About Us
Bridging L.I.V.E.S. is the local substance use prevention coalition serving the towns of Bridgewater and Raynham.
Our mission is to prevent and reduce substance use by increasing awareness, providing education and offering support within the community.
Bridging L.I.V.E.S. is part of a larger regional substance use prevention collaborative, the Brockton Area Prevention Collaborative.
Partners
The coalition is proud to work with a dedicated group of partners who support us in our mission. Click a partner for more info.
Bridgewater-Raynham Regional School District
Bridgewater Pediatrics
The Well
Bridgewater Police Department
Bridgewater Fire Department
Bridgewater Community Television
High Point Treatment Center
Bridgewater State University
Bridgewater Council on Aging
Better Bean
Town of Bridgewater
St. Thomas Aquinas Church
Trinity Episcopal Church
Brockton Area Prevention Collaborative
Grant Funding
Substance Abuse Prevention Collaborative (SAPC)
The Brockton Area Prevention Collaborative was awarded the SAPC grant July 1 2015, funded by the Bureau of Substance Addiction Services, as part of a comprehensive approach to reduce the use and misuse of substances throughout the state. The SAPC grant specifically addresses underage drinking and other drug use from a regional approach. The collaborative towns, with the addition of Bridgewater, home to Bridgewater State University, work to implement strategies that will have a sustained effect on prevention and reducing underage drinking and other drug use and the devastating consequences that can ensue.
Underage Drinking Prevention
(Substance Abuse Prevention Collaborative Grant)
- Underage drinking is a loaded subject to talk about. Everyone seems to have an opinion regarding what is permissible and what is not.
- Providing alcohol to minors is illegal under what is called the Social Host Law. Social Host states that you could be fined or jailed if caught providing alcohol to minors which includes knowingly allowing minors to drink on your property.
- A minor can also be charged under this law if they provide alcohol to minors. Though parents may not face legal ramifications by allowing their own child to drink, there are serious consequences that can result from underage drinking that go beyond drinking and driving.
- The earlier someone uses a substance, including alcohol, the more likely they are to develop an addiction in their lifetime. Additionally, alcohol impairs the way the young brain grows, even if they aren’t drinking every weekend.
- Occasional alcohol use and binge drinking can cause youth to have trouble in school or at home, post regrettable things on social media, use other substances, not remember what they said or did, and take less interest in activities they found pleasurable.
- Regardless of your personal views on whether it is okay for youth to drink before they are 21, delaying first use of alcohol can have a huge impact on addiction potential. It is crucial to inform yourself and the youth in your life of the real consequences that can result from drinking.
- The three main strategies the coalition focuses on to prevent underage drinking include:
- Promotion and enforcement of the Social Host Liability Law
- School Alcohol and Substance Use Policy cohesion
- Social Marketing Campaigning
Strategic Prevention Framework – Partnerships for Success (SPF-PFS)
Prevention Services of High Point Treatment Center was awarded the Strategic Prevention Framework – Partnerships for Success grant to address alcohol and marijuana use among middle school aged students in southeastern, MA with a specific focus on students impacted with adverse childhood experiences.
Underage Drinking and Youth Marijuana Prevention
(Strategic Prevention Framework – Partnerships for Success Grant)
- Reduce alcohol and marijuana use through the implementation of evidence-based policies, programs and strategies
- Decrease the number of middle school students who report alcohol use within the past 30 days
- Decrease the number of middle school students who report marijuana use within the past 30 days
- Prevent and reduce the consequences of alcohol and marijuana use
- Increase the number of middle school students who perceive both drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana as harmful.
Get Involved
Are you interested in learning more or working with Bridging LIVES? Do you have a story to tell? Would you like to help out with one of our events or initiatives? Are you a local organization or business that would like to partner with us? We'd love to hear from you.