Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-26) and Town of Amherst Supervisor Brian J. Kulpa announced a federal grant totaling $103,864 to help support the work of the Amherst Task Force for Healthy Communities & Healthy Youth in the prevention of substance abuse among youth in the Town of Amherst. 

This holiday season is like no other. While it is so important to maintain family traditions, this year we may have to put tradition on hold in the hope that next year will be different. That doesn’t mean, though, that we can’t celebrate. 

It has been eight months since the virus that causes COVID-19 has resulted in many changes in how our teens live their everyday lives. Depending on the school they attend, some are in school every day, some attend two times a week and others are learning remotely 100% of the time. 

Asset 27 from the Search Institute’s 40 Developmental Assets measures the sense of equality and social justice a young person possesses. 

A s time passes, isolation loses its appeal. This is the time to look back to when this all started and reflect on what you have prioritized or accomplished. Every one of us has opportunities daily to become asset ambassadors by building assets in young people. 

To cultivate positive character assets, young people require meaningful connections to their communities. Although COVID-19 has drastically restricted face-to-face interactions, the Amherst Task Force for Healthy Communities and Healthy Youth wants to remind families that significant asset building can happen at home. 

The mission of the Amherst Task Force for Healthy Community Healthy Youth is to support, promote and link community asset building efforts for youth.

Starting a conversation with your child about touchy topics at times seem too hard to do. With resources, however, the worry fades. 

Super Bowl Sunday is probably the biggest gambling day of the year. For many, or most, picking a square or placing a friendly bet is just for fun. But not everyone is having fun. 

A resolution is a promise for a change, whether it be a diet, an intent to save money, rebuilding a relationship, changing a law, etc. “The Big Deal” is that you see a problem or something that needs changing. 

According to the Pew Research Center, 70% of teens see anxiety and depression as a major problem. Experts say that this generation grew up with no coping skills and with an inability to problem solve uncomfortable situations. 

At a recent meeting of the Amherst Youth Consortium, students discussed their knowledge of e-cigarettes and vaping. Students are aware that vaping has resulted in hundreds of people in the U.S., youth and adults, developing a serious lung injury associated with vaping. 

During the month of October, the Amherst Task Force for Healthy Youth, Healthy Community takes an active role in raising the community’s awareness of the risks associated with underage drinking. 

A s much as young people need to avoid actions that put their present and future health at risk, young people also need opportunities for physical, mental, social and emotional growth. 

Following an Amherst Town Board meeting that addressed underage drinking, drug use and vaping, students shared what they had learned. 

Amid the revelry that comes with summer fun, local youth encounter increased opportunities to make poor choices, especially given the increase in free time that comes with the end of the school year. 

The Amherst Task Force on Healthy Community Healthy Youth hosted an underage drinking town hall on Monday, June 17 at the Harlem Road Community Center. 

The Surgeon General recently declared vaping and e-cigarette use a major epidemic among youth — and it’s impacting their brains.