Team Montana

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Team Montana

• The Few and Far Between

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Team Members

• Leo McCarthy, Butte
• Jimm Kilmer, Butte
• Valerie Kilmer, Butte
• Dan Haffey, Butte
• Jennifer Haubenreiser, Bozeman
• Ray Hetherington, Harlowton
• State Coordinator, Julie Fischer, Helena

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Montana 4th Largest State
559 Miles
321 Miles
147,046 Square Miles 56 Counties 7 Reservations
45th in Population
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How we got together

• An E-Mail was sent out and we took the challenge.
  It seemed like a long shot, but we were picked
  for the program.

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Studying the Research

• We studied the strategies that help reduce
  underage drinking. There were many. Raising
  taxes on alcohol has a measureable effect.
• We decided to let law makers know we were
  available to educate them on science-based
  strategies to reduce underage drinking.

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State Specific Needs Assessment

• We asked ourselves what other factors could be
  influential in changing hearts and minds in a
  very independent minded State like Montana?
• Fortunately we had parents and youth on the team
  and in the community to interview and brainstorm
  with

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We heard Scholarships!

• Many youth dont see bright futures because of
  lack of funding to go to college.
• We identified Scholarships as an incentive for
  youth, adults and decision makers to change their
  attitudes and behaviors about underage drinking.

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Tying it in

• Scholarships were already attached to Mariahs
  Challenge.
• Could tying to scholarships to alcohol taxation
  be a strategy to win hearts and minds to
  addressing the tough issue of underage drinking?

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Working together

• It takes a team. We talked to people around the
  state about the issue. Jimm and Leo talked to
  parents and youth. Dan and Ray made themselves
  available to law enforcement and decision makers.
  Jennifer did strategic planning with state
  organizations.

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We got the call

• One legislator wanted to improve youth safety and
  opportunity. She wanted to submit a bill and she
  called on us for information, facts, research
  and ultimately our testimony.

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Decision Points

• Would it be worth our personal time and effort to
  gather and rally this testimony and bring the
  youth together?
• Was this our test as community leaders? It might
  not be popular?
• For us their was never a doubt. The answer was
  YES! Time away from jobs and other activities to
  personally respond.

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Challenge not anticipated

• We waited, and we waited, in a cramped little
  room, for our turn to enlighten those that vote
  on young futures
• We had 20 minutes to speak in favor of the bill
  to present our case, then the lobbyists got their
  20 minutes.

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Presenting our case

• We quickly changed our strategy and only put a
  few faces forward, due to time constraints.
• Jim spoke from the heart.
• Dan spoke, some other adults spoke.
• The teens spokeand a response was seen.
• Mental Note Always let the kids speak from the
  heart on the topic!

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The Enemy Arrives

• They came in force.the lobbyists for the
  alcohol industry.
• They brought interesting numbers and statistics.
  Many didnt add up.
• Senators called them on it.

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Disappointment

• The vote was in.
• After only a week, we lost the vote.
• We had to leave Helena, the Lobbyists didnt.

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Lessons Learned

• Create a 1-page talking point handout
• Get the kids more involved
• GET THE KIDS MORE INVOLVED!
• Talk to the sustainability of the program.
• Emphasize that funds cant be diverted.
• Make an emotional connection.
• Ask again Is it worth my personal investment?

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Yes and our Future Game Plan

• Continue to educate..
• Helping to make the bills ideas into an
  initiative.
• True grassroots effort, we are developing a
  canned presentation that will be presented across
  the state. Using this to multiply our forces.
• Save our kids!

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Team Montana
The Whole Group at work
Val, inspiring us to do better.
Discussing Handling Challenges
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Thank you

• Thank you to the PIRE team and OJJDP without whom
  we would not have gotten the training for leading
  and educating communities like this.
• Thank you to State Coordinator Julie Fischer for
  lending a supportive ear.
• Thank you Mariahs Challenge for our inspiration!