What is P.A.R.T.Y. (Prevent Alcohol and Risk Related Trauma in Youth)?

Each year, an ever-increasing number of teens are injured or die in alcohol and risk related crashes and incidents.  In an effort to reduce these injuries and deaths, the Grey Bruce Health Services-Owen Sound Site, in conjunction with the Grey Bruce FOCUS Project offers the P.A.R.T.Y. Program.

P.A.R.T.Y. recognizes that teens need to be with their peers and have control over their own decisions.  Modeled after the successful P.A.R.T.Y. program developed by Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, the objective of the program is to provide useful, relevant information to young people about the choices they make, their risk of injury and the personal and social impact of serious injury.

The program aims to equip teens to make informed decisions in order to stay healthy and alive.  P.A.R.T.Y.’s approach is an open sharing of information and experiences without being ‘preachy’.

In a step-by-step fashion, students follow the course of injury from the reporting of an event, to treatment at the scene, transfer to hospital, acute treatment, rehabilitation, and return to life in the community.

The experience of injury is shared by a multidisciplinary team of health care providers and people who have experienced injury.  Students are encouraged to express ways of reducing their risk of injury and challenged to create a social environment in which injury prevention is a common goal.  Choice and independence are the key themes of the P.A.R.T.Y. program.

Program Structure:

The 5-hour program is designed to accommodate 30 students, aged 16 and over.  A number of teaching techniques are used, including presentations, discussions, audiovisuals, tours of treatment areas, interaction with injured persons and role playing.

Setting:

P.A.R.T.Y. will take place in a classroom at the Grey Bruce Health Services-Owen Sound Site.  In addition, students will visit two patient care areas, the Trauma Room (Emergency Department) and the Intensive Care Unit.

The Risk Related Activities that are Addressed Include:

a)      Impaired driving caused by alcohol, drugs, speeding, recklessness, inattention, distractions, attitude, mood, skill and peer influence

b)      Sports/recreation/leisure pursuits from the standpoint of equipment, skill, training, peer influence, and attention to environmental issues.

For information on how your school / organization can P.A.R.T.Y., contact the Grey Bruce Health Services, Owen Sound site, 519-376-2121 ext 2105.

Not Everyone That Gets Hit By  a Drunk Driver Dies 
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