all 50 states, show meaningful reductions in underage drinking, particularly among younger age groups.  “From 2004 to 2012, young people ages 12 to 20 showed statistically significant declines in both past-month alcohol use and binge alcohol use.”  However the new summary of the latest scientific research confirms that “alcohol continues to be the most widely used substance of abuse among America’s youth, a greater proportion of whom use alcohol than use tobacco or other drugs.”   The annual report was prepared by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) on behalf of the federal Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Prevention of Underage Drinking (ICCPUD).  This is the fourth report in the series, and includes a new section on prevention of binge drinking on college and university campuses, and an expanded section about underage drinking prevention and enforcement activities in the 50 states and the District of Columbia.  Access to the new Report to Congress is available at http://www.stopalcoholabuse.gov.

• Alaska receives additional suicide prevention funding
  $1.4 million federal grant provides training statewide
• Learn about SAMHSA launching their Toolkit to Prevent Suicide Among High School Students!
• Through the efforts of the Governor’s Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Initiative, the first-ever DVSA Data Dashboard, highlighting key issues impacting Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault in Alaska has been developed by the Council on Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault.  For a copy, go to http://dps.alaska.gov/Cdvsa
  
• CDC Releases Research on Binge Drinking Prevalence, Frequency and Intensity Among Young Adults. Read More Here

Upcoming Trainings

•  Early Childhood Mental Health Institute, April 30 - May 2, 2013.  Egan Civic and Convention Center, Anchorage, Alaska. Keynote speakers include Walter S. Gilliam, Ph.D. and Joy Osofsky, Ph.D.   For further information go to http://www.ecmhi.org/
• 2013 Annual School on Addictions & Behavioral Health.  The Alaska Addiction Professionals Association is pleased to announce the 39th Annual School on Addictions & Behavioral Health: "Sharing the Vision: Integration for Recovery. May 6-9, 2013 at the Sheraton Anchorage Hotel to explore the emerging science of integrated treatment.  For additional information go to http://sada-ak.org/annualschool.htm.
• The Partners in Policymaking Advocacy Internship (PIP 1) is being offered in Spring 2013!
  The training begins with a three day seminar, held in Anchorage on May 14th, 15th,  & 16th 2013. The course then continues with weekly online classes for 5 weeks ending June 18,2013. Online classes will be held each Tuesday at 12 noon following the seminar.   Click here to go to the PIP Website to request an application.   Application submission deadline: April 22, 2013.
• FASD: Best Practices in the Last Frontier, May 22-24, 2013.  Hilton Hotel, Anchorage.  The Arctic FASD Regional Training Center and the University of Alaska Anchorage Center for Behavioral Health Research and Services is hosting this statewide conference.  For further information go to http://www.uaa.alaska.edu/arcticfasdrtc/2013FASDConference/index.cfm