Those of us who are old enough to remember 1958 can probably still sing the then popular lyrics by the Four Preps: "Twenty-six miles across the sea, Santa Catalina is awaitin' for me, Santa Catalina, the island of romance. . . ." This picturesque island off the southern California coast, just 22 miles long and 8 miles across at its widest point, is paradise for the 3,700 people who live there and the one million tourists who visit it every year. Since 1919, when chewing-gum magnate William Wrigley Jr. bought it, Santa Catalina and its only city--Avalon--have undergone many changes.

The island's tourism industry ignited when Wrigley built the world famous Art Deco dance hall, called the "Casino," which means "gathering place" in Italian. (There is no gambling there.) In 1972, Wrigley's heirs deeded over 42,000 acres to the nonprofit Catalina Island Conservancy, which serves as steward for 88 percent of the island. Flora and fauna are protected, and motor vehicles are so restricted that there is a 10-year wait list to bring a car to the island. Bicycles and golf carts are the chief means of transportation.

As idyllic as this may sound, Avalon is not without problems. "Avalon has attracted tourists for over 100 years," explained LeeAnn Human, a prevention specialist for CHOICES (Citizens Helping Our Island Children End Substance Abuse). "Folks come here for a good time, which equates into a lot of alcohol and drug use. Our youth see this behavior and some think it is 'standard' because of the adults who model it."

Human said that while Avalon has lower smoking rates than the national average, its rates for alcohol and other drug use (primarily marijuana) are higher than average.

According to Marty Harding, Prevention Strategies manager at Hazelden, CHOICES didn't "begin" as much as it evolved. "When I first visited the island, it was clear that people weren't talking about substance abuse issues," she said. "The kids who weren't using told me so many kids used drugs and alcohol that they--the non-users--tried to be less visible by keeping quiet. Now people aren't afraid to talk about alcohol and other drug use problems."

Offield Family Foundation backs effort
In 2002, the Offield Family Foundation commissioned Hazelden to do a needs assessment for Avalon. Hazelden's extensive interviews with students, parents and community leaders revealed significant concerns among islanders about the prevalence and accessibility of alcohol and other drugs. As a result, community organizations and individuals came together and partnered with Hazelden to form the CHOICES coalition, whose goals include educating youth and families about substance abuse, increasing the availability of substance abuse treatment and support, and promoting sober teen activities.

The Offield Foundation, headed by Paxson (Packy) Offield, the great grandson of William Wrigley Jr. is a top benefactor for Hazelden's community-based prevention, education, intervention, and treatment efforts on the island. Since Offield is the first of the Wrigley descendants to live on Santa Catalina, he has a special interest in CHOICES.

"My family has always loved Catalina Island, but let's face it, places like Avalon are places where you can party all year long," Offield said. "Although we knew the youth of our community were affected by drug and alcohol abuse, we didn't know the extent of the problem until Hazelden did its assessment. My father started a successful CHOICES-type program in northern Michigan, and my wife and I thought a similar program might be appropriate for Catalina. CHOICES has done exactly what it advertises. It shows both youth and parents that there are alternatives to drug and alcohol use, and gives the community some place to turn when there is a problem."

Lt. Patrick Hunter, the former chief law enforcement officer for Avalon and a CHOICES board member, said he witnessed major changes in the four years he was in Avalon, thanks to CHOICES. "CHOICES was a labor of love for all those involved in our close-knit community," he said. "Everyone had a different area of responsibility, so we were able to attack drug and alcohol problems on all fronts, and I certainly saw the results of our efforts. Police calls didn't stop, but they certainly went down."

Hazelden programs utilized
Hazelden provides training and consultation to CHOICES members, and Human and others have come to Minnesota for training in its Professionals in Residence program. Addicted teens and their families have also come to Minnesota to receive treatment at Hazelden's Center for Youth and Families in Plymouth.

Avalon students in grades 6-8 have been using Hazelden's Project Northland prevention program, and plans are underway to implement the Class Action prevention program this year for grades 9-12. A variety of educational and informational workshops are also offered to parents, students and community members. Last March, Harding presented the Safe Dates program to six members of the Catalina Women's Forum, who wanted to implement it into their mentoring program in which high school girls are paired with positive adult female role models. Forum members later requested training for all their members so they can offer Safe Dates to all girls in the school district. Safe Dates is the evidence-based Hazelden curriculum that prevents dating abuse.

Non-using teens are anything but invisible these days in Avalon. CHOICES' Avalon High School Social Action Team, led by school nurse Karla Parsons, took a public stand, saying that its members won't drink or use during high school. The team also drafted Hospitality Guidelines for businesses that sell alcohol. The guidelines promote responsible drinking and discourage underage drinking. Becky Davidson, school psychologist, sponsors another group of teens that provides peer mediation, peer helping and cross-age education. Hazelden provides training each year for these students in a three-day retreat.

The changes don't stop there. Human said the Activities Team, led by Dawn Sampson, social worker for the Avalon Medical Center, sponsored a sober New Year's Eve for youth. She reports that "Free Lunch Fridays" are growing strong. Because Avalon is an island city, Human said they can't feed all the kids, so students in grades 9-12 are allowed to leave school for lunch--a particular problem on Fridays, when some students would leave, get high, and not return. To counter this, CHOICES provides pizza and entertainment one Friday each month, an action that has cut unexcused absences in half on Free Lunch Fridays.

To encourage parental involvement, CHOICES initiated a "Let's Talk" campaign by distributing little tins filled with conversation starters for families. Conversation "prompts," such as "What things or people make you happy?" or "Name two strengths you have," are available in either an English or Spanish version (40 percent of residents are Latino), and according to Human, the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.

Mindy Mueller, PhD, director of the Child Guidance Center on the island, has used Roots and Wings, a Hazelden parenting skills curriculum, as another way to reach parents. Along with Rhonda Kalish, she also coordinates the Resource Team, which works to increase the number of resources on the island for youth and parents.

Community-based prevention model
These are just some of the many CHOICES programs and activities. "There's so much going on, and I'm seeing the impact all across town," said Human. "The community is really committed to providing opportunities for youth and presenting solutions for parents."

"CHOICES is the 'poster child' for community-based prevention," said Harding. "Churches, civic organizations, social services, schools, businesses--everybody--is involved. A small island is perfect for implementing prevention efforts; everyone knows each other and information gets disseminated quickly. All in all, it's a community organizer's dream. I don't get much sympathy when I say I have to go there to work."

For more information on CHOICES and its activities, visit catalinachoices.org.

--by Cynthia Orange

Published in The Voice, Winter 2008