The C.A.S.T. Coalition
About C.A.S.T.
Community Action for Safe Teens (CAST) is a committee of BGCSV whose mission is to prevent substance misuse in the Souhegan Valley, promote healthy choices among youth, and educate, support, and strengthen families.
Community Action for Safe Teens is a coalition of community leaders, including youth, who work collaboratively to improve the health of the Souhegan Valley Community. The YES (Youth Empowerment & Service) team is a youth-led/adult-guided group focusing on issues concerning them. Examples of recent projects include: Social Norms Campaign on Vaping, Homeless Youth Project – collected hygiene and warming items for homeless youth; Red Ribbon Week activities; Mental Health Awareness projects; Bullying Prevention projects, etc.
The CAST Coalition works tirelessly to empower youth and families to make safe and healthy choices. The Coalition follows the Strategic Prevention Framework to identify gaps and develop resources for youth and families. New Hampshire consistently ranks higher than the national average for youth alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use and mental health issues among our most vulnerable population.[1] The Coalition is a recipient of the $625,000 federal Drug-Free Communities Grant which has two main goals:
Goal 1 – Increase Community Collaboration
Establish and strengthen collaboration among communities, including governmental, public and private non-profit agencies to support the efforts of community coalitions working to prevent and reduce substance use among youth.
Goal 2 – Reduce Youth Substance Use
Reduce substance use among youth and, over time, reduce substance misuse and substance use disorder among adults by addressing the factors in a community that increase the risk of substance misuse and promoting the factors that minimize the risk of substance misuse.
[1] Source: SAMHSA, Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2002–2005 and 2014–2017.
Our History
The CAST Coalition began as a grassroots coalition in 2004 with two main goals: support prevention programs for youth and to connect with parents that were struggling to handle teen substance misuse. The Coalition started with a group of concerned parents and teens. In 2013, the Coalition became a committee of the Boys & Girls Club of Souhegan Valley.
Today, it has grown to be a local community support system comprised of dedicated community members with diverse backgrounds. Our primary focus is on empowering youth through leadership, service, and advocacy opportunities; supporting youth and families impacted by substance use disorder with the Children’s Resiliency Retreat Program; developing a support network for parents throughout their parenting journey, and collaborating with community leaders to build capacity in community wellness initiatives.
Our Goals
Universal Screening
Universal Screening is important to our coalition because we can talk about what issues we think need to be addressed, but if we give students an anonymous survey we will have hard data on what areas need help. The more we know about what is happening in the community the more we can tailor our services to meet the needs of our youth.
Parent and Community Education
CAST is diligent about reviewing research and information on substance misuse and mental health. We believe the more the community and especially parents know about these topics the more support we will be able to provide our youth and families.
Resource Lists
CAST is diligent about reviewing research and information on substance misuse and mental health. We believe the more the community and especially parents know about these topics the more support we will be able to provide our youth and families.
Healthy Afterschool Activities
The CAST Coalition has made huge strides in this particular area by becoming a committee of The Boys and Girls Club. The BGC itself is a great place for young people to spend their free time in a healthy environment, but they have also given us a chance to incorporate programs of our own! In other areas though we are looking for activities to post on our resource list to keep the community updated.
Addressing Substance Misuse
Since the formation of CAST, one of our biggest and most consistent goals has been reducing alcohol and other drug misuse in our community. We believe this will help provide brighter futures for our youth and healthier dynamics in families. Without substance misuse our community will be a safer place for our kids to grow up and reach their full potential.
Juvenile Justice Supports
One of CAST’s biggest goals is to make sure the youth in our community are living up to their full potential. Recently some of our coalition members have gotten involved in a Juvenile Diversion Program, which is a way to keep our youth out of our justice system and instead helps them make reparations for what they have done. This teaches them the value of hard work and has a direct impact on their actions.
Wraparound Supports
The CAST coalition knows that support comes in many different forms. We are aware that our group is just one piece of the prevention and recovery process for many, that is why we are trying to help in many different ways. Teaching kids about a variety of aspects that impact their daily lives, such as cooking, being organized, and managing emotions is just as important as teaching them the negative impact of misusing drugs. We are working to help them grow as a whole, not just in one area.
Volunteer with C.A.S.T.
Monica Gallant