Mission Statement
Rim Family Services, a private, not for profit agency, provides the highest quality counseling services and programs for individuals and families including education, prevention, intervention and treatment, addressing substance abuse and the mental health needs of our Rim Communities residents.Vision
Preserving our families . . . Strengthening our communitiesCreed
Inner Strength is the power to healHope overcomes the fear of life's challenges.
Positive life skills Empower each of us.
Respect the Dignity of every individual.
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RFS News:
The 3rd National Prescription Drug Take-Back event takes place on October 29, 2011.
Law enforcement agencies, including our Twin Peaks and Big Bear Sheriff’s Stations, will be accepting and disposing of unused prescription drugs as a service to our community.
Prescription drug abuse is a national problem with local solutions. Mountain area community-based groups like the Rim Youth Prevention Leadership (RYPL) Coalition and Big Bear’s Breakthrough Task Force look for ways to solve substance abuse problems in our own community by reducing youth access to alcohol and other drugs and have targeted prescription drug abuse, especially by youth, as they work to raise community awareness on this issue, among others. Colleen Myers, Drug Prevention Program Coordinator for Rim Family Services is concerned about the substance abuse climate on our mountain but encouraged by the work of such groups. “When the community identifies a problem and works together to find a solution, there is power in that,” she said.
Prescription drug take-back days are one way a community can address the problem of substance abuse. Often, people are prescribed much more medication than they actually need and the extra pills end up in a medicine cabinet with the thought that they should not be wasted. Unfortunately, prescription drug abuse is on the rise among youth and that may be due to the fact that these drugs are easily accessed in unsecured cabinets. “We wouldn’t dream of questioning the wisdom of leaving a pharmacy unlocked, yet we have mini pharmacies all over this mountain in unlocked cupboards,” Myers said.
Just how big is this problem? The numbers are staggering. Findings from the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse estimate that 36 million U.S. residents age 12 and older abused prescription drugs at least once in their lifetime. 2.7 million individuals, age 12 to 17, and 6.9 million individuals age 18 to 25 abused prescription drugs at least once (www.justice.gov). Commonly misused drugs include OxyContin and Ritalin, among others for pain and sleep aids.
“There seems to be a perception of safety regarding prescription drugs,” Myers said. “We talk to kids who think that because these drugs are prescribed by a doctor, they are somehow safer than illegal drugs. Parents need to teach their children, at a very young age, never to take someone else’s prescription.”
It is important to dispose of prescription drugs properly not only to help protect the health and safety of our youth, but all residents and the local environment as well. Proper disposal methods are a must. Unfortunately, drugs flushed down drains can go into the water system and seep into the ground, becoming harmful to plants and animals.
Besides participating in local take-back days, the Office of National Drug Control Policy suggests that unused or expired drugs can be mixed with an undesirable substance such as coffee grounds or cat litter, sealed in something that won’t leak, and thrown away. It is important to remove or deface any prescription labels that hold personal information. Flush prescription drugs down the toilet only if the label or accompanying patient information specifically instructs you to do so. When in doubt, talk to your pharmacist for disposal options.
To participate in the October 29 National Take-Back, bring unused prescription drugs to either the Twin Peaks or Big Bear Sheriff’s Station from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. The Twin Peaks Station is located at 26010 State Highway 189. The Big Bear Station is located at 477 Summit Blvd.
To find additional Take-Back locations, visit www.dea.gov.
Please contact Colleen Myers of Rim Family Services at (909) 336-1800 for more information on drug prevention or to contact the RYPL Coalition. Please contact Bonnie Shaffer at (909) 878-0101 to contact the Breakthrough Task Force.
Rim Family Services turns Smokers into Millionaires!!
It's time to kick that nasty habit and pay yourself. Don't let your hard earned cash go up in smoke. Join our FREE stop smoking class today. Our next class starts Monday October 3, 2011 at 6:00 PM. Learn more about this million dollar choice by clicking here!Rim Youth Prevention Leadership Coalition Mtg. - August 30, 2011 from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM
FlyerLocation: Fire Station 91 in Lake Arrowhead
301 S. State Hwy 173
LUNCH RSVP: We will be serving a complimentary lunch. Please call Colleen Myers at (909) 336-1800 to let us know you are coming and will join us for lunch. Please bring guests...just let us know how many!
SPECIAL SPEAKERS: Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) will be speaking to us about the importance of the Social Host Ordinance and other underage drinking issues. Big Bear's Breakthrough Task Force will be joining us. A representative from the Twin Peaks Sheriff's Department will also attend our meeting. Coalition members will share their recent risk assessment efforts and letter writing. As always, we will bring you up to date on the latest drug prevention efforts and substance abuse trends on our mountain.
Alcohol Awareness Month
April 2011
April is national Alcohol Awareness Month and this year’s theme, “One Too Many …,” brings to light the staggering number—17 percent—of California’s young adults, 18 to 25 years old, who suffer from alcohol dependence or abuse.
Nearly 20 percent of Californians undergoing publicly funded treatment for alcohol addiction were under 21 years old, according to information from the 2008-09 California Outcome Measurement System, a system that gathers data from alcohol and other drug treatment providers in the state. In addition, almost half (49 percent) of all people being treated for alcohol dependency were between 14 and 18 years old when they used alcohol for the first time.
Knowing the dangers of having “one too many” alcoholic drinks is key for teens to make smart decisions when they are in situations involving alcohol. The 2009-2010 California Student Survey (CSS) indicates that California teens may be on a different and better track with regard to the dangers of alcohol. Compared to the 2007-08 CSS, alcohol use among 9th and 11th graders is declining. Binge drinking went down from 16 percent to 12 percent for 9th graders, and from 29 percent to 22 percent for 11th graders.
Two days in April have been set aside to increase awareness of alcohol use and the potential dangers of it as part of Alcohol Awareness Month this year. April 7 has been designated as Alcohol Screening Day to help raise awareness of alcohol misuse and to refer individuals with alcohol problems for further evaluation.
April 21 is PowerTalk 21 Day, a day for parents to talk to their children about alcohol. The American College of Emergency Physicians and Mothers Against Drunk Driving offer a free handbook with tips on talking to children about issues concerning alcohol. MADD also offers a handbook for teens who want to initiate the conversation with their parents. The handbooks can be ordered on the MADD website, www.madd.org.
(Taken from Letter by Michael S. Cunningham, Acting Director, State Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs)
Parents As Teachers kicks off "Loving the Library" Valentines Week at your Local Library. Join us for your favorite story and craft project!
December 24th, 2010 - HWY. 18 CLOSURE - YES WE ARE STILL OPEN!
Historic rainfall and runoff forced the closure of Hwy. 18 between Arrowhead Villa Rd. and Kuffel Canyon Rd. due to road failure. See picture below taken by www.rimoftheworld.net. Pull your vehicle up to the check point and let the on duty CHP Officer know you have permission to drive to and park at Rim Family Services by Lieutenant Rick Sanders. Please know that CHP Officers assigned to this post may or may not be from the mountain and don't even realize that our business is only 100 yards from the check point. We are sincerely sorry for any inconvenience this may cause our staff and clients. We're in this together! Aaron M. Scullin, Executive Director RFS.
October 22, 2010, Running Springs Area Chamber of Commerce Recognized for keeping Mountain Top Day Alcohol-free.
Rim Family Services' Prevention Specialist, Colleen Myers, presents recognition from the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health to the Running Springs Area Chamber of Commerce President, Kevin Somes, for their decision to keep their main event, Mountain Top Day, alcohol free.
October 22, 2010, Friday - Running Springs Area Chamber of Commerce Honored Colleen Myers, Primary Prevention Specialist as "Citizen of the Year" at the 2009-2010 Annual Recognition Dinner held at Snow Valley Ski Resort.
October 9, 2010 - Pine Cone Festival Committee Recognized for keeping Pine Cone Festival Alcohol-free
Alcohol free events are important for the children of our community. They are opportunities for children to see adults having fun without alcohol and they reduce youth access to alcohol. Unfortunately, it is common for youth to access alcohol at community events where alcohol is served because the organizers of these events commonly use volunteers to serve the alcohol that is sold. These volunteers often do not know how to "card" customers well and the alcohol often gets into the hands of underage kids. For many children, their first experience with alcohol is at one of these community events where alcohol is being sold.
Minor drinking is a MAJOR problem. The latest studies show that children who begin drinking alcohol at age 15 have a 40% chance of having alcohol problems later in life. This percentage goes down to 10% in kids who begin drinking around age 21. The reason? The brains of younger children aren't fully developed yet and this makes them much more susceptible to addiction.
Rim Family Services applauds event organizers who choose to be alcohol-free. This decision does not come without sacrifice. Sales of alcohol can be very lucrative. However, events such as the Pine Cone Festival in Twin Peaks and Mountain Top Day in Running Springs prove that events do not need alcohol to be successful.
September 30, 2010 - Crestline Community Conversation
Staff from Rim Family Services pause for a photo with San Bernardino County's Second District Supervisor, Paul Biane, on September 30, 2010, at the Crestline Community Conversation. This was the second Community Conversation hosted by Rim Family Services. These events promote drug prevention in our community and give parents and other community members hands-on, practical information that they can use in their own lives and out in the community to help reduce youth access to alcohol and other drugs.
Substance abuse is a community problem that will eventually affect everyone in some way. The community is also the solution and together we can win this battle for our mountain's kids! Because these events have been so popular and have proved to be so beneficial, Rim Family Services is committed to hosting future Community Conversations in every area across our mountain. Future dates will be posted on our website.
Teen spokesperson, Tiffany Moudy and adult spokespersons, Nicki Erber from the Rim Youth Prevention Leadership Coalition, were on hand at the Crestline Community Conversation in September to deliver a powerful message of prevention to the attendees. They are pictured here with San Bernardino County's Second District Supervisor, Paul Biane. In her address that night, 17 year old Tiffany said, "Parents, please listen to me. We have lots of friends. We don't need you to be our friends. We need you to be our parents!"
September 16, 2010 - Rim of the World Unified School District unanimously approves our Agencies "Student Assistance Program (SAP)". See item 10.10.
Running Springs Chamber 2008 "Organization of the Year"
