Compass Mark’s Josh Mountz has been selected to present at the Commonwealth Prevention Alliance’s statewide annual conference. During this year’s conference, Josh will be leading a workshop focused on problem gambling within our aging populations. Josh has worked as a Prevention Specialist for Compass Mark since 2014 and is also a member of our Student…
Prevention of substance use and gambling disorders is NOT simply about telling kids not to do these things. Effective prevention starts with identifying what children and youth in the community need, and then meeting that need with research-backed strategies. Risk & Protective Factors: The Foundation for Effective Prevention Risk factors are those things that increase…
Last month Compass Mark, in partnership with the Lancaster Lebanon IU13, held the annual Pennsylvania Youth Survey (PAYS) Summit. This event was designed to teach schools and administrators on how to integrate the PAYS substance use data in local planning. Summit attendees learned how to read and interpret the data, recognize, and address risk factors,…
Listening tours, hemp cafes, and cannabis-infused food, drink and pet supplements. With the buzz brought on by commercialization, conversation these days often turns to marijuana, and it’s making an impact that even local kids notice. “In the schools where we work, counselors are noticing that students are talking frequently and casually about marijuana,” says Compass…
People struggling with substance abuse were once, and sometimes still are, judged harshly. Today, we know addiction is a disease, just as cancer, diabetes and other common ailments are. The National Institute of Drug Abuse, respected institutions like the American Medical Association and studies published in notable publications all define addiction as a disease. According…
During Substance Abuse Prevention Month, many public campaigns will focus heavily on the problems posed by opioids and other narcotics. While these efforts are important, another potential threat lies mostly unchallenged in the purses, backpacks, desks and drawers of many teens. Prevention Specialists at Compass Mark are aware of the many risks associated with increasing…
If you’ve wondered if prevention programs can actually make a difference here is some encouraging news: new data show that more youth today have healthier behaviors than youth of 25 years ago. Data from the Youth Behavior Risk Surveillance Survey, released by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), shows that children are increasingly…
Following the World Health Organization’s classification of gaming addiction as a diagnosable disorder, many parents are wondering if they should be concerned about their children’s gaming habits. While experts have varying opinions about gaming addiction, most agree that allowing children to play video games is usually fine, with limitations on screen time and proper supervision…
A recent study conducted by scientists at the University of Michigan and VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System has revealed a disturbing trend: deaths related to liver disease are on the rise among young Americans, and alcohol use disorder may be the culprit. After adjusting for age, researchers found that between 2008 and 2016 the death…
“Fentanyl overdose survivors require little if any hospital treatment.” Study that sentence carefully. It’s the headline of an article describing results of a recently published Canadian study. Further on, the article states, “75 per cent of the fentanyl overdose patients were classified as “low-risk” upon arrival.” Compass Mark recognizes addiction as a medial disease; as…