CSAY

CSAY Council on Substance Abuse and Youth


For more information and how to join CSAY, please contact: 
Sarah Opalinski

sopalinski@wedacinc.org

                                                                                                                                                                                 



2023 CSAY Calendar Contest Winners

Thank you to all of the Westmoreland County schools that participated in our 2023 CSAY Calendar Contest! The CSAY calendars will be distributed across Westmoreland County and help to bring awareness to the various Prevention and Awareness Days/Months throughout the year. Below are the winners from across Westmoreland County.

Youngwood

Mission Statement of CSAY

The Council on Substance Abuse and Youth (CSAY) is committed to the prevention and reduction of youth and adult substance abuse in our communities. We are dedicated to working together to provide education, encourage recovery and create social change to empower individuals to take a stand to end substance abuse in our neighborhoods.

Warning Signs of a Possible Drug Problem

  • Skipping classes or not doing well in school

  • Unusual odors on clothes or in a room

  • Hostility or lack of cooperation

  • Physical changes (red eyes, runny nose)

  • Borrowing money often, or suddenly having extra cash

  • Lack of interest in activities

  • Significant mood changes

  • Loss of interest in personal appearance

  • Change in friends

  • Heightened secrecy about actions or possessions

  • Tell your teen what you expect

  • Set rules and stick to them

  • Give advice on avoiding risky situations

  • Stay involved in your teens life

  • Know what your child is doing

  • Get to know who your teen’s friends are

  • Follow up on your suspicions

  • Talk, Talk, Talk to your kids about the dangers of drug use

  • Take action when necessary


Pennsylvania Youth Survey (PAYS) 2021

What is PAYS?

The “Pennsylvania Youth Survey” or “PAYS” is conducted every other year, in the fall of odd-numbered years.

The 2021 PAYS was implemented. Comparisons in this report were made between the results of the 2017, 2019, and 2021 surveys, as well as comparisons to youth nationwide.

Over the last several survey administrations, PAYS has added additional questions about problem behaviors based on areas of interest to state and local leaders. These include questions on illegal prescription drug use, vaping and e-cigarette use, gambling, depression and suicidal ideation, violence on school property, causes and effects of bullying and abuse (physical and online), Internet safety, transitions and mobility, and involvement in after-school activities in the community or workplace. After each survey administration, Pennsylvania stakeholders review the survey instrument to determine if there are additional areas of importance that should be included in the next cycle or if some items have outlived their value and should be removed.

Questions are asked across four domains (community, school, family, and peer/individual) to help determine where the strengths of a community are, which can be promoted to assist students. The questions also help determine where potential problems may exist outside of school that can have an impact on a student’s readiness to learn when they arrive at their school each morning. This includes questions on food security, housing instability, and the loss of a close family member or friend.

PAYS is administered in each participating school using either paper/pencil or an online tool. The survey is voluntary – youth are able to skip any questions they do not wish to answer or to opt out of the survey entirely. Additionally, students are made aware that their responses will remain anonymous and confidential. No individual student-level data can be obtained from the data set, and the results are reported in aggregate at the local, county, and state levels.

PAYS is a primary tool in Pennsylvania’s prevention approach of using data to drive decision making. By looking not just at rates of problem behaviors but also at the root causes of those behaviors, PAYS allows schools and communities to address reasons (such as a lack of commitment to school) rather than only looking at the symptoms after the fact (like poor grades). This approach has been repeatedly shown in national research studies to be the most effective in helping youth develop into healthy, productive members of their society.

Click below to look at the PAYS report from Westmoreland County. Eleven out of seventeen school districts in the took the PAYS in 2021.

Westmoreland-County-Profile-ReportDownload

Where can I get help in Westmoreland County

Allied Addiction Recovery

412-246-8965

Axiom Family Counseling Services

724-522-5456 or 878-847-7179

D & A Case Management Unit

1-800-220-1810

Gateway Greensburg

724-853-7300

Outside In

724-837-1518

SPHS Behavioral Health

Latrobe: 724-532-1700

Greensburg: 724-834-0420

Mon Valley: 724-684-6989 ext. 4200

New Kensington: 724-339-6860

Greenbrier New Kensington

724-339-7180

Westmoreland Drug and Alcohol Commission, Inc.

724-243-2220