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OFFICE OF THE STATE'S ATTORNEY
LAKE COUNTY, ILLINOIS
MICHAEL G. NERHEIM
STATE'S ATTORNEY
December 22, 2015
For Immediate Release
Contact: Cynthia Vargas
(847) 377-3188
cvargas@lakecountyil.gov
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Claudia Kasten, Stand Strong Coalition Chair and Chief of the Lake County State's Attorney's Office Juvenile Division.
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The Stand Strong Coalition Receives Grant from the Office of the National Drug Control Policy in Washington, D.C.
The coalition also appointed a new board of directors. They work diligently to build strategies against drug and alcohol abuse and misuse in youth.
(Lake County, IL December 22, 2015) The Stand Strong Coalition recently announced their newly appointed board of directors. The newly appointed board is comprised of law enforcement officials, business owners, one psychologist, one doctor, members of the Lake County community, and a treasurer. The newly appointed members are:
- Chairman: Claudia Kasten, Chief of the Juvenile Division of the Lake County State's Attorney's Office
- Vice-Chairman: Chief Peter Kinsey, of the Lincolnshire Police Department
- Treasurer: Kristin Hall Sliwicki, MSMFT, LCPC, LMFT
- Co-Secretary: Jackie Weine
- Co-Secretary: Karyn Gitler
- Community Member at Large: Cristina Cortesi, Ph.D., Substance Abuse Prevention Coordinator, Stevenson High School
- Community Member at Large: Martin Sussman
- Deborah H. Stern, Psy. D.
In addition, the Stand Strong Coalition recently received a Drug Free Community grant from the Office of the National Drug Control Policy, in Washington D.C. The coalition will receive $625,000 over the next 5 years to
complete their initiatives.
The initiatives include implementation of strategies to reduce underage drinking, marijuana and
prescription drug use for the youth in the community. The Stand Strong coalition has formed partnerships with local police departments and village boards in order to further expand on strategies that focus on social host
ordinances and implementation of prescription drug drop boxes in conjunction with the Lake County Underage Drinking and Drug Prevention Task Force.
Awareness is another of the coalition's initiatives. They host forums to educate parents and youth. Recently, they conducted the “Not My Kid" panel at Stevenson High School. The panel featured Lake County State's Attorney Mike Nerheim; Dr. William Watson, Director of Trauma at Advocate Condell Hospital; the Honorable Judge Christopher Stride; Undersheriff Raymond Rose; Officer Tom Branick, of Lincolnshire Police Department; Dr. Cristina Cortesi of Stevenson High School; Troy Gobble, Principal at Stevenson High School; Coach William McNamara, of Stevenson High School; and families in the community who have been affected due to the substance abuse issue.
The Stand Strong Coalition implemented a program called the Catalyst. The program consists of a group of 80 students who have committed
to living an alcohol and drug free life during the four years of high school. The group of students have also built a team for the purposes of peer to peer support and influence for positive change. The students have been trained in the strategic framework that the Stand Strong Coalition currently uses. The students have already begun to implement some of these strategies to begin change.
Stand Strong is a
community-based coalition dedicated to preventing underage drinking and drug
use for the youth in District 125 (Adlai E Stevenson) community,
which includes the communities of Lincolnshire, Long Grove, Prairie View
and portions of Buffalo Grove, Deerfield, Mundelein, Hawthorn Woods, Vernon
Hills, Lake Forest, Indian Creek, Wheeling, Lake Zurich, Riverwoods, Kildeer,
Palatine, and Mettawa. Stand Strong is compromised of members
representing all sectors of the community including youth, parents, local
businesses, law enforcement, health care professionals, local government and
school officials, faith-based organizations, and civic groups, youth serving
organizations and other agencies involved in reducing substance abuse.
For more information on the Stand Strong Coalition, please contact Jamie Epstein at jamieeps@aol.com.
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Lake County State's Attorney's Office 18 N. County Street Waukegan, IL 60085 Phone: (847) 377-3000
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