Saving Lives Through Prevention and Responsibility - PARC Program

On Tuesday, January 25, 2022, the Rotary Club Meriwether County welcomed Buffy Mitchell and David Rumph as guest speakers with the Prevention and Responsible Choices (PARC) program at the Roosevelt Warm Springs Institute for Rehabilitation. In support of the program, the club donated $900 towards equipment and maintenance needs within the program this year.

PARC is a prevention program designed to provide education and hands-on experiences that reduce risky behaviors in adolescents between the ages of 14 and 19. Since 1991, the program has provided services to over 1,300 teens. The program began as a collaborative initiative involving the Roosevelt Warm Springs Brain Injury Program, The Rotary Club of Meriwether County, the Late Juvenile Judge David Turner, and the Late Probate Judge Idus Robertson.

Participants are vehicle violation offenders identified by Probate and Juvenile Judges through the traffic court system in Meriwether County and the surrounding Middle Georgia counties. Participants are involved in activities designed to bring awareness of their behaviors' possible consequences and encourage changes in knowledge, attitude, and actions.

"Because of the severity of brain and spinal cord injuries, as well as their high long-term costs, it is important to find effective means of preventing their occurrence. The PARC Program targets young persons who were identified with the greatest risk of brain or spinal cord injuries because of their behavior. The result of this program evaluation indicates promise for the use of educational and experiential programs similar to the PARC program for adolescents as an effective strategy for reducing injuries caused by irresponsible risk behaviors," commented the Rollins School for Public Health-Emory University.

PARC emphasizes responsible choices to prevent brain and spinal cord injuries by:

1. Wear your seat belt at all times.
2. Obey all traffic laws. Do not drink and drive!
3. Do not move someone injured; call an expert for help.
4. Know the limits of a given activity and use the proper equipment.
5. Do not drink and participate in sports.
6. Check the water depth and check for objects below the surface before you jump or dive.
7. Wear a helmet with riding a bike or motorcycle.
8. Practice weapon safety.
9. Being aware of the dangers of evening and nighttime driving.
10. Speeding is not your friend.
11. Distracted driving by texting or by using a cellphone.

For more information about the Prevention and Responsible Choices (PARC) program, please call the Continuing Education and Training Department at Roosevelt Warm Springs at 706.655.5231.

Pictured below, Dr. Robert Griffin, President of the Rotary Club of Meriwether County, presents a donation to Buffy Mitchell and David Rumph, the Prevention and Responsible Choices (PARC) program coordinators and instructors at Roosevelt Warm Springs.