"Wisconsin Leader in Binge Drinking"…"Wisconsin Tops Drunk Driving List"….."Jackson County Deputies Arrest 14 Drunk Drivers"…….these are articles that have been in our papers and on the news in the past year.

What does this mean? It means that no matter what laws have been passed and enforced, drinking rates continue to rise in our community for adults and children. Deaths continue to rise in our county due to drunk driving either being a passenger, driver, bystander or occupant. Intervention and prevention are tools that the community can use to prevent these articles from re-appearing.

UW Population Health Institute states that approximately 41 percent of all Wisconsin motor vehicle fatalities were alcohol related and the age group most impacted was 16-34 years. Wisconsin's rate is higher than the national average. The study further explains that Wisconsin has the highest in the nation rating in drinking among high school students at 49 percent, Current underage drinking at 39 percent, current drinking among adults at 68 percent, and binge drinking among adults at 22 percent.

Wisconsin also is second in the nation for underage binge drinking with 28 percent. Wisconsin has spent $189,741,774 dollars on public funds for hospitalization and treatment of alcohol and illicit drug use.

Jackson County does not escape the alcohol and drug use issues that are within the state that contribute to these statistics. You don't have to look very far to see the impact alcohol has played in our community. Every week you can read in the paper about someone in our community receiving a drunk driving, underage drinking, disorderly conduct, domestic violence report, or picked up for bail jumping for drinking. Alcohol and drug use in our community continue to play an active role.

There are prevention efforts that are within our community that are working to combat the continued rise in these statistics. Together for Jackson County Kids is the local coalition that has been present in the county since 1988. This group of adolescents and adults has worked cooperatively to enhance community wellness by promoting positive values and choices and eliminating the negative impact of alcohol, tobacco, other drugs, violence and related youth risk behaviors. Due to the partnership with adolescents and adults there have been unique programming that have been utilized.

Together for Jackson County Kids have sponsored billboards, events (SKATE, IPODD, Battle of the Bands, etc.) underage drinking prevention information to the schools (KEYS), Red Ribbon Week activities in down town Black River Falls, Strengthening Families Programming, etc. The coalition works with other organizations such as Boys and Girls Club, area schools, Jackson County Sheriff's Department, Black River City Police Department, Brockway Police Department, Jackson County UW Extension, Jackson County Department of Health and Human Services, Black River Memorial Hospital, CADCA, SAMSHA, to name a few.

Together for Jackson County Kids is sponsoring a Town Hall Meeting, "Impact of Alcohol and Other Drugs on Jackson County Community: How can we change it?????" in August.

There will be presenters from the community regarding alcohol and other drug abuse issues, challenges, interventions and treatment.

Jackson County was very vocal in their outcry about focusing on preventing further deaths in the community and our coalition shares the same voice. Together change can happen.