Rocky Point CMCA Strategy Team Overview

The purpose of the Communities Mobilizing for Change on Alcohol (CMCA) program is to develop a team of community members (students, teachers, parents, business and political leaders, and community agency personnel) from the Rocky Point area to assess community concerns in regard to underage drinking. The team’s purpose is to identify the issues the community has and then develop an action plan to help reduce the instances of underage drinking.

The Rocky Point strategy team conducted approximately 100 interviews with a cross section of members from the Rocky Point community. Below is a sample of the survey questions that were used:

• Do you believe underage drinking is a problem in Rocky Point?
• What evidence do you have that it exists?
• How/Where are teens getting alcohol?
• Where are teens drinking alcohol?
• What would you like to see done regarding underage drinking?

The concerns that were identified as a result of the survey are:

• Students in our community are drinking in homes, at parks, at the beach, and in cars.
• Students are getting alcohol from older siblings, stores that do not proof, and by using fake identification.
• Some parents provide/allow underage drinking in their home.

The action plan that we developed focuses on ways to educate and empower parents on the dangers of underage drinking using technology as a tool. This website was created as a means to assist parents with prevention strategies, communication skills, and other current information that they can use to help keep their children safe.

Members of the Rocky Point CMCA Strategy Team

Susann Crossan, Assistant Principal, Rocky Point High School
Susan Lorenz, Student Assistance Counselor, Rocky Point High School
Meri Blandi, Student Assistance Counselor, Rocky Point High School
Victoria Bleck, Social Studies Teacher, Rocky Point High School
Matthew Dell’Aquila, Student, Rocky Point High School
Janet Siry, Social Worker, Community Member
Lucille Buergers, Student Assistance Services, Eastern Suffolk BOCES
Robin McKinnon, Social Work Intern, Eastern Suffolk BOCES
Larry McCullough, Nia Solutions
Philip Olynciw, Nia Solutions

The CMCA strategy team would like to recognize Mrs. Susan Wilson, Executive Director for Educational Services, Rocky Point School District for creating the RPLINKKS website. Without her effort and expertise the creation of this site would not be possible.

We would also like to thank the many community members who assisted us in the initial phases of this project.