Community survey on youth substance use is still taking submissions

A Blaine, Birch Bay and Point Roberts online survey for 2020-21 is still accepting responses from community members who would like to share their perspective on local youth issues.

The survey, administered through the Whatcom County health department by Community Resilience Research, is used alongside the Healthy Youth Survey – taken every two years by grades 6, 8, 10 and 12 in all school districts in Washington – to report community changes to the CDC’s Drug-Free Community Support Program, said Geof Morgan, coordinator for Community Resilience Research.

He said he is hoping to compile results by mid to late February. The survey’s main purpose is to track over time what people’s perceptions are of the issues involving the community.

The CDC program gives up to $125,000 per year to more than 700 community coalitions across the country to strengthen collaboration among local partners and create an infrastructure that reduces substance use, according to its website.

“Results from the survey will be used in monthly community meetings of Birch Bay/Blaine Thrives (a broad community network of school and community representatives) this year to inform discussions on how best we can support youth, families and the communities of Blaine, Birch Bay and Point Roberts,” the survey page says.

Morgan said the survey already has more than 100 responses. Both parents and students are encouraged to take the survey.

The BBB Thrives initiative began in June 2018 with the “goal of formally nurturing and sustaining stronger relationships between families, staff and those agencies in the community that are positioned to offer additional social, emotional and behavioral support services for students and families,” according to its website.

This is the third year of doing the survey, Morgan said, the first being in 2018.

The survey was not administered last year due to the pandemic, but this year they’ve added answers to select-all questions pertaining to how Covid-19 has affected the community. He said the additions will provide the school and community with more useful information about how people are handling the pandemic.

To complete the survey, visit surveymonkey.com/r/2021blainesurvey.