Strategies for Success

Community Forums

The coalition hosts community forums to provide a platform for community members to both learn and share knowledge about substance abuse among the youth in our community.

Social Media

We create awareness campaigns on social media platforms to spread our message and resources to the youth and community.

TIPS Training

TIPS (Training for Intervention ProcedureS) is the global leader in alcohol server and seller training for the responsible service, sale, and consumption of alcohol. TIPS is a skills-based training program that is designed to prevent intoxication, underage drinking, and drunk driving. It has been proven effective by third-party studies. SAFIR helps coordinate TIPS training for liquor licensees.

Proper Medication Disposal

Our goal is to educate the community on proper disposal of medications.

Prescription Drop Boxes

We advocate for additional prescription drop boxes in the community.

Compliance Checks

SAFIR Coalition funds compliance checks.

Talk. They Hear You

Research shows that parents are the leading influence on their child’s decisions about alcohol. Although it may not seem like it, when parents talk about underage drinking, their children do hear them.

Sticker Shock

Sticker Shock Campaign is a project where the community, youth, and alcohol retailers all work together to combat minors getting access to alcohol.  With these sectors partnering, they create a message, which is then printed onto stickers and placed on products in stores.  

Advocating

We advocate for the adoption of ordinances surrounding substance misuse.

No One's House

No One’s House is a parent-to-parent campaign that works to reduce the number of parents in a community who are providing teens with alcohol and/or allowing teens to drink in their homes. By pledging, you agree that you will not provide teens alcohol and will not willingly allow teens to drink alcohol at your home.

SAFIR Youth Groups

SAFIR hosts youth group activities and events to help promote an alcohol and drug-free lifestyle.

Know the Law

Know the Law is a program lead by law enforcement officers that educates the youth on legislation surrounding drinking, substance abuse, weapons, tobacco, parties, personal crimes and more. In this program, teens learn the classifications of various actions and their penalties. 

 

 

 

Underage Drinking Workgroup

The underage drinking workgroup meets the 2nd Friday of every month at 10:00 am at Vero Beach Police Department.

Initiatives:

  • 21 means 21
  • No One’s House
  • Talk. They Hear You
  • Sticker Shock
  • TIPs training
  • Compliance checks
  • Advocate for additional underage drinking policies
  • Tip Line for Underage Drinking Parties
Phil Huddy

Phil Huddy

Underage Drinking Workgroup Chair

Phil has been a member of the Vero Beach Police Department for over 18 years, currently serving as a Detective Sergeant in the agency’s Detective Division, overseeing General Crimes and the Special Investigations Unit.  One of his many responsibilities is alcohol and drug prevention among juveniles and adults. He is also an agency instructor, in various disciplines and a team leader on the agency’s Critical Response Team. Phil also serves as an adjunct instructor at the Treasure Coast Public Safety Complex (Indian River State College), in the areas of Crisis Intervention and Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs.

Prescription Misuse Workgroup

The prescription misuse workgroup meets every 3rd Wednesday of the month at 1:00 at the Indian River County Sheriff’s office in Vero Beach.

Initiatives: 

  • Education and awareness to parents and youth
  • Generation Rx
  • Use Only as Directed 
  • Advocate for additional drug drop off boxes in the county
  • Safe disposal and storage presentations
  • Mobile Take Back events
  • Promote National Drug Take Back days
Theresa Tolle

Theresa Tolle

Prescription Misuse Workgroup Co-Chair

Theresa is pharmacist and 2nd generation owner of Bay Street Pharmacy along with her husband Joe. She graduated with a BS in Pharmacy from the University of Florida in 1988 and became the owner of Bay Street Pharmacy in 1999.

Theresa is very active with local, state and national pharmacy associations and is currently on the Board of Trustees for the American Pharmacists Association.  She has previously served as President of the Florida Pharmacy Association and Brevard County Pharmacy Association.

In Sebastian, she is a past chair and current member of the Board of Directors for the Sebastian River Area Chamber of Commerce, member of the Board of Directors of Sebastian River Medical Center, and a member of the Substance Abuse Free Indian River (SAFIR) Coalition.

Donald Hart

Donald Hart

Prescription Misuse Workgroup Co-Chair

Donald R. Hart, Sr. is the founder and chief executive officer of Hart & Soul youth program. He believes in his community, cares about others and has a passion for the welfare of children. His passion for the welfare of the children has led him to create Hart & Soul Foundation.

His knowledge and passion is contributed to the 30 plus years of professional service in law enforcement, three years as a adjunct instructor at Indian River State College, being a mentor for a boys program for six years and sit on multi nonprofit boards where he was a vice president on one and a board member on another that served low to lower income people. Which afforded him a wide array of skills and abilities.

Marijuana Workgroup

The marijuana workgroup meets every 3rd Thursday of the month at 3:00 pm at Substance Awareness Center, Vero Beach.

Initiatives:

  • Education and awareness to parents and youth
  • Social norming campaign
  • Education on the dangers of driving under the influence of marijuana
  • Advocate for marijuana ordinances
Kyleigh Savoie

Kyleigh Savoie

Marijuana Workgroup Chair

Kyleigh Savoie is the Community Health Advocate for the QuitDoc Foundation in Indian River County. Kyleigh graduated from UCF in 2018 with her BA in Sociology with a focus on social determinants of tobacco use to guide tobacco prevention efforts. She is currently working towards her Masters in Public Health with a focus in Epidemiology exploring how tobacco use is associated with food insecurity. She is a passionate tobacco control advocate and enjoys protecting her community from the dangers of tobacco use and secondhand smoke. Kyleigh has been a member of the SAFIR Coalition for two years and currently serves as the chair for the Tobacco/Vape Workgroup, the Marijuana Workgroup, and the Youth Advisory Board.

Vaping/Tobacco Workgroup

The Vaping/Tobacco workgroup meets every 2nd Tuesday of the month at 3:00 pm at Substance Awareness Center, Vero Beach.

Initiatives:

  • Education and awareness to parents and youth
  • Environmental Scans
  • Compliance Checks
  • Store Audits
Kyleigh Savoie

Kyleigh Savoie

Vaping/Tobacco Workgroup Chair

Kyleigh Savoie is the Community Health Advocate for the QuitDoc Foundation in Indian River County. Kyleigh graduated from UCF in 2018 with her BA in Sociology with a focus on social determinants of tobacco use to guide tobacco prevention efforts. She is currently working towards her Masters in Public Health with a focus in Epidemiology exploring how tobacco use is associated with food insecurity. She is a passionate tobacco control advocate and enjoys protecting her community from the dangers of tobacco use and secondhand smoke. Kyleigh has been a member of the SAFIR Coalition for two years and currently serves as the chair for the Tobacco/Vape Workgroup, the Marijuana Workgroup, and the Youth Advisory Board.

SAFIR