February 12, 2021 –
FHN, with the support of the Substance Use Prevention Services grant from the Illinois Department of Human Services, is excited to announce the launch of a vaping prevention communication campaign in Jo Daviess and Stephenson Counties targeting the High School population.
Every two years the majority of local high schools participate in the Illinois Youth Survey (IYS). Although the results of the 2020 survey were limited due to the school closures last spring, the results continue to show an increasing trend in the use of e-cigarettes especially amongst the 10th grade population in Jo Daviess County, which is above state average. (Reference: IYS website)
In 2017, through the support of the Substance Use Prevention Program and the Strategic Prevention Partnership for Success grants from the Illinois Department of Human Services, FHN partnered with the county middle schools with an alcohol prevention campaign which included communication materials and an extensive multi-session youth prevention education program. The 2020 IYS results in Jo Daviess and Stephenson County showed a decrease in alcohol use by the 8th and 12th grade students compared to previous years. These programs are continuing in most of the local schools.
In the fall of 2020, FHN completed an analysis of the Jo Daviess and Stephenson Counties IYS data, and conducted a marketing survey of over 95 high school students. The various vaping prevention communication campaign materials were designed by the state with youth feedback. The communication campaign consists of a series of posters, newsletters, banners, school announcements and local billboards. The theme of the campaign focuses on the positive “I Don't Vape Because I Need My Lungs to…” and includes informative facts related to the use of e-cigarettes/vaping. The effectiveness of the campaign will be evaluated by the 2022 and 2024 Illinois Youth Survey.
All six of the Jo Daviess County High Schools, and Freeport High School have partnered with FHN to support the campaign, which is scheduled to run through December 2021.
For more information visit www.fhn.org/SUP